\n<\/p>\n
Life is stressful enough, but high blood pressure can make it even more challenging.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the <\/span>U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a> (CDC), nearly 50% of U.S. adults (about 120 million people) live with hypertension. The CDC also notes that \u201chaving high blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Fortunately, there\u2019s a simple drink that may help lower that number, beetroot juice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>2025 study<\/span><\/a> published in <\/span>Free Radical Biology and Medicine<\/span><\/i> found that consuming beetroot juice twice daily lowered blood pressure in adults in their 60s and 70s.<\/span><\/p>\n The study, conducted at the University of Exeter in the UK, involved two groups, 39 younger adults (18\u201330 years old) and 36 older adults (67\u201379 years old).<\/span><\/p>\n After just two weeks, older adults with <\/span>high blood pressure<\/span><\/a> saw significant reductions, while younger adults experienced no change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Researchers attributed these improvements to higher nitric oxide levels in the blood and a reduction in harmful oral bacteria, both linked to beetroot\u2019s naturally high nitrate content.<\/span><\/p>\n So how does this work exactly? <\/span><\/p>\n In a piece from <\/span>Food & Wine<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Mandy Enright,<\/b> MS, RDN, worksite wellness specialist and author of <\/span>30-Minute Weight Loss Cookbook: 100+ Quick and Easy Recipes for Sustainable Weight Loss<\/span><\/i><\/a> says, \u201cWhen you drink beetroot juice, the nitrates are converted into <\/span>nitric oxide<\/b>, which helps relax and open blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily and lowering blood pressure.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n She adds that \u201cnitric oxide can also improve the lining of the arteries and make them less stiff, which may help protect against heart attacks and stroke.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN<\/b>, registered dietitian, host of the <\/span>Media Savvy Podcast<\/span><\/i>, and author of <\/span>Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table<\/span><\/i><\/a> notes that the benefits of beetroot juice can appear surprisingly quickly. \u201cSome studies suggest effects can be seen in just a few hours,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n Taub-Dix also stresses that consistency is key. <\/span>Drinking beet juice<\/span><\/a> regularly, even just a few times per week, may deliver the most lasting results.<\/span><\/p>\n However, before adding beet juice into your diet regularly, be sure to check in with your doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAlways check with your healthcare provider if you\u2019re on blood pressure medication, since combining both could lower your pressure too much,\u201d adds Taub-Dix.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n