A simple beetroot juice routine may help explain one of the more surprising links in healthy aging: the connection between bacteria in the mouth and blood pressure. Research from the University of Exeter found that older adults who drank nitrate rich beetroot juice twice a day for two weeks saw their blood pressure fall. The same effect did not appear in younger adults, even though beetroot juice also changed their oral microbiome. The study, published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine , is the largest of its kind to examine how dietary nitrate affects the mouth bacteria, nitric oxide biology, and blood vessel responses of younger and older adults. Why the Mouth Matters Nitrate is found naturally in many vegetables and plays an important role in the body. Beetroot is especially rich in nitrate, but it is not the only option. Spinach, arugula, fennel, celery, and kale are also good dietary sources. The key step happens before nitrate reaches the bloodstream.…