The red root is loaded with nitrates, vitamins, amino acids and a variety of other health-boosters, whose benefits are far from just cosmetic

Beat high blood pressure with beets

The red root is loaded with nitrates, vitamins, amino acids and a variety of other health-boosters, whose benefits are far from just cosmetic

They might not taste like much, but they come packed with health benefits. A recent online study published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, found that consuming beetroot juice lowers blood pressure.

The nitrates present in beetroot juice produce nitric oxide in the blood. This gas widens vessels and arteries, which lowers blood pressure, and in turn boosts cardiovascular health.

So, those looking for a 'natural' way to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, can now look forward to gulping 250 ml of raw beetroot juice, daily.

Health benefits can be experienced as quickly as within 24 hours of drinking the juice.

Nitrates, though, aren't the only 'good guys' sitting inside beets.
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The red root contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and even silica, which helps in the utilisation of calcium in the body. Silica promotes healthy skin, hair, nails and bones.

The deep red colour in beets comes from betacyanin, or plant pigments, known to be effective against colon cancer.

Beets have, in fact, been used to treat a variety of illnesses related to digestion and blood since the Middle Ages, and are to this day, used as an antidote to cyanide poisoning in Africa.

Featured prominently in the fields of alternative and herbal medicine, the benefits of beets include improved circulation, cleaning of the intestines, helping in the treatment of kidney stones, and combating hypertension.

Avoid using beets that are soft and shriveled, and use ones that are firm and smooth, instead. It's best to dilute beetroot juice with water, fresh carrot or spinach juice as its pretty potent.

So, go on, boost your overall health with beetroots. Now.