High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, so it is important to control it.
It is possible to reduce blood pressure without medication by losing weight, exercising, and eating a healthier diet.
One vegetable in particular stands out, says Dr. Annapoorna Kini, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York.
Heart Health Tip of the Day: Add Beets to Your Diet
“If you really want to know what lowers blood pressure, it’s beets – beet root,” Kini tells TODAY.com.
Beets contain nitrates, which are converted to nitric oxide in the body and “play an essential role in cardiovascular health,” the researchers note.
It is a natural vasodilator, meaning it opens blood vessels, allowing greater blood flow.
“This acts on the wall of the (bloody) vessels – dilates the smooth muscle of the vessel wall. This way your vessel remains flexible,” adds Kini.
Why it matters
Blood vessels become stiffer as people age and begin to accumulate plaque in their arteries, notes Kini; and when the arteries become stiff, this is how we develop high blood pressure.
Arterial stiffness is a “primary risk marker for hypertension,” researchers wrote in the journal Circulation Research. It also impacts brain and kidney function.
Nitric oxide is a “powerful vasodilator that opens blood vessels and promotes blood flow throughout the body. This increase in blood flow leads to decreased pressure in the arteries,” explained registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, TODAY’s senior nutrition editor, writing about the benefits of beets.
Beets are particularly high in nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide, and their juice has been shown to lower blood pressure. This is one of the reasons why beets are on cardiologists’ list of favorite vegetables.
How to get started
Beet juice is an easy way to get a lot of nitrates in one serving, says Rizzo. Try Beet-Carrot-Ginger Juice or Craig Melvin’s Beet Juice.
Incorporate beets into your meals with a roasted beet salad with salmon or a beet risotto.
Beet greens, the leafy tops of the vegetable, are rich in nitrates. They’re also edible and delicious, notes Rizzo. She suggests sautéing them with olive oil, garlic and salt for a healthy side dish, or adding them to soups, smoothies and stews.
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