Beetroot may strongly protect you from the consequences of hardening of the arteries

Eating Beetroot may strongly protect you from the consequences of hardening of the arteries

Some vegetables, especially root vegetables, grow within the soil and collect high concentrations of nitrates. Almost immediately the bacteria on your tongue start to convert these natural nitrates where they eventually become nitric oxide. A neurotransmitter that pushes open your blood vessels for smoother blood flow. Nitric oxide can relax your blood vessels lowering your blood pressure, supporting circulation to the brain, and increasing endurance during physical activity.

Vegetables with a high nitrate content are red beetroot, celery, cress, chervil, lettuce, red beetroot, spinach, and rocket (arugula). Although the ability of vegetables and beetroot especially, to lower blood pressure has been established, no one so far has examined if this will decrease the risk of cardiovascular related mortality. But now this too is established.

Researchers from a number of research institutions throughout Australia recruited 1226 women aged 70 to 85 in 1998 and followed them for 15 years. The women were free of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and diabetes at time of recruitment. Over the years 19.4% of the women died specifically from hardening of the arteries. For approximately every 67mg of nitrate from vegetables consumed on a daily basis there was a 19% corresponding decrease in the risk of dying from hardening of the arteries. The study is published in the July 2017 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.