Want to Lower Blood Pressure? A Cardiologist Recommends This 1 Vegetable

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, so it’s important to keep it in check. It’s possible to lower blood pressure without medication by losing weight, exercising and eating a healthier diet. One vegetable in particular stands out, says Dr. Annapoorna Kini, a cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York. Heart Health Tip of the Day: Add Beets to Your Diet “If you really want to know what decreases blood pressure, it is beet — beet root,” Kini tells TODAY.com. Beets contain nitrates, which get converted to nitric oxide in the body, and “plays an essential role in cardiovascular health,” researchers note. It’s a natural vasodilator, meaning it opens blood vessels, allowing greater blood flow. “It works on the (blood) vessel wall — dilates the smooth muscle of the vessel wall. That way, your vessel remains pliable,” Kini adds. Why It Matters Blood vessels become more rigid as people get older and start building up plaque in their arteries, Kini notes; and when the arteries get stiff, that’s how you develop high blood pressure. Arterial stiffness is a “leading marker of risk in hypertension,” researchers wrote in the journal Circulation Research. It also impacts the function of the brain and kidneys. Nitric oxide is a “potent vasodilator that opens the blood vessels and promotes blood flow throughout the body. This increase in blood flow results in less pressure in the arteries,” explained registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor for TODAY, when writing about beet benefits. Beets are particularly high in nitrates, which the body turns into nitric oxide, and their juice has been shown to lower blood pressure. It’s one reason why beets make the list of cardiologists’ favorite vegetables. How to Get Started Juicing beets is a simple way to get a high amount of nitrates in one serving, Rizzo says. Try beet carrot ginger juice or Craig Melvin’s beet juice. Incorporate beets into your meals with a roasted beet salad with salmon or beet risotto. Beet greens, the vegetable’s leafy tops, are rich in nitrates. They’re also edible and delicious, Rizzo notes. She suggests sautéing them with some olive oil, garlic and salt for a healthy side dish, or adding them soups, smoothies and casseroles. Download the Start TODAY app for heart-healthy recipes, meal plans and workouts designed for every fitness level. TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.