The Benefit Of Beetroot Juice for Men's Heart Health

2 mins to read

Heart health is an important issue for men's wellbeing. Online personal trainer Andrew Cate investigates the role beetroot juice could play in helping men maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Mens health

Healthy Blood pressure for men
Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as it is being pumped around the body by your heart. The two measures of blood pressure are called:

Systolic pressure – Pressure rises with each beat of your heart, and this top or higher number is known as systolic pressure.

Diastolic pressure – When the heart relaxes and refills, pressure is reduced, and this is the lower reading known as the diastolic pressure.

A reading such as 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed as "120 over 80." Blood pressure readings vary amongst individuals, and throughout the day, so there is no perfect number. Even so, blood pressure is a good measure of heart health for men, and it's important to maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Fortunately, there are a number of lifestyle measures you can adopt which can help to maintain healthy blood pressure levels, such as weight control, exercise, not smoking, limiting alcohol and eating a healthy diet. Research has also emerged showing that beetroot juice may play a role in helping men maintain healthy blood pressure.

Beetroot juice and healthy blood pressure in men
Beetroot is a rich source of dietary antioxidants, vitamins and nitrates. Nitrates are converted in the body into nitric oxide, a substance known to widen blood vessels and improve cardiovascular function. A study published by Nutrition Journal compared the effects on blood pressure in subjects who consumed beetroot juice compared to a placebo (coloured apple juice was used as a placebo due to its similar appearance and sweetness). Subjects who consumed 500 grams (approximately 500 ml) of beetroot juice (containing 15 mmol nitrate/L) experienced improvements in blood pressure measurements measured at 3, 6 and 24 hours after ingestion. Researchers observed that the trend of beetroot juice improving blood pressure status was stronger in men than in women. This notable improvement in men was also observed in other studies on beetroot juice and blood pressure that were quoted by the authors. However, it must be noted that the number of subjects in this study was small (30), and additional studies with larger groups are needed to fully assess the impact of beetroot juice on cardiovascular health.

Including beetroot juice in your diet

Juice it yourself - Add beetroot at a ratio of 4:1 with apples in a vegetable juicer for your own fresh version. Adding small amounts of additional vegetables, herbs and spices such as carrot, mint and ginger may also make interesting flavour combinations.
Eat more beetroot - While not as concentrated, eating fresh beetroot can still contribute to your nitrate intake. Beetroot is a versatile vegetable, and can be included in dips, salads, roasts and soups.

References available on request