Beetroot may reduce blood pressure, UK research has found.
A study by Barts and the London School of Medicine and the Peninsula Medical School showed that a 500ml glass of beetroot juice a day can significantly cut blood pressure.
The results were seen within an hour of drinking the juice, but the reduction grew after three to four hours, and further reduction was seen after 24 hours, according the report published in the online journal, Hypertension.
The beneficial property - nitrate - is also found in leafy, green vegetables.
Previously, the protective benefits of vegetable-rich diets had been attributed to their antioxidant content.
This could become a low-cost way of treating hypertension.
Researcher Professor Amrita Ahluwalia said: “Our research suggests that drinking beetroot juice, or consuming nitrate-rich vegetables, might be a simple way to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, and might also be an additional approach that one could take in the modern day battle against rising blood pressure.”
More than 25 per cent of the world’s adult population suffer from high blood pressure, and it is estimated that this figure will reach 29 per cent by 2025.
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