# Beetroot juice



## Chappy (Jan 29, 2018)

I've read that Beetroot Juice can help to control high blood pressure, but also that it contain potassium. As a T2 would I be OK drinking it??


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## Mark Parrott (Jan 29, 2018)

I've heard positive things about beetroot juice too, but I can't stand beetroot so I'll take the risks.


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## trophywench (Jan 29, 2018)

Hee hee - a chap on our Moho forum heard they'd help BP so started drinking it and kept extolling its virtues ....... 12 months later I noticed he wasn't drinking it any more and was now on at least two normal BP drugs.

From this I can only assume that it was nowhere near enough on its own so he's had to revert to conventional medical science - and did actually private message him to ask - but I don't know him personally, he could have thought I wanted to 'gloat' that it didn't work, or something.  I didn't at all - if stuff that's natural does work - then why wouldn't anyone prefer to eat/drink it (providing they liked the taste LOL) than eat a handful of chemicals every morning?

If you want to try it well it won't harm you I suppose, but don't pin too many hopes on it is my advice.


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## Matt Cycle (Jan 29, 2018)

Beetroot juice high in nitrate is now fairly well proven in boosting vo2 max and is sold as a sports supplement.  I like beetroot but not all beetroot products have it - so you wouldn't get much vo2 benefit from a jar of pickled beetroot as cooking reduces nitrate.  Nitrates convert into nitric oxide and this widens the blood vessels so could reduce blood pressure.  Beet It seem to have cornered the market on beetroot juices and supplements.  If you have some try and remember otherwise you get a nasty shock when going to the toilet!


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## Midnightrider (Feb 1, 2018)

Nitrates do indeed act as a vasodilator, which is why they are used to treat angina. Most commonly glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) spray (nitroglycerine is the old name), which contains 3 nitrate groups an acts very quickly.
However, the amounts present in beetroot (or any veg) are too low to have any significant effect on blood vessels. It certainly will do no harm though.


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## Pine Marten (Feb 1, 2018)

Mark Parrott said:


> I've heard positive things about beetroot juice too, but I can't stand beetroot so I'll take the risks.


Me neither - my old mum loved it and had beetroot sandwiches etc, but it just looked to me like a slimy lump of slimy stuff


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## trophywench (Feb 1, 2018)

Slimy? It's not slimy at all until you put mayo on it - root veg same as a carrot but different shape, taste and colour.


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## Chappy (Feb 7, 2018)

Think I'll stick with having a few slices on a salad!!


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## Pine Marten (Feb 7, 2018)

trophywench said:


> Slimy? It's not slimy at all until you put mayo on it - root veg same as a carrot but different shape, taste and colour.


Yuck. Just yuck


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## trophywench (Feb 7, 2018)

Well if someone doesn't happen to like the taste of it I agree Yuck may be an appropriate adjective.  However I could never ever agree that Slimy could apply to unadulterated raw or boiled beetroot.  However again because of the fat content, mayo may be described as slimy.  However - again! and even though I used it - I don't personally actually agree because 'slimy' is not 'pleasant' and for those who like mayo and butter or certain other fatty foods (eg lardy cake, dripping especially 'mucky' dripping sandwiches etc) - we find them pleasant, otherwise we wouldn't like em!

They are all more 'slippy' than slimy, IMO !


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## Dave W (Feb 7, 2018)

It's a bit higher in carbs than carrot, comes in at about 5.6g/100g when pickled. We like it boiled, sliced, and marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sliced garlic cloves.


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## trophywench (Feb 7, 2018)

I am not keen on the addition of the sharpness of ordinary vinegar myself although your marinaded offering sounds nice - so I may have a go at that once I am ready to eat cold stuff again! - or more likely when the weather improves enough to make me want to.


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## Vince_UK (Feb 8, 2018)

I used to make my own beetroot juice. I quite liked it once you get used to it. Does turn your urine reddish.
I haven't used the juicer now for months, scared to  and I used it everyday in the past  for fruit juice and things like carrot juice. When I get back I may try beetroot juice again and see what effect it has.
I read a while ago it was good at reducing BP levels.


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