Researchers from King's College London and the University of Reading have uncovered an interesting fact for the first time: chewing sugar-containing gum after eating nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach, beetroot, and cabbage can lower blood pressure.
Medianews.az reports, citing milli.Az, that the nitrate in these vegetables cannot be used directly by the body. For this substance to be beneficial, it must be converted into "nitrite" by friendly bacteria in the oral cavity. Nitrite dilates blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily and lowering blood pressure. Scientists have found that when the acidity (pH level) in the oral cavity increases, this chemical process occurs more rapidly.
During the experiment, volunteers drank beetroot juice and then were given sugar-containing gum to one group and sugar-free gum to the other:
The acidity in the mouths of those chewing sugar-containing gum increased, resulting in a 25% rise in nitrite levels in the body.
The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of those chewing sugar-containing gum decreased by an average of 3/2 mmHg compared to the other group.
Researchers Dr. Andrew Webb and Dr. Charlotte Mills specifically emphasize that these results do not constitute a medical treatment that can be applied at home:
Constantly chewing sugar-containing gum can cause serious damage to teeth.
The main goal of this research is to understand how the body processes nitrate and to develop new health products in the future that do not harm teeth but provide the same effect.
Although this effect is currently short-term, it could open an interesting path for athletes. Optimizing nitrate conversion before exercise could temporarily increase athletes' endurance and muscle oxygenation.