But according to a new article in the journal Hypertension, these two directives (eating vegetables, then not spitting) can be a key component in achieving better cardiovascular health.
Bear with me on this one.
It has been known for some time that bioactive nitrate (NO2) can reduce the blood pressure and improve overall vascular health. It has also been known that eating green, leafy vegetables can also improve vascular health. But these vegetables contain nitrate (NO3) and not nitrite, and nitrate is biologically inactive. So just how vegetables improve vascular health has been a puzzle.
Thanks to researchers from London, we now know. It turns out that the nitrate that enters our system after eating vegetables is concentrated in our saliva. Bacteria in our mouths then act on this nitrate, converting it to nitrite (the good stuff). We then swallow this "enriched" saliva, the nitrite gets absorbed into our bloodstream - and voila, our blood pressure is reduced and our vascular health improves.
The investigators proved this sequence of events by having volunteers drink 500 cc of beet juice, then measuring nitrite levels in their blood. Those who drank the beet juice had increases in both nitrate and nitrite levels, and for the next 24 hours their blood pressure was reduced. However, in subjects who also drank the beet juice but then spat out all their saliva for the next 3 hours, no increase in blood nitrite levels or improvement in blood pressures were seen.
So, like your mother told you: Eat your vegetables, and don't spit.
Sources:
Webb AJ, Patel N, Loukogeorgakis S, et al. Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite. Hypertension 2008; DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.103523.
Great Article! LOL!
THANKS!
There is another old saying, ”Let nature takes its course.”
And thanks for the reminder.