A cardiologist has highlighted beetroot as a highly beneficial vegetable for heart health, noting its particular advantages for arteries. Dr Francesco Lo Monaco, a private cardiologist in London and founder of the National Heart Clinic on Harley Street, revealed that this inexpensive vegetable, priced around 59p at supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl, "works on your cardiovascular system in remarkable ways."
How Beetroot Supports the Heart
Beetroot is rich in natural nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide, a molecule that signals blood vessels to relax. Dr Lo Monaco explained: "This means better circulation, lower blood pressure, and a healthier endothelium, the inner lining of your vessels."
"Beetroot helps your arteries stay elastic," he added, "something medications alone can't always achieve." He also noted that beetroot supports many pathways that become dysfunctional in conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, and high homocysteine.
Research Backs the Benefits
The American Heart Association states that beets are high in nitrates, which research suggests improve cardiovascular health in several ways. Recent studies also indicate that beetroot juice supplementation may lower blood pressure and increase blood flow.
Dr Lo Monaco commented: "Beetroot actively supports vascular repair, arterial youth, and heart performance in ways most people never hear about. Making small changes such as this is how you improve retention and longevity."
Easy to Add to the Diet
He pointed out that incorporating beetroot into the diet is not difficult, as it retains beneficial nutrients in many forms, including juice and vacuum-packed versions available in supermarkets.
In 2022, the British Heart Foundation funded and presented research at the British Cardiovascular Society conference showing that a regular glass of beetroot juice can reduce signs of inflammation in blood vessels that are known to be increased in people with coronary heart disease.
Dr Asad Shabbir, clinical research fellow at Queen Mary University of London, said at the time: "Inflammation is vital to protect the body from injury and infection. However, in people with coronary heart disease, persistent inflammation can exacerbate the furring of the arteries, making their condition worse and increasing their risk of a heart attack. Our research suggests that a daily glass of beetroot juice could be one way to get inorganic nitrate into our diet to help to interrupt harmful inflammation."
