According to the British Heart Foundation, daily consumption of beet juice is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack. Results of the study presented At the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester.
Drinking beetroot juice daily for six months after stent placement reduces the risk of another heart attack in patients with angina pectoris.
The researchers found that 16% of 300 patients with angina developed serious heart problems or needed a second procedure within two years of stenting. However, when patients drank beet juice every day, this rate dropped to almost 7%.
Scientists explain this effect of beet juice by the content of inorganic nitrate in it, these are salts of nitric acid. It is a food that is converted to nitrite by bacteria in the mouth. It is then converted to the signal molecule nitric oxide (NO) in the body. NO is believed to be responsible for its positive effects on patients’ blood vessels.
The team plans to begin a larger study soon. If successful, they hope beet juice can be given as a post-stent treatment.