Drink
Beetroot-celery juice
Beetroot is one of the few things in the apothecary where the effect can be measured with a blood pressure monitor within a couple of hours. The nitrates convert in the body to nitric oxide, which widens the blood vessels, and pressure falls measurably.
It is deep red, earthy and sweeter than you expect. The apple is there to make it drinkable.
One thing you should know so you are not alarmed: beetroot turns urine red. It is completely harmless and is called beeturia. But it is an unpleasant surprise on a toilet at seven in the morning if nobody has told you.
Ingredients
- 1 raw beetroot, scrubbed
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 apple
Equipment
- Juicer, or blender and a nut milk bag
- Vegetable brush
- Glass
- Gloves if you would rather not have red fingers
Method
- 1
Juice 1 raw beetroot, 2 stalks of celery and 1 apple.
- 2
Drink a glass daily, ideally in the morning, the nitrate absorbs best over the course of the day.
Dosage
One glass daily, preferably mid-morning.
The nitrate is best absorbed across the day, and the effect on blood pressure peaks 2-3 hours after drinking.
Give it at least 4 weeks, and measure your blood pressure along the way, so you know whether it does anything for you.
Shelf life
Drink fresh. Juice loses nutrients quickly, so make it the day you drink it.
Safety
Beetroot turns urine and stool red. It is harmless. But if you are unsure whether it is blood, stop the juice for two days and see whether the colour goes. If it does not, see a doctor.
Beetroot lowers blood pressure. If you take blood pressure medication, the two together can lower it too far. Speak with your doctor, and measure.
If your blood pressure is already low, leave it be.
Beetroot and celery contain oxalate. If you have had kidney stones, do not drink it daily without speaking to your doctor.
Celery is a common allergen, particularly for birch and mugwort allergy sufferers. Try a small amount first.
Celery can make skin more sensitive to sunlight in large amounts.
Not in medicinal amounts during pregnancy.
High blood pressure must be measured and followed by a doctor. This juice is a supplement, not a replacement, and you must never stop your medication on your own.
How the herbs work
Beetroot is one of the richest sources of nitrate we have. Bacteria in the mouth convert nitrate to nitrite, and the body converts that further into nitric oxide, which relaxes the smooth muscle in the blood vessels. The vessels widen, resistance falls, and blood pressure with it.
The effect is documented in several controlled trials with measurable falls in blood pressure, and it sets in within hours.
Note the part about the mouth: if you rinse with antibacterial mouthwash, you kill the bacteria that carry out the first step. Then the juice works less well.
Celery contributes potassium and a mild diuretic action, and the apple makes the whole thing drinkable.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.