A Nitrate-Rich Vegetable Intervention Elevates Plasma Nitrate and Nitrite Concentrations and Reduces Blood Pressure in Healthy Young Adults

Cindy M. T. van der Avoort*, Kristin L. Jonvik, Jean Nyakayiru, Luc J. C. van Loon, Maria T. E. Hopman, Lex B. Verdijk

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background Emerging evidence suggests that increasing dietary nitrate intake may be an effective approach to reduce blood pressure. Beetroot juice is often used to supplement dietary nitrate, whereas nitrate intake levels from habitual diet are low. An increase in the habitual intake of nitrate-rich vegetables may represent an alternative to nitrate supplementation. However, the effectiveness and acceptability of a nitrate-richvegetables diet remain to be established.

Objective The aim was to investigate the effect and feasibility of two different intervention strategies to increase dietary nitrate intake, on plasma nitrate/nitrite concentrations and blood pressure.

Design A randomized, crossover trial was used.

Participants Participants were healthy men and women (both n=15; age: 24 +/- 6 years) from the Netherlands.

Intervention Participants were instructed to consume similar to 400 mg nitrate at lunch, provided through nitrate-rich vegetables and dietary counseling, or beetroot juice supplementation. Both interventions lasted 1 week, with 1-week washout (January to April 2017).

Main outcome Plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations and resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured in an overnight fasted state (before and after intervention) and similar to 2.5 hours after lunch (before and throughout intervention on day 1, 4, and 7).

Statistical analysis Two-factor (time x treatment) repeated-measures analyses of variance were performed.

Results Mean plasma nitrate concentrations increased with both interventions, with a larger increase in beetroot juice vs nitrate-rich vegetables, both in a fasted state and similar to 2.5 hours after lunch (day 1, beetroot juice: 2.31 +/- 0.56 mg/dL [373 +/- 90 mu mol/L] vs nitrate-rich vegetables: 1.71 +/- 0.83 mg/dL [277 +/- 134 mu mol/L]; P

Conclusion Short-term consumption of dietary nitrate in the form of nitrate-rich vegetables represents an effective means to increase plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations, and reduces blood pressure to the same extent as beetroot juice supplementation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1305-1317
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Volume120
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2020

Keywords

  • Dietary intervention
  • Vegetables
  • Cardiovascular health
  • Nitric oxide
  • TIME-TRIAL PERFORMANCE
  • DIETARY NITRATE
  • BEETROOT JUICE
  • EXERCISE PERFORMANCE
  • INORGANIC NITRATE
  • DOUBLE-BLIND
  • POSTPRANDIAL HYPOTENSION
  • ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION
  • ARTERIAL STIFFNESS
  • INTENSITY EXERCISE

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