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Beetroot Juice for Blood Pressure: What the Evidence Shows

Beetroot juice can lower systolic blood pressure by a few points in short trials. Learn what the studies found, how much people drink and who should check first.

Edited by Anmar ArabPublished 19 October 2026, 7 min read
On this page
  1. Quick answer
  2. What the research says
  3. How people use it
  4. Possible side effects and interactions
  5. Who should be careful
  6. When to see a doctor
  7. Frequently asked questions

Quick answer

Beetroot juice is one of the better-studied foods for blood pressure, but its effect is modest and the research is still short-term.

  • It can lower systolic blood pressure a little. Pooled trials suggest an average drop of roughly 3 to 5 mmHg in the top number, with a smaller or uncertain effect on the bottom (diastolic) number.
  • The main suspected reason is dietary nitrate. Beetroot is rich in nitrate, which the body can turn into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax. Other plant compounds in beetroot may also play a part.
  • Trials mostly used about 70 to 250 ml a day for days to a few weeks. The effect appears to fade once people stop drinking it.
  • It is not a replacement for blood pressure medicine. The British Heart Foundation says the best approach is to take prescribed medication, stay active and eat healthily.

What the research says

A 2017 meta-analysis of 22 trials. Bahadoran and colleagues, writing in Advances in Nutrition, pooled randomised trials of beetroot juice with about 650 people in the beetroot groups. Some were healthy, and others had conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or heart failure. Compared with control drinks, beetroot juice lowered systolic blood pressure by about 3.6 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by about 1.3 mmHg. Doses ranged from 70 to 500 ml a day, and trials lasted from 2 to 56 days.

The effect looked larger in longer trials. Studies lasting 14 days or more showed a drop in systolic pressure of around 5 mmHg, compared with under 3 mmHg in shorter ones. Higher daily amounts also tended to give bigger drops. Because the effect was not explained by nitrate content alone, the authors suggested other compounds in beetroot, such as polyphenols, may contribute. They called for larger, longer trials in people with high blood pressure.

A 2022 review in people with high blood pressure. Benjamim and colleagues, in Frontiers in Nutrition, looked only at adults with diagnosed hypertension. They found 7 trials with 218 participants, all comparing nitrate-rich beetroot juice with a nitrate-free version, which makes it easier to tell whether nitrate is responsible. Nitrate-rich juice lowered systolic blood pressure by about 5 mmHg on average. The change in diastolic pressure was small and not clearly different from placebo. The trials used 70 to 250 ml a day for 3 to 60 days. The authors noted that some trials were very small and that long-term safety and benefit are not yet known.

A notable UK trial. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London, funded by the British Heart Foundation, gave 64 adults with high blood pressure either 250 ml of nitrate-rich beetroot juice or a nitrate-free beetroot juice every day for four weeks. About half were already taking blood pressure medicine that had not brought their pressure to target. In the nitrate group, blood pressure fell by about 8/4 mmHg on average, and measures of blood vessel function improved. There was no change with the placebo juice. Two weeks after stopping, blood pressure had gone back to its earlier level.

What this adds up to. Different reviews consistently find a small drop in systolic pressure, which is why the evidence rating here is moderate. However, the British Heart Foundation points out that studies so far have included only small numbers of people, and that there is not yet enough evidence for specific dietary advice. It is also unclear whether beetroot is special, or whether other vegetables rich in nitrate would have the same effect.

How people use it

There is no official dose for blood pressure. Based on what trials used and what the British Heart Foundation advises:

  1. Amounts in trials. Trials used between 70 and 500 ml of beetroot juice a day, most often 70 to 250 ml. The UK trial used 250 ml, about one cup, daily.
  2. It needs to be regular. Benefits in trials were seen with daily drinking and faded after stopping, so there is no evidence that an occasional glass makes a difference.
  3. Watch the sugar. The British Heart Foundation notes that a 150 ml glass of beetroot juice contains about 10 g of natural sugar, and that adults should keep sugar from juices and other sources under 30 g a day. A 150 ml glass counts as one of your 5 a day, but only once, however much you drink.
  4. Concentrated "shots". These contain more nitrate per millilitre, but also more sugar.
  5. Consider whole beetroot too. Whole beetroot gives you more fibre than juice. Plain cooked beetroot is a good choice; pickled beetroot can contain a lot of added salt and sugar, so check the label.
  6. Other nitrate-rich foods. Spinach, celery and kale also contain nitrates, and a varied diet with plenty of vegetables is part of a heart-healthy way of eating.
Safety note: Do not stop or reduce any prescribed blood pressure medicine because you are drinking beetroot juice. If you take blood pressure medicine, check with your doctor before drinking it regularly.

Possible side effects and interactions

Red or pink urine and stools. According to Cleveland Clinic, around 10 to 14% of people notice red or pink urine after eating beetroot, a harmless effect called beeturia. Reddish stools are even more common. Raw beetroot and beetroot juice tend to cause a stronger colour.

Because this can look like blood, it can cause worry. Cleveland Clinic notes that red urine after beetroot is sometimes linked with low iron levels, so it is worth mentioning to a doctor if it happens often.

Blood pressure medicines. The British Heart Foundation advises anyone taking medicine to lower blood pressure to speak to their doctor before drinking beetroot juice regularly, because blood pressure that drops too low can also cause harm.

Sugar. Juice contains natural sugar and lacks the fibre of whole beetroot, which matters for anyone watching their sugar intake.

None of the meta-analyses described above reported serious side effects, but most trials were short, so long-term safety has not been well studied.

Who should be careful

  • People taking blood pressure medicine, for the reason above.
  • People who form oxalate kidney stones. A University of Iowa low-oxalate diet guide lists beets and beetroot as high-oxalate vegetables to limit for people who form these stones. If you have had kidney stones, ask your doctor or dietitian before drinking beetroot juice regularly.
  • People with diabetes or on a sugar-controlled diet, because of the natural sugar in juice and shots.
  • People with kidney problems, gut absorption problems, or iron-deficiency anaemia, who Cleveland Clinic says are more likely to see red urine or stools after beetroot and should know when to get checked.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if:

  • Your urine is pink, red, brown or black and you have not eaten beetroot or other red foods in the past 48 hours, or the colour lasts more than 48 hours after eating them.
  • Passing urine burns or hurts, or you see red urine alongside a history of kidney stones.
  • Your home blood pressure readings are consistently high, even if you have changed your diet.
  • You take blood pressure medicine and think your blood pressure may be dropping too low after adding beetroot juice.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly does beetroot juice lower blood pressure?

Effects have been seen within days to weeks in trials. The 2017 meta-analysis found larger reductions in trials lasting 14 days or more. In the UK trial, the effect disappeared within two weeks of stopping.

Can beetroot juice replace my blood pressure tablets?

No. Trials found only modest reductions, and the British Heart Foundation describes beetroot as not a magic bullet. Keep taking your medicine as prescribed and talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet that could affect your blood pressure.

Is eating beetroot as good as drinking the juice?

Most trials used juice, so there is less evidence for whole beetroot. Whole beetroot has more fibre and is a healthy food in its own right, but it is not known whether it has the same effect on blood pressure.

Why did my urine turn red after drinking beetroot juice?

This is usually beeturia, a harmless effect of a red pigment in beetroot called betanin, which some people do not fully break down. If the colour lasts more than 48 hours after eating beetroot, or appears without eating red foods, see a doctor.

References

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