A team of researchers from Edith Cowan University, the Danish Cancer Society, and The University of Western Australia wanted to look at how leafy greens impacted blood pressure and heart disease risk. Their focus was specifically on nitrate-rich vegetables, so think: kale, collards, spinach, along with beets and garlic.
As cardiologist Alejandro Junger, M.D., previously explained to mbg, “Nitrate-containing nutrients are essential precursors of nitric oxide, which helps to relax the arterial walls and regulate the blood-clotting cascade.”
So for this study, the researchers looked at data from a 23-year long study on over 50,000 people living in Denmark who had participated in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study. And, surprisingly enough, it didn’t take too many nitrate-rich vegetables to help with heart health.