Beetroot Juice May Help Support Healthy Blood Pressure

Beetroot juice is one of the richest dietary sources of antioxidants and naturally occurring nitrates. A new study suggests that beetroot juice may help support healthy blood pressure.

Fourteen healthy, active males with an average age of 25 participated in the study. They consumed ½ a cup of concentrated beetroot juice or a placebo twice daily during 2 supplementation periods. Each supplementation period was separated by a washout period.

The researchers measured beat-by-beat blood pressure and mean arterial pressure before, during, and after a 20-minute muscle strengthening exercise. Blood samples were taken 2.5 hours after the participants’’ last meal and used to evaluate plasma nitrate concentration.

Participants in the beetroot juice group saw significant decreases in systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure both before and after exercise compared to the placebo group. Diastolic blood pressure was lower pre-exercise. The beetroot juice group also saw significant increases in plasma nitrate concentration.

The report was conducted by researchers from Northumbria University and the University of West Bohemia. It was published online ahead of print on September 3, 2022 in the journal Nutrients.

Pomegranates were found to help support healthy blood pressure in a previous study.