A doctor explained that a popular vegetable could help lower blood pressure (Image: Getty)
A particular red vegetable could assist in reducing blood pressure, according to a doctor. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is a potentially serious condition believed to affect roughly one in three adults in the UK.
Having high blood pressure means your heart must work considerably harder than normal to pump blood throughout your body. This places additional strain on the heart, blood vessels and other organs over time.
Left untreated, it can lead to severe complications, with high blood pressure associated with medical emergencies including strokes and heart attacks. Diet is recognised as a significant contributing factor to hypertension, with foods containing high levels of salt amongst the primary causes.
Salt causes the body to retain water, which subsequently raises blood pressure. Nevertheless, what we consume can also produce the reverse effect.
In a video posted to social media platform TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia outlined several benefits of consuming beetroot. Dr Kukadia, known online as Dr Sooj, said: “Are beetroots good for you?
“Beetroots are an excellent dietary nitrate, which has been proven to lower blood pressure both centrally and peripherally. On top of this, it can also help improve athletic performance.
“If you find the taste of beetroot a bit too earthy, you can also just mix it with a bit of apple or a bit of ginger and even mix it into fruit juices.”
What does research say?
His advice is supported by research examining the impact of beetroot juice on blood pressure. In a study published in the journal Hypertension in 2015, researchers from Queen Mary University of London found that a 250ml glass of beetroot juice led to an average reduction in blood pressure of approximately 8/4 mmHg.
As a result, many of the participants in the study saw their blood pressure return to a safe range. The researchers noted this was particularly significant, given that every 2mmHg rise in blood pressure is believed to increase the risk of death from heart disease by 7% and stroke by 10%.
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The blood pressure-reducing properties of beetroot were attributed to the high concentration of dietary nitrates found within the vegetable. Other nitrate-rich foods include spinach, rhubarb, celery, lettuce and watercress.
In a university release, lead study author Professor Amrita Ahluwalia explained: “Diseases of the heart and blood vessels – which can cause heart attacks and strokes – remain the biggest cause of death worldwide.
“However, unlike some other serious illnesses, we are fortunate in that we can make certain lifestyle changes which dramatically improve our heart and blood vessel health.
“This research has proven that a daily inorganic nitrate dose can be as effective as medical intervention in reducing blood pressure and the best part is we can get it from beetroot and other leafy green vegetables.”
A more recently published study reached a comparable conclusion. A meta-analysis, published in Frontiers in Nutrition in 2022, examined seven existing studies and determined that nitrates found in beetroot juice reduce systolic blood pressure, but not diastolic blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension.
The findings indicated that consuming the juice daily over a period of 60 days produced the most favourable results.
NHS advice
To lower your blood pressure, the NHS recommends you:
- Have a healthy, balanced diet
- Exercise regularly – aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week
- Lose weight if you’re overweight
- Do not eat too much salt – avoid salty food or adding salt to your meals
- Do not drink too much alcohol – avoid drinking more than 14 alcohol units a week on a regular basis
- Do not drink too much caffeine – drinks high in caffeine include coffee, tea and cola
- Do not smoke
If you are concerned about your blood pressure, you should speak to your GP.
