Quite a lot of natural ways that we can do to lower blood pressure levels. One way is to juice the fruit bits. Bit is a kind of tuber vegetables red and watery.
A new study published in the journal Hypertension said, drink about 250 ml or one glass of beet juice regularly can reduce blood pressure by 7 percent. The researchers said the effect of blood pressure reduction caused by high nitrate levels of fruit juice bits. High nitrate levels are also found naturally in celery, cabbage, and other green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce.
Consumption of foods with high nitrate levels can trigger certain chemical reactions in the blood. This chemical reaction can increase the oxygen supply to the body, especially on the lack of oxygen.
Fruit juice bits used in the study contains 0.2 grams of nitrate. The amount of nitrate equivalent to that found in a large bowl of lettuce or two bits.
Study chairman Amrita Ahluwalia, professor of pharmacy at the vascular Barts and The London Medical School to admit was quite surprised at how small amounts of nitrate have a big effect.
"We hope that people have started to change their lifestyle by eating more vegetables that contain nitrates, such as green leafy vegetables or fruit bits. Because that's an easy way to improve cardiovascular health," said Ahluawalia.
Hypertension affects estimated one billion people in the world, while in Indonesia, approximately 32 percent of the population had hypertension. Though hypertension is the biggest risk factor of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
Lifestyle changes, such as reducing salt and alcohol intake, and exercise, can control blood pressure. The drugs are also required for those who have hypertension severe enough.
Blood pressure is considered high if the score was more than 140/90 mmHg. The first number is legible in the systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart contracts and pumps blood out of the heart chambers. While the second number is diastolic pressure, when the heart beats any slack space and fill with blood.
The study included eight women and seven men with systolic pressure is between 140 and 159 mmHg were not taking blood pressure-lowering drugs.
Some participants were asked to drink 250 ml of beet juice, while others were asked to drink water that contains very little nitrate. They then monitored their blood pressure for 24 hours.
Compared with those who drank only water, participants who drank fruit juice beet pressure decreased systolic approximately 10 mmHg. The effect was seen after three to six hours after drinking, but still visible after 24 hours.
Previous studies showed that fruit bits can increase stamina, and improve the blood supply to vital areas of the brain.