Beet Juice For Blood Pressure After 60: What Science REALLY Says

Beet juice for blood pressure after 60: what the research really shows. We look at one of the best-designed food studies we've covered on this channel, why the results in people over 60 are mixed, how bacteria in your mouth help your body use the nitrate in vegetables, and what small studies found about strong antiseptic mouthwash. In this video: what nitrate is and how your body turns it into nitric oxide, why the nitrate in vegetables isn't treated like the preservatives in processed meat, a London trial where the placebo was beet juice too, what happened when people stopped drinking it, why beeturia is harmless, what studies in people over 55 found, the mouthwash research and its limits, and why arugula may beat the beet. THE PANTRY VERDICT "Beets help your body make nitric oxide": Proven, as chemistry. "Beet juice can lower blood pressure": Proven, in the short term, in people with high blood pressure, for as long as they keep drinking it. "It works the same way after 60": Promising. The research is mixed. "A strong antiseptic mouthwash can blunt your body's nitrate pathway": Promising. Small, short studies. "Any mouthwash will raise your blood pressure": Myth. "Beets can replace blood pressure medicine": Myth. NITRATE-RICH FOODS TO TRY Arugula, spinach, lettuce, celery, Swiss chard, and beets. A few simple ideas: an arugula or spinach salad with olive oil, spinach stirred into eggs, roasted beets as a side dish, celery sticks with a little peanut butter. ABOUT MOUTHWASH Most of the studies used chlorhexidine, a strong antiseptic that dentists often prescribe. A mild mouthwash allowed normal nitrate conversion in one comparison, and a recent review found the evidence too inconsistent for firm conclusions. If your dentist prescribed a mouthwash, keep using it as directed, and ask at your next visit which rinse makes sense for you. SAFETY If you take blood pressure medicine, beets and beet juice may add to its effect. If you get dizzy when you stand up or your blood pressure runs low, talk to your doctor before making beet juice a daily habit. If you take nitrate medicine for your heart, like nitroglycerin, or pills for erectile dysfunction, ask your doctor or pharmacist first. Beets and spinach are high in oxalate; if you've had kidney stones, ask your doctor, and consider pairing them with calcium-rich foods. Beet juice contains natural sugar; if you have diabetes, whole vegetables are usually the better choice. Pink or red urine after eating beets is harmless, but if you see red without eating beets, call your doctor. If you try beets for your blood pressure, measure it at home and share the numbers with your doctor. Never reduce or stop a prescribed medicine because of something in your pantry. Which of these would you actually put on your plate this week: arugula, spinach, celery, or beets? Tell us in the comments. Missed the last episode? Reading in Dim Light After 60: Was Mom Right About Your Eyes?:    • Reading in Dim Light After 60: Was Mom Rig...   DISCLAIMER: This video is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet, especially if you take medication for blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes, or have a history of kidney stones. #bloodpressure #healthyaging #healthyeating #after60 #beetjuice #beet #proofinthepantry #health