A recent study proves daily beet juice benefits cardiovascular health, especially for postmenopausal women.
The study published in Frontiers in Nutrition suggests that daily consumption of beetroot juice can enhance cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.
Recent research has shown that female hormones protect women from various health issues, including cardiovascular diseases. After menopause, less estrogen is produced, leading to a decrease in vascular function and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The research team focused on beetroot juice, which has high nitrate content and the potential to improve cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.
The researchers recruited 54 postmenopausal women from the community, and the final analysis included only 24 women, including 12 early postmenopausal women and 12 postmenopausal women.
Participants’ resting blood pressure was below 130/80mmHg (millimeters of mercury), fasting blood glucose was expected, and body mass index was between 18.5 and 35. All participants were non-smokers and were not taking cardiovascular drugs or hormones during the study.
Participants consumed one bottle of concentrated beetroot juice daily for a week. Each bottle contained the same amount of nitrate as three large beets.
A few weeks later, participants were given beetroot juice with the nitrate removed, which the researchers reported had a placebo-like effect.
The study found that blood flow improved while participants ingested beetroot juice rich in nitrates daily. However, this effect disappeared 24 hours after the last bottle was consumed.
As a result, researchers concluded that drinking beetroot juice can enhance cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.
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