It became known why people with hypertension benefit from drinking beet juice

In 2014, a group of experts conducted a large-scale study to study the effect of regular consumption of beet juice on the health of the human cardiovascular system. Volunteers who had elevated blood pressure levels took part in the experiment. For two months, participants drank 250 ml of freshly squeezed beet juice daily. The results of this scientific work were very impressive and encouraging.

According to data published in the final report of the study, volunteers who regularly consumed beet juice experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure. On average, their systolic (upper) pressure decreased by 8 units, and their diastolic (lower) pressure decreased by 4 units. Scientists associate such a noticeable hypotonic effect of beet juice with the presence of specific compounds in its composition - nitrates, or salts of nitric acid.

Nitrates are chemical compounds that accumulate in beet roots when nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used during the beet growing process. Once in the human body, these salts react, resulting in the formation of nitrogen oxides. The latter, in turn, have a powerful relaxing effect on the smooth muscle cells that form the walls of blood vessels. Under the influence of nitrogen oxides, vasodilation occurs, which leads to a decrease in resistance to blood flow and, as a result, a decrease in blood pressure.

It is important to understand that the therapeutic hypotonic effect of beet juice is fully manifested only if it is consumed fresh, unprocessed. The fact is that during heat treatment, especially when boiling or boiling, a significant part of the nitrates contained in beets loses their beneficial properties. Therefore, to effectively normalize high blood pressure, nutritionists strongly recommend consuming raw beet juice obtained by fresh pressing.

If for some reason it is impossible to drink beet juice, then light steaming of the root vegetables is allowed. Steaming allows you to preserve most of the biologically active substances, including nitrates, which provide a relaxing effect on blood vessels. However, the most preferable option remains freshly squeezed beet juice, which retains as much of the natural benefits of this vegetable as possible.