Which Is Better for Lowering Blood Pressure?

Whole beets and beet juice contain plant compounds that may help lower blood pressure and improve heart health. For a more concentrated dose of these plant compounds, beet juice may be the best option, while whole beets are best if you’re looking to increase your intake of heart-healthy fiber.

If you’re looking for a quick and noticeable reduction in your blood pressure, beet juice may be the solution.

Beet juice and whole beets contain nitrates, which are natural plant compounds that may lower blood pressure.

However, beet juice contains a greater concentration of nitrates than cooked beets, so it may have a more powerful effect on blood pressure measurements. Plus, these blood pressure benefits can appear just hours after drinking beet juice.

Here’s what the research says:

• A study of people with high blood pressure found that beet juice can lower systolic blood pressure (the highest number in a reading), although it had no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure (the lowest number).
• Another study concluded that systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were consistently lower in the groups of participants who drank beet juice compared to the control groups.

To get the best benefits, one study suggests drinking 1 cup of beetroot juice daily for 60 days. However, if you are looking for long-term results, beetroot juice should be consumed regularly. Improvements in blood pressure appear to diminish when people stop drinking this beverage.

Fruits and vegetables in general are linked to healthy blood pressure levels. But beets contain certain plant compounds and minerals that make them a particularly good choice for heart health. Several of these natural compounds may help blood vessels relax, promoting blood flow and blood pressure, including:

• Nitrates: The body converts nitrates into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps widen blood vessels and improve blood flow. Beets, and their juice in particular, are rich sources of nitrates.
• Antioxidants: Beets contain many types of antioxidants, including one called betalain, which is responsible for the bright color of beets. Betalains may help reduce inflammation in the body, which may help protect blood vessel function.
• Potassium: This mineral helps counteract the effects of sodium on the body. Lower sodium levels can reduce water retention and relieve pressure on blood vessel walls. A serving of whole cooked beets and a glass of beet juice each contain about 6% of your recommended daily intake of potassium.

These compounds found in beets may contribute to significant drops in blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension (high blood pressure).

Although whole beets provide a less concentrated dose of blood pressure-lowering nitrates, they offer a heart-health benefit that beet juice doesn’t: fiber.

Comparing the two by weight, 100 grams of beet juice contains approximately 1.1 grams of fiber, while 100 grams of cooked beets contains 2 grams. The same amount of raw beets offers 3.1 grams of fiber. This is typical of most fruit or vegetable juices: the extraction process removes much of the fibrous pulp, resulting in a liquid product that is much lower in fiber.

This extra fiber from whole beets can improve your heart health in several ways:

• Reduce cholesterol: Fiber can help reduce low-density (“bad”) lipoprotein cholesterol by limiting its absorption.
• More stable blood sugar: Fiber slows digestion, helping prevent blood sugar spikes that could damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease.
• Intestinal maintenance and reduction of inflammation: Fiber feeds helpful bacteria in the gastrointestinal system. These good bacteria make compounds called short-chain fatty acids that are indirectly linked to healthier blood pressure levels and reduced inflammation.

If you want to add whole beets or beet juice to your daily diet to maintain healthy blood pressure, studies suggest the following amounts might help:

• Beetroot juice: To try drink 250 milliliters, or about one cup, every day.
• Whole beets: Research suggests that adults should consume about 300 to 350 milligrams of dietary nitrates each day for heart health. About 120 grams of raw beets should provide this amount, although you may want to eat a little more if you eat cooked beets, as the nitrate content decreases when vegetables are cooked.

Ultimately, consistency is more important than quantity: Research suggests that blood pressure benefits don’t appear until people have been consuming beets or beet juice for several weeks.

If you’re new to eating beets, start with smaller quantities. The fiber in beets can lead to bloating or digestive upset if you eat too much at first. For best results, include beets in a heart-healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and less sodium.