The nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway
Beets are unusually rich in inorganic nitrate. Bacteria on the tongue reduce it to nitrite; stomach acid and enzymes convert nitrite to nitric oxide, a signalling molecule that relaxes the smooth muscle lining your arteries. Wider vessels, lower pressure.
This is why we tell people not to use antibacterial mouthwash around their beet juice — it wipes out the oral bacteria the whole process depends on.
What the trials show
A 2015 randomised trial in Hypertension gave 250 ml of beet juice daily for four weeks and recorded a sustained ~8 mmHg systolic and ~4 mmHg diastolic reduction in people with hypertension. Meta-analyses land a little lower — around 4 mmHg systolic — but the direction is consistent across dozens of studies.
Effects peak two to three hours after drinking and fade within 24 hours, which is why daily consistency matters more than volume.
How Nourishjuice doses it
Our Blood Pressure program uses one medium beet (roughly 150–200 ml of juice) blended with celery and cucumber, keeping total beet intake around the studied 250 ml mark once daily.
- Start with half a beet for the first week if you're new to it
- Skip beet juice if your systolic pressure runs below 100
- Tell your physician — nitrates can compound the effect of BP medication
- Pink urine is harmless and expected
250 ml of beet juice a day, consistently, is the evidence-based dose. Don't rinse with mouthwash and do tell your doctor.
Reviewed by the Nourishjuice nutrition panel. Wellness guidance only — not a substitute for medical advice. Discuss changes with your clinician, especially if you take medication.