Beetroot juice 'reduces blood pressure'

Drinking a glass of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure, say researchers.

Participants in a UK study were given 500ml of beetroot juice or 500ml of water in a random order, seven days apart. Writing in the journal Hypertension, the researchers report that drinking the juice led to significant reductions in blood pressure within hours. Also, a degree of reduction continued to be observed for up to 24 hours.

The benefits were linked to nitrate in the vegetable that reacted with bacteria in the mouth. This led to chemical changes, which resulted in blood vessels opening up and improving circulation.

"Our research suggests that drinking beetroot juice, or consuming other nitrate-rich vegetables, might be a simple way to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system," said the study's leader, Prof Amrita Ahluwalia of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London.

Nitrates are also found in green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce. Previous studies have indicated that diets rich in fruits and vegetables help reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular illnesses.

Other health experts point out that the study was very small, and the long-term benefits of beetroot juice was not investigated, nor was any potential harm measured.

Find out about healthy eating from the British Hypertension Society.

Watch the NewYou video Five-a-day - the benefits of fruit and vegetables.