Britons hoping to lower their blood pressure might want to consider adding one particular vegetable to their shopping list. Beetroot isn’t everyone’s favourite, but research suggests it may help keep blood pressure under control because of compounds naturally found in the vegetable. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common health problem across the UK. It often comes with no obvious symptoms, so people can have it without even knowing.
Medication and lifestyle changes are often needed to manage the condition, but the food people eat can make a difference too. And beetroot is one vegetable researchers have been looking at.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) explains that beetroot juice contains nitrates, which may help bring blood pressure down.
A review of 11 clinical trials involving 349 people with high blood pressure found that drinking beetroot juice was associated with an average reduction of around 5mmHg in systolic blood pressure.
Systolic blood pressure is the top number you see on a blood pressure reading. It measures the pressure when the heart beats.
However, the researchers did not find a clear improvement in diastolic blood pressure, which is the lower number. The BHF also makes clear that beetroot isn’t the only food worth considering.
Vegetables such as spinach, celery and kale contain nitrates too. Fruit and vegetables also provide potassium, which plays a part in regulating blood pressure. And if drinking beetroot juice doesn’t sound particularly appealing, there are other ways to eat it. Beetroot can be roasted, tossed into salads or added to homemade soups.
Eating it whole also means getting the fibre that is largely removed when the vegetable is juiced. But beetroot shouldn’t be treated as an alternative to prescribed medication. The BHF recommends a varied diet, regular physical activity and following medical advice when managing high blood pressure.
Anyone taking blood pressure medication should speak to their GP before making concentrated beetroot juice a regular part of their diet, particularly if they are concerned about their blood pressure dropping too low.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
