Spinach, Kale, arugula, and all such green lettuce contain high levels of nitrates. These nitrates are converted to nitrite then to nitric oxide in our bodies. This small nitric oxide molecule (NO) has major health benefits for multiple areas of our bodies.
It is produced in endothelium, the lining of our blood vessels, but also in nerve tissue, in mitochondria and other tissues.
desirable effects
- It dilates blood vessels; this reduces blood pressure and increases blood flow to body tissues.
- It blocks oxidation of LDL lipid particles to reduce atherosclerosis
- It is produced in nerve cells and acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and is neuroprotective
- In the brain it improves memory and has anti-inflammatory effects.
- In the immune system, nitric oxide fights invading destructive microbial organisms. Macrophages produce it to help kill toxic bacteria.
- It is a key for wound healing, promoting new tissue growth while stopping any infective pathogen.
- It is involved in healthy insulin and glucose metabolism.
- It prevents all parts of body tissues from dying due to lack of blood supply. Keeping up NO thus can prevent most of our degenerative diseases.
Nitrates in our greens and beets need our oral microbes to convert Nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2). Our stomach acid then converts the nitrite to nitric oxide (NO) which then circulates to our body tissues.
Nitric oxide production in our bodies declines with age, and such deficiency contributes to aging and diseases. Nitric oxide deficiency reduces blood supply to vital areas of our body and inhibits tissue functions and promotes cancers. The most experienced and top researcher of NO, Nathan Bryan, attributes almost every disease state to tissue atrophy and degeneration from lack of blood supply which is caused by deficient nitric oxide. This is why Dr. Joel Fuhrman recommends a large green salad to be featured item of our largest daily meal. Dr. Caldwell Essylstein emphasizes the importance of NO and prescribes a generous portion of steamed greens three times daily to improve cardiac blood flow for all his heart attack patients.
Several other things besides lack of dietary greens and beets that cause insufficient nitric oxide production:
- Use of mouthwash: this destroy much of our oral microbiome that is responsible for starting the conversion of nitrates into the beneficial nitric oxide.
- Use of stomach acid inhibitors also inhibits conversion of nitrite into NO, and so leads to increased incidence of early degenerative diseases.
Therefore, whole plant based diets containing nitrate-rich greens, beneficial phytonutrients, and beneficial microbe-cultivating fibers brings optimum health, healing, and preservation to all parts of our bodies.
ref: 1. Bryan, Nathan MD , "Nitric Oxide and Functional Health” Interview with David Perlmutter MD, July 12, 2023
- Esselstyn, Caldwell, ‘Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease”, YouTube, Dec.21, 2018
