The Comprehensive Guide to Beetroot:
Heart Health and Beyond
Beetroot is a vibrant and nutrient-rich vegetable known for its numerous health benefits, particularly in relation to cardiovascular health. This comprehensive guide explores the benefits of beetroot, with a special focus on its role in enhancing nitric oxide production.
- Blow Flow/ Circulation
- Exercise Performance
- Heart Health
- Antioxidant/ Anti-inflammatory
Understanding Beetroot
Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is a root vegetable that is packed with essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is especially rich in nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide (NO) in the body. Nitric oxide is a crucial molecule for vascular health, playing a key role in vasodilation and improving blood flow.
Beetroot and Heart Health
Nitric Oxide Production
Beetroot is rich in dietary nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a potent vasodilator that relaxes and widens blood vessels, improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure. This process is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health and aiding in the prevention of heart disease (1) (2).
Blood Pressure Regulation
Several studies have shown that beetroot juice can significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The nitrates in beetroot help lower blood pressure by enhancing the production of nitric oxide, which improves the flexibility and dilation of blood vessels (3) (4).
Improved Blood Flow and Endothelial Function
Nitric oxide helps maintain the health of the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. By enhancing nitric oxide production, beetroot improves endothelial function, which is critical for preventing atherosclerosis and promoting overall cardiovascular health (5) (6).
Nitric Oxide Production
In 1998, three scientists won the Nobel Prize for their discovery of nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system (7). This molecule is vital to making sure your blood vessels stay wide over time – but your body starts to produce less as you age. In fact, starting in your 30s, nitric oxide (NO) production begins to decline by 20% every 10 years, and most people over the age of 65 have lost 85% of their ability to make NO (8). This makes supplementing your body with the nutrients it needs to both produce and protect your nitric oxide levels that much more important as you get older.
Broader Health Impacts of Beetroot
Beyond its cardiovascular benefits, beetroot offers a range of health advantages:
Exercise Performance and Recovery
The nitrates in beetroot improve muscle efficiency and oxygen utilization, enhancing physical performance and endurance. Beetroot juice is popular among athletes for its ability to reduce muscle fatigue and speed up recovery (9).
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Beetroot contains betalains, pigments that have strong anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds help reduce inflammation, which is a key factor in many chronic diseases, including heart disease (10).
Antioxidant Protection
Beetroot is rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin C and betalains, which help neutralize free radicals and protect cells from oxidative stress and damage (11).
Dietary Sources and Supplementation
Beetroot can be enjoyed in various forms, making it easy to incorporate into your diet:
- Fresh beetroot
- Beetroot juice
- Beetroot powder
- Cooked beetroot
- Pickled beetroot
For those who may not consume enough beetroot through food, supplements such as beetroot powder or capsules are
available to ensure adequate intake of nitrates and other beneficial compounds.
Are All Beetroot Products the Same?
Not all beetroot supplements are created equal. The amount of nitrate that you ingest is directly correlated to the amount of
nitric oxide that your body can produce (12). The industry standard for beetroot is 1-2% nitrate. If a company does not
disclose how much nitrate is in their beetroot, then it likely falls within the industry standard. Look for a beetroot that has a
higher nitrate level disclosed on their label for maximum nitric oxide support. Ours contains 25% nitrate, making it 25 times stronger than any of our competitors.
Beetroot Safety
Beetroot is generally recognized as safe. However, if you have a history of kidney stones, the oxalates in beetroot products can cause flare-ups and create more kidney stones. This does not cause kidney damage, just stones in people with a previous history.
Key Takeaways
Beetroot is essential for maintaining optimal health, with significant benefits for heart health through its roles in nitric oxide production, blood pressure regulation, and improved blood flow. Including beetroot in your diet or considering supplementation can support cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
Tikva Heart Beet Ultra
Recognizing the importance of beetroot in cardiovascular health, Tikva Heart Beet Ultra includes beetroot with 25% nitrate (which is 25x the industry standard) for maximum nitric oxide production to support heart health, enhance vascular function, and improve overall metabolic health (13) (14) (15).
- To learn more about Tikva Heart Beet Ultra and all its benefits
References
- The Truth About Beet Juice – WebMD
- Beetroot, A Remarkable Vegetable: Its Nitrate and Phytochemical Content
- A Narrative Review on Dietary Strategies to Provide Nitric Oxide
- Nitrate-rich beet juice intake on cardiovascular performance
- Beetroot, A Remarkable Vegetable: Its Nitrate and Phytochemical Content
- Nitrate-rich beet juice intake on cardiovascular performance
- Nobel Prize for nitric oxide discovery
- Age-related decline in nitric oxide production
- Beetroot, A Remarkable Vegetable: Its Nitrate and Phytochemical Content
- A Narrative Review on Dietary Strategies to Provide Nitric Oxide
- Nitrate-rich beet juice intake on cardiovascular performance
- Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits
- A Narrative Review on Dietary Strategies to Provide Nitric Oxide as a Biologically Active Nutrient
- Beetroot, A Remarkable Vegetable: Its Nitrate and Phytochemical Content
- Nitrate, the oral microbiome, and cardiovascular health: a systematic review
