Beetroot Juice Recipe To Improve Blood Pressure And Cardiovascular Health
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Beetroots are a very nutritious root vegetable, and they happen to taste great. They include a large amount of useful vitamins and minerals and are a natural source of carbs for fueling energy in the human body.
With the abundance of nutrients and various ways of using it, there is no reason not to include beetroot in your regular diet.
Use a beetroot juice recipe to improve your blood pressure and cardiovascular health, and discover some of the other benefits of consuming this super food.
How Beetroot Juice Improves Blood Pressure
Statistics of High Blood Pressure In The USA
The CDC website states that about 75 million American adults (32%) have high blood pressure—that’s one in every three adults! In 2014, high blood pressure contributed to more than 1,100 deaths in the USA, every day—410,000 deaths a year!
Don’t be a part of the statistics. High blood pressure can be managed/controlled by eating better and drinking a glass of beetroot juice every day. Going the natural way gives you a chance to get better.
Taking a hypertension medication on the other hand, only suppresses your symptoms with no guarantee that you will ever get better. Taking a pill to control your blood pressure can only cause side effects that will surface in your health, later in life.
High Blood Pressure And Your Heart
When you have untreated high blood pressure, it can quietly damage your body before any symptom develops. With long-term uncontrolled hypertension, your blood pressure increases the blood flow through your arteries, resulting in hardened, damaged and narrowed arteries.
Over time, the constant high pressure through these damaged arteries can cause potential rupture that can lead to life-threatening internal bleeding (called aneurysm).
One Glass Of Beetroot Juice A Day
A study shows that one glass of beetroot juice a day is beneficial in reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure (hypertension).
The study in question noted that three hours after drinking 17 ounces of beetroot juice, volunteers showed a decrease in blood pressure that lasted up to 24 hours after drinking the juice!
The researchers found that “inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure”.
Raw beetroot contains high levels of nitrate (NO3), that the body uses when needed, to convert into biologically active nitrite (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO).
Nitric oxide is a key molecule that our body produces to help all our 100 trillion cells communicate with each other by transmitting signals throughout the entire body. It penetrates the underlying muscles and acts as a potent vasodilator that relaxes the arteries. Therefore, nitric oxide plays a critical role in blood pressure and overall blood circulation. In the process, it is also helpful for curbing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Beetroot Juice Boosts Stamina And Athletic Endurance
Studies show that the nitrates in beetroot juice leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake, making exercise less tiring. This was not achieved by any other known means, including training.
Nitrates, being the active ingredient in beetroots, are converted into nitric oxide during exercise. The benefits are most commonly experienced during aerobic exercise, when breathing is increased to draw more oxygen into the body.
In addition to increasing blood circulation and improving muscle contraction and relaxation, beetroot juice supplementation is suspected to have improved the efficiency of mitochondrial respiration that provides the boost of energy, thus sustained stamina.
Beetroot Contains An Abundance Of Nutrients
Beetroot has a large variety of vitamins and minerals. Eating beetroot provides you with vitamins A and C, the B vitamins along with folate, iron, calcium, and potassium. The antioxidant-rich juice helps fight disease and prevent cell damage.
Beetroot Is Rich In Betaine
Another benefit of eating more beetroot is the steady source of betaine. Betaine is a compound that can stimulate liver cell functions and reduce homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is a non-protein amino acid that is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Beetroot Caution
If you’re just starting off with beetroot, you may want to dilute the juice by adding other water-rich vegetables, such as cucumber or celery. It is also advised that men avoid drinking beetroot juice every day as they don’t lose blood like women do. Over-consumption of beetroot can lead to an increase of iron in the blood (beneficial for anemics).
Beetroot Juice Recipe
Gather the following ingredients to make your own beetroot juice. This recipe makes about 16-20 ounces:
- 5-6 medium-sized raw beetroots
- 1 cucumber (optional)
- 1 lemon with peel (cut off both ends)
- 1-inch of ginger root
Beet Juice Directions
If your beetroots have smooth skin, just use a vegetable brush and scrub them clean under running water. If they are rough and uneven, peel them so you remove all soil that may be hidden in the uneven surface.
Gather all the above ingredients, wash and cut them to sizes that will fit your juicer chute. Run everything through your juicer and pour into a pitcher. Stir the juice in the pitcher.
Have a glass a day to manage/control your high blood pressure. If you’re an athlete, drinking a glass every day will help increase your stamina and reduce muscle inflammation.
You may also eat steamed/boiled beetroots when not juiced. Get this very healthy, interesting and delicious salad with boiled beetroots: Beetroot-Feta Cheese Salad.
References:
http://juicing-for-health.com/health-benefits-of-beets
https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/143/6/818/4571708
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