The science of beets and heart health

New evidence shows consuming foods high in naturally occurring nitrates like beets and collard greens may have benefits ranging from blood vessel health to enhancing physical performance.

The Translational Science Center will host an expert discussion on how high nitrate foods affect hearth health, physical performance and blood pressure on May 1 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Porter Byrum Center. The panel discussion will be followed by a more in depth seminar on recent discoveries on the role of dietary nitrates/nitrites on May 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Z. Smith Reynolds Library.

“Some of the country’s leading experts on the role of dietary nitrates/nitrites will explore the myths and facts of high nitrate foods,” said Beverly Nesbit, project manager for the Cooperative Lifestyle Intervention Program in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and administrative coordinator for the Translational Science Center. “The experts will address topics like what are the risks of nitrate supplements on the market for athletes and may benefit from a high nitrate diet.”

The Thursday night panel discussion will be lead by physics professor Daniel Kim-Shapiro, one of the country’s leading experts on nitrate/nitrite research and director of the Translational Science Center.

Both events are free and open to the public and for Wake Forest University students, faculty and staff.