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Daily Record
Daily Record
Lifestyle
Nicola Roy

Michael's Mosley's favourite vegetable for weight loss that 'helps high blood pressure'

For those of us who are trying to lose weight or just live a healthier life, it can be difficult to know where to start and what kind of changes you should be making.

Fortunately there are plenty of experts out there who are able to offer a wealth of knowledge on the subject - and Michael Mosley is one of these.

The diet guru, who is the creator of the hugely popular Fast 800 diet, recently released an episode of his podcast Just One Thing on BBC Sounds where he explained that one specific vegetable is packed with helpful nutrients and can even help to lower your blood pressure.

Joining the podcast was food expert Tim Spector, a doctor and epidemiologist, as the pair discussed exactly what we should be eating in order to be at our healthiest.

And one food that can apparently do wonders for our overall health is beetroot - which the experts both agreed is packed with good nutrients.

Michael said: "Beetroots are rich in nitrates, it leads to release of nitrous oxide which expands your blood vessels all over your body."

Tim was quick to agree and said that they are a great example of "food as medicine".

He explained: "It actually reduces blood pressure. In proper randomised controlled trials, this is actually a lot more effective and a lot more pleasant than getting rid of salt."

According to Tim, we should start thinking about food "in a different way" and not just consider the calorie or fat content, but rather the chemicals that interact with our bodies.

Beetroot can do wonders for your overall health and wellbeing (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to BBC Good Food, the antioxidant-rich food can also help to support gut health and reduce the risk of heart disease - so it's well worth adding some to your plate.

In the same episode, nutritionist Tim also spoke about the "secret" to "solving all your problems" - which is eating 30 different plants over the course of a week in your three meals per day.

He reassured listeners that it's much easier than it sounds, as you can also count things such as beans, legumes, seeds and even coffee along with fruits and vegetables.

"If you could eat 30 plants a week, pretty much you solve 90 percent of your problems," he said.

The nutritionist went on to explain that by following this diet, you'll be able to focus less on calorie counting, and rather put all your attention on the things you're adding to your meals.

You can listen to Michael Mosley's podcast Just One Thing on BBC Sounds here.

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