Beetroot for blood pressure has real, if modest, research behind it. A review of 16 short trials found that beetroot juice and other nitrate sources lowered systolic (top-number) blood pressure by about 4 mmHg on average. In one 4-week trial, people with high blood pressure who drank about a cup (250 mL) of beetroot juice daily saw their readings fall by about 8 mmHg. Beets can be a helpful addition to a heart-healthy diet, but they do not replace blood pressure medicine. People with kidney stones, kidney disease, or low blood pressure, and anyone taking nitrates or erectile dysfunction drugs, should check with a doctor first.
This guide explains how beetroot works, what the studies used, how fast you might see a change, and who over 60 should be careful.
How Beetroot Affects Blood Pressure
Beets are naturally rich in nitrate, a compound also found in leafy greens such as spinach, arugula, and lettuce. After you eat beets, bacteria in your mouth turn some of that nitrate into nitrite. Your body then converts nitrite into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessel walls relax and widen. As a result, blood flows more easily, and blood pressure can dip.
This is the same reason leafy greens are part of eating plans proven to lower blood pressure. Beets simply pack a lot of nitrate into a small serving.
What the Research on Beetroot for Blood Pressure Shows
Two studies are quoted most often.
The 2013 review. Researchers pooled 16 small trials with 254 people, published in the Journal of Nutrition (Siervo and colleagues). Trials lasted from 2 hours to 15 days. On average, beetroot juice or nitrate supplements lowered systolic pressure by 4.4 mmHg. The bottom number (diastolic) fell by about 1 mmHg, which was not a significant change. Higher daily nitrate doses were linked to bigger drops in systolic pressure, and the authors noted that longer trials were needed.
The 2015 trial. In a study in the journal Hypertension (Kapil and colleagues), 68 adults aged 18 to 85 with high blood pressure drank 250 mL of beetroot juice daily for four weeks. The comparison group drank beetroot juice with the nitrate removed. Compared with that placebo, clinic readings dropped by 7.7/2.4 mmHg, and home readings fell by 8.1/3.8 mmHg. The effect held steady across all four weeks, and the juice was well tolerated.
These are encouraging results. Still, the studies were small and short, and not everyone responds. Many trials also used juice with a measured amount of nitrate, which can be higher than what you get from beets on your plate.
How Much Beetroot and How Fast?
The 4-week trial used 250 mL a day, about one cup of beetroot juice. However, the nitrate in beets varies a lot depending on how and where they were grown, so no home serving guarantees the same dose.
As for timing, earlier studies found that a single dose of dietary nitrate can lower blood pressure within hours in healthy volunteers, and some trials in the 2013 review lasted only 2 hours. In the 2015 trial, the lower readings held for as long as people kept drinking the juice each day. There is little evidence that the effect lasts once you stop, so any benefit seems to depend on regular intake.
If you want to try beetroot for blood pressure, here is a sensible approach once your doctor agrees:
- Start with half a cup of beetroot juice, or one medium cooked beet, a few times a week.
- Check your blood pressure at home at the same time of day, and keep a log to share with your doctor.
- Choose 100% beetroot juice with no added sugar, or mix it half and half with water.
- Keep taking your prescribed blood pressure medicine. Do not lower or stop a dose on your own.
Who Should Be Careful With Beets
Beets are a healthy food for most people. Even so, a few groups over 60 should get advice before using beetroot for blood pressure, especially as a daily juice.
| If you… | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Have had kidney stones | Beets are high in oxalate, which can feed calcium oxalate stones | Ask your doctor or dietitian; eat beets with a calcium food such as yogurt |
| Have chronic kidney disease | Beets and beet juice add potassium, which weak kidneys may not clear | Ask your kidney team how they fit your potassium plan |
| Take blood pressure medicine or have low blood pressure | Readings could drop further, raising dizziness and fall risk | Check your pressure at home and report dizziness |
| Take nitrates for chest pain, or ED drugs such as sildenafil or tadalafil | These medicines already widen blood vessels; concentrated nitrate drinks with them are not well studied | Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using beet juice or beet powder |
| Have diabetes | Beet juice contains natural sugar without the fiber of whole beets | Prefer whole beets, keep juice portions small, and count the carbohydrate |
The National Kidney Foundation lists beets among high-oxalate foods and advises against cutting out calcium. It also covers potassium in kidney disease. For the medicine warning, MedlinePlus explains why sildenafil must not be combined with nitrate heart medicines.
Pink or Red Urine After Beets
Eating beets can turn urine or stools pink or red. This is harmless and is sometimes called beeturia. However, MedlinePlus notes that red urine can also come from blood. If the color does not clear within a day or two of your last beets, or you have not eaten any, call your doctor.
Easy Ways to Eat More Beets
- Roast them. Wrap whole beets in foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Peel once cool.
- Grate them raw into salads or coleslaw for color and crunch.
- Buy them ready to eat. Vacuum-packed cooked beets save time. Choose plain ones, not pickled in sugar and salt.
- Pair them well. Try beets with plain yogurt and dill, with orange slices, or in a salad with leafy greens and walnuts.
- Blend a juice. Mix beetroot with apple, carrot, ginger, or lemon to soften the earthy taste.
Beetroot Works Best as Part of a Bigger Plan
No single food controls blood pressure. Think of beetroot for blood pressure as one helpful habit, not a treatment. Beets help most when they sit inside an overall heart-healthy routine. The DASH eating plan from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute focuses on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy, beans, and nuts. The American Heart Association adds that cutting sodium, ideally toward 1,500 mg a day, can make a real difference.
For more ideas, see our guides to blood pressure lowering drinks, the best foods for circulation in seniors, and simple changes to help prevent clogged arteries. Along with food, regular walking, a healthy weight, limited alcohol, and taking your medicine as prescribed all add up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much beetroot juice should I drink for blood pressure?
The best-known trial used about 250 mL (one cup) a day for four weeks. If your doctor agrees, start with half a cup a few times a week and track your home readings. Do not change your blood pressure medicine on your own.
How quickly does beetroot lower blood pressure?
Some studies saw a small drop within a few hours of one drink. In a 4-week trial, the effect held while people kept drinking beet juice daily. There is little evidence it lasts after you stop, so regular intake appears to matter.
Is beetroot safe if I take blood pressure medicine?
For most people, eating beets as food is fine. Concentrated juice or powder could lower your pressure further, so check with your doctor, watch for dizziness, and ask first if you take nitrates or erectile dysfunction drugs.
Are beets bad for kidney stones?
Beets are high in oxalate, which can contribute to calcium oxalate stones. If you have had this type of stone, ask your doctor or dietitian whether to limit beets, and eat them with a calcium-rich food.
Is whole beetroot as good as beet juice?
Whole beets give you fiber and less sugar per serving, but the nitrate dose is usually lower and varies. Most blood pressure studies used juice, so whole beets are a good food, but the research results may not apply exactly.
Why is my urine pink after eating beets?
Beet pigments can color urine or stools pink or red, which is harmless. If the color lasts more than a day or two after your last beets, or you have not eaten any, see your doctor, because red urine can also mean blood.
Sources and Further Reading
- Siervo M, et al. Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults. J Nutr. 2013
- Kapil V, et al. Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients. Hypertension. 2015
- National Kidney Foundation: Kidney Stones, Diet and Prevention
- National Kidney Foundation: Potassium
- MedlinePlus: Sildenafil
- MedlinePlus: Urine – Abnormal Color
- NHLBI: DASH Eating Plan
- American Heart Association: How Much Sodium Should I Eat per Day?
⚕️ Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, starting any supplement, or if you have an existing medical condition. KeepFitQuote does not provide medical diagnoses or treatment recommendations. Read our full disclaimer.
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