Beetroot, the red portion of the beet plant, has been consumed since antiquity – and with good reason. The prehistoric root vegetable comes from the North African, European, and Asian coasts. However, because to its sweet flavor and great health advantages, the dish has gained worldwide popularity. Beets include nitrates, which help our bodies produce more nitric oxide. Nitric oxide, a gas that occurs naturally in the body, causes our blood vessels to dilate, allowing more blood to circulate and decreasing blood pressure.
According to research, drinking one glass of beet juice (or eating the equal amount) will lower systolic blood pressure by 4-5 mmHg. Beetroot is therefore a beneficial supplement for preventing and treating some cardiovascular diseases.
Another health benefit of beetroot is its high nitrate content, which has been linked to improved muscle power, especially that of the heart. Drinking a glass of beetroot juice enhanced muscle power in patients with heart failure, according to a study published in Circulation: Heart Failure. While there isn’t enough evidence to back this up, preliminary research suggests that one of beetroot’s health benefits could be a reduction in malignant cells.
There haven’t been many research on this benefit yet, but a few have proven promising. The betalain pigments in beetroot have been shown to reduce tumor cells in animal experiments, and another human cell study demonstrated the same effect when employed against breast and prostate cancer cells.
