4 beetroot recipes to help lower your blood pressure this summer

Beetroot is a beloved vegetable in British cuisine, especially when in season between May and October. Not only is it delicious, it has many health benefits and should be included in your diet regularly.

Recently, NHS doctor Dr Suraj Kukadia, known on TikTok as Dr Suj, shared a video explaining why beetroot is a “superior” vegetable that can help manage blood pressure.

In this video, which has been viewed more than 20,000 times, Dr Kukadia talks about the benefits of beetroot.

“Beetroot is great. Dietary nitrates have been shown to lower blood pressure both centrally and peripherally. Plus, it may help improve athletic performance,” he said.

Deep red or purple root vegetables are rich sources of dietary nitrates, a compound that also occurs naturally in green leafy vegetables. The body uses nitrates in a chain reaction to produce nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide plays a key role in regulating blood pressure, blood flow and muscle contractions, and research suggests that drinking a glass of beetroot juice every day could significantly improve high blood pressure, although it’s no magic solution and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle is key.

According to the British Heart Foundation, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Beetroots and beetroot juice are also commonly consumed by athletes to improve performance and stamina. Another area where the nitric oxide response you get from beetroot could be beneficial is sexual health.

According to Alexa Mullane, nutritional therapist and spokesperson for Wiley’s Finest supplements, nitric oxide causes vasodilation. “In terms of sexual health, this means increased blood flow to the genitals (similar to how Viagra works), which means more pleasure.”

“Beetroot has also been linked to libido. It contains a compound called boron, which has been shown to positively affect the use of the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, in the body, thus increasing libido.”

Scientists recommend eating beetroot to add dietary nitrates to your daily diet, but because dietary nitrates are water-soluble they do not recommend boiling the vegetable, instead recommending steaming, baking or juicing it.

Here are four delicious beetroot recipes to try this summer.

Creamy Beetroot Pasta from Sorted Food

What we offer: 2

material:

Method:

1. Fill a kettle with water and bring it to a boil. This is the water for making pasta later.

2. Place 200g of pasta in a medium saucepan and add a generous pinch of salt. Pour in the boiling water from a kettle.

3. Place the skillet over high heat and boil the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but still slightly chewy. While you wait, prepare the rest of the dish with the following steps.

4. Cut 250g cooked beetroot into 4 pieces and place into a measuring cup.

5. Add 100ml cream and 80g boiled chestnuts, the zest of 1 lemon and 1 peeled garlic clove, finely grated.

6. Using a hand blender, blend everything together until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

7. Once the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pan. Add the beetroot sauce to the pasta and mix everything together. Return the pasta to medium heat and cook and stir for 1 minute until the sauce has thickened slightly.

8. Divide the pasta among plates, spoon any remaining creamy sauce over it, crumble 100g feta on top and serve.

Watermelon and beetroot salad, Wensleydale Creamery, Wensleydale, Yorkshire

What we offer: 2-3

material:

• Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese 200g

• Half a small watermelon, skin and seeds removed, cut into small cubes

• 300g steamed beets, diced

• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (lightly toasted)

• 4 sprigs of fresh basil

• 2 salad greens, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Squeeze fresh lemon

• Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Method:

1. Place diced beets and watermelon in a bowl.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Scatter the pumpkin seeds onto a baking tray and bake in a hot oven (around 180°C) for a few minutes until lightly toasted.

4. Place the salad leaves in the bottom of a plate, then spoon the beets and watermelon on top, creating a mound in the centre of the plate.

5. Scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds over the salad and gently tear the basil leaves.

6. Finally, sprinkle on some crumbled Wensleydale cheese, squeeze some lemon juice over the salad and serve.

Adam Smith’s Traditional Beetroot with Sunflower Seed Hummus, Bitter Leaf and Lemon Dressing

What we offer: Four

material:

• 100g toasted sunflower seeds

• 100g pomegranate seeds

• A selection of bitter salad leaves, I love chicory, radicchio and watercress

For beetroot:

• 1 kg traditional beetroot, various colours/varieties (regular beetroot can also be used)

• 1 bunch of thyme

• 1 bunch of rosemary

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• Sea salt

• 100ml rapeseed oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees fan. Wash and peel the beets, separating them by colour and placing each in a separate bowl.

2. Add the herbs, crushed garlic and rapeseed oil, divided evenly.

3. Season well with sea salt and wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil along with the seasoning.

4. Bake for about 45 minutes until the beets are tender. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature (do not refrigerate after cooking).

5. Once at room temperature, remove from foil and cut beets into wedges or rounds depending on size and shape, then set aside.

For the sunflower seed hummus:

• 400g sunflower seeds

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 140g rapeseed oil

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• 130g chickpeas

• 25g tahini

• 1 garlic clove (peeled and crushed)

• 250ml water

• Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Method:

1. Mix in the sunflower seeds, salt, curry powder and 20g rapeseed oil and bake at 175°C fan-fired for 10 minutes until golden brown.

2. Blend 300g toasted sunflower seeds, chickpeas, tahini, garlic and half the water in a food processor.

3. Slowly add remaining water until desired consistency is reached.

4. Gradually mix in the remaining 120g rapeseed oil, season with lemon and salt, and it’s done.

For the lemon dressing:

Method:

1. Place the lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl and slowly stir in the elderflower cordial, followed by the rapeseed oil.

2. Season with salt and pepper.

What we offer:

1. Spoon a generous amount of sunflower seed hummus into the center of a plate or bowl.

2. Arrange different kinds of beetroot and bitter salad leaves on the outside of this.

3. Pour lemon dressing over entire bowl.

4. Sprinkle with the pomegranate and the reserved 100g toasted sunflower seeds and serve.

Black bean, beetroot and feta burger with mango slaw from Groovy Food Company

What we offer: 6

material:

For the burger:

• 2-3 tablespoons Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Oil

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons tomato puree

• 2 x 400g canned black beans (washed and drained)

• 2 vacuum packed cooked beets, grated (in natural juice, not vinegar)

• 2 tablespoons Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour

• 50g wholemeal breadcrumbs

• 1 egg (lightly beaten)

• 125g feta cheese, crumbled

For the coleslaw:

• 2 tablespoons Groovy Food Company Light Amber & Mild Organic Agave Nectar

• Zest and juice of 1 1/2 limes

• 1/2 small red cabbage, very finely sliced

• 1 small ripe mango, peeled and finely chopped

• 4 spring onions (finely chopped)

• A small bunch of coriander (finely chopped)

What we offer:

• 6 hamburger buns

• 2-3 avocados

• Lettuce leaves

Method:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute, add the peppers and tomato puree, stir and cook for 2 minutes, then set aside.

2. Place the black beans in a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until well mashed. Add the onion-garlic mixture, grated beet, coconut flour, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, and plenty of seasonings and mix well.

3. Gently fold in the feta chunks. With damp hands, form 6 patties and place on a foil-lined tray. Chill for at least 30 minutes to set.

4. Meanwhile, to make the coleslaw, combine the agave syrup, lime zest and juice in a bowl, then add the cabbage, mango, green onion, coriander and seasonings and mix until combined.

5. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Once the burgers have cooled, heat 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers, carefully turning them, for 2-3 minutes per side. You may need to do this in batches.

6. Transfer to a foil-lined tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through, keeping the buns in the oven for the last few minutes to keep them warm. Allow the burgers to cool slightly.

7. When ready to serve, mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice and spread on the bottom of the bun. Top with the patty, lettuce leaves and coleslaw, cover and serve.

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