title: Nitrate-Rich Vegetables Increase Plasma Nitrate and Nitrite Concentrations and Lower Blood Pressure in Healthy Adults.
abstract: Dietary nitrate is receiving increased attention due to its reported ergogenic and cardioprotective properties. The extent to which ingestion of various nitrate-rich vegetables increases postprandial plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations and lowers blood pressure is currently unknown.
  
  
  
  We aimed to assess the impact of ingesting different nitrate-rich vegetables on subsequent plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations and resting blood pressure in healthy normotensive individuals.
  
  
  
  With the use of a semirandomized crossover design, 11 men and 7 women [mean ± SEM age: 28 ± 1 y; mean ± SEM body mass index (BMI, in kg/m(2)): 23 ± 1; exercise: 1-10 h/wk] ingested 4 different beverages, each containing 800 mg (∼12.9 mmol) nitrate: sodium nitrate (NaNO3), concentrated beetroot juice, a rocket salad beverage, and a spinach beverage. Plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations and blood pressure were determined before and up to 300 min after beverage ingestion. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA.
  
  
  
  Plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations increased after ingestion of all 4 beverages (P < 0.001). Peak plasma nitrate concentrations were similar for all treatments (all values presented as means ± SEMs: NaNO3: 583 ± 29 μmol/L; beetroot juice: 597 ± 23 μmol/L; rocket salad beverage: 584 ± 24 μmol/L; spinach beverage: 584 ± 23 μmol/L). Peak plasma nitrite concentrations were different between treatments (NaNO3: 580 ± 58 nmol/L; beetroot juice: 557 ± 57 nmol/L; rocket salad beverage: 643 ± 63 nmol/L; spinach beverage: 980 ± 160 nmol/L; P = 0.016). When compared with baseline, systolic blood pressure declined 150 min after ingestion of beetroot juice (from 118 ± 2 to 113 ± 2 mm Hg; P < 0.001) and rocket salad beverage (from 122 ± 3 to 116 ± 2 mm Hg; P = 0.007) and 300 min after ingestion of spinach beverage (from 118 ± 2 to 111 ± 3 mm Hg; P < 0.001), but did not change with NaNO3 Diastolic blood pressure declined 150 min after ingestion of all beverages (P < 0.05) and remained lower at 300 min after ingestion of rocket salad (P = 0.045) and spinach (P = 0.001) beverages.
  
  
  
  Ingestion of nitrate-rich beetroot juice, rocket salad beverage, and spinach beverage effectively increases plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations and lowers blood pressure to a greater extent than sodium nitrate. These findings show that nitrate-rich vegetables can be used as dietary nitrate supplements. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02271633.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands; and Institute of Sport and Exercise Studies, Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen, University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kristin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Jonvik
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands; and.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyakayiru
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands; and.
authors.forename: Philippe Jm
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Pinckaers
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands; and.
authors.forename: Joan Mg
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Senden
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands; and Institute of Sport and Exercise Studies, Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen, University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Luc Jc
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van Loon
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands; and Lex.verdijk@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
authors.forename: Lex B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Verdijk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000737:chemistry*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D019607:Brassicaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012016:Reference Values; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000737:chemistry*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D010936:Plant Extracts; C031618:sodium nitrate
keywords: beetroot; bioavailability; blood pressure; nitrate; nitrite; rocket salad; spinach