You didn’t think there were only six options, did you? Well if you thought those were it, you were wrong. Just in case you did not read up on the last article, this article will briefly describe the importance of nitric oxide as well as cover six more drinks you can sip on to boost your nitric oxide levels.

 

What Benefits Does Boosting Nitric Oxide Have?

Nitric oxide (NO) is considered by many to be one of the most important molecules for overall health and wellness. I’m hoping by now many of you understand how vital NO is for your body, but just in case you don’t, I will cover the basics here. Nitric oxide is a molecule naturally produced in the body. It is essential for a long list of body functions such as intracellular communication, acting as a neurotransmitter, and creating a strong vascular system. Most of the benefits derived from NO stem from its role as a vasodilator. Vasodilation is the process of relaxing the smooth muscles within the lining of vessels. As this occurs, the vessels expand and blood is able to flow more efficiently. This also allows more oxygen and nutrients to flow throughout the body effectively.

Because of vasodilation, we reap many benefits from boosting our nitric oxide levels. Some of those benefits include:

 

  • Better skin health
  • Faster wound healing
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Better breathing
  • More energy
  • Reduced muscle soreness
  • Better sleep

This list is far from exhaustive, but should clearly demonstrate the importance of boosting your nitric oxide levels.

 

Why Boost Nitric Oxide Levels If We Naturally Produce It?

Just in case you missed my last article, nitric oxide production declines as we age. After age 25 your natural NO production will begin to decline. By the time you are in your 50s, you will be producing only 50% of what you could produce at 25. Because of this, you want to get an early jump on supplementing your body with the tools it needs to keep your nitric oxide levels as high as possible. Furthermore, NO has a short half-life and gets depleted quickly, so we have to keep production high to offset the rapid depletion. One way we can do this is through what we put in our mouths. I am specifically talking about drinks right now. We will touch on foods later.

In the last article, we covered these juices as drinks that could boost your nitric oxide levels:

 

  • Beetroot Juice
  • Red Spinach Juice
  • Red Wine
  • Celery Juice
  • Arugula-Dominant Greens Juice
  • Watermelon Juice

Today, we are going to look at six more drinks that can boost your nitric oxide levels.

 

6 More Drinks That Will Boost Nitric Oxide Levels

Hopefully, some of these drinks are already in your diet. If not, maybe this article will change that. I do want to preface this list by stating that these drinks will not all directly boost nitric oxide levels the same way as the last list. When I say NO booster, I also mean work to increase the lifespan of NO in the body. So drinks that include antioxidants or key nutrients that will slow down the depletion of NO due to oxidative stress are included as a nitric oxide boosting drink. Each drink on here will aid in boosting nitric oxide levels in some way, even if it is not immediately obvious as to how. Sow now, let’s get into this list.

 

1. Milk

If you are a vegan or are lactose intolerant, this one might not be for you. However, if you can and like to consume milk, it can help boost your nitric oxide levels. How? Milk contains roughly 0.20 grams of arginine per serving. Arginine is an amino acid the body uses to produce nitric oxide. There are other foods you can eat that are higher in arginine than milk, but milk is still a great way to get more arginine in your diet for boosting nitric oxide production. If you do not like whole milk, plenty of other milk substitutes such as oat milk, almond milk, and cashew milk also contain arginine. Being a dairy product, yogurt also contains arginine, so if you do not like these as individual items, consider blending these with some fruits and veggies to make a delicious smoothie to boost your nitric oxide levels!

 

2. Cucumber Juice

Cucumbers are a great source of citrulline. Citrulline is an amino acid the body can use to produce NO. This works by converting citrulline into arginine, which is then converted into NO. Some argue that since citrulline just gets converted into arginine, it is better to just consume arginine-containing products, but some research suggests consuming citrulline creates more arginine bioavailability than just consuming arginine. However, since both are used to promote NO production, you should consume healthy amounts of both amino acids through your diet or supplements. Cucumber juice is not only a good source of citrulline, but also a good source of nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. These vitamins help slow down the depletion of nitric oxide. You can drink cucumber juice as it is, or add lemon and ginger for a zesty and hydrating drink.

 

3. Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice is one of those things that does not directly lead to NO production but boosts nitric oxide levels based on antioxidant properties. Pomegranates are an excellent source of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. Antioxidants work by eliminating the free radicals in the body that create oxidative stress. Oxidative stress depletes NO faster and inhibits the body’s ability to produce NO naturally, so we want to get rid of those free radicals. Pomegranate juice contains powerful antioxidants that will help nitric oxide stick around longer to give us all those wonderful benefits we need to stay healthy. Pomegranate juice is sweet, so it can easily be consumed by itself or added to a vegetable juice or smoothie to naturally sweeten it. If you have insulin sensitivity, be sure to check the sugar content to avoid unwanted spikes.

 

4. Blueberry Juice

This one may sound weird, but it’s a thing. You can make this at home by pressing some blueberries or blending them with a little water. It is a little harder to find blueberry juice bottled, and it is usually mixed with other fruits and berries when you do find it bottled. For this, we want just the blueberries. Why is this? Blueberries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants you can get your hand on. One particular type of antioxidant blueberries has high concentrations of is anthocyanins, which are found in red, purple, and blue fruits. These antioxidants have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

Blueberries also contain loads of other nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese which all work toward supporting healthy body functions. Blueberry juice is naturally sweet, so it is great to drink alone or to add to other juices as a natural sweetener. Blueberry juice is great first thing in the morning for a natural energy boost and nitric oxide level booster to start the day right!

 

5. Mixed Berry Juices

Now that we have distinguished blueberries, we can look at the mixed berry juices. Juices that contain strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, and goji berries all contain antioxidants that fortify cells against the damage that oxidative stress can cause. Here is a concise list of the antioxidants you can get when you drink a juice containing these berries:

 

  • Strawberries. Contains the antioxidant pelargonidin, which is an anthocyanin. Also contains ellagitannins and procyanidins.
  • Cranberries. Contains antioxidants such as quercetin, myricetin, peonidin, and ursolic acid.
  • Blackberries. Contains antioxidants such as tannins, ellagic acid, anthocyanins, and cyanidins.
  • Raspberries. This berry contains an antioxidant profile similar to strawberries, with antioxidants such as ellagic acid and quercetin.
  • Goji Berries. These berries contain antioxidants such as zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin, among others.

Most berries have a sweet or sour flavor profile, making them great to drink as is or blended with other fruits and/or veggies into a smoothie.

 

6. Green Tea

Green tea is one of the most recommended health drinks on the planet, and for good reason. This type of tea is loaded with polyphenols, which help protect the body from inflammation. Green tea also contains antioxidants such as catechins which help protect cells from damage. This means oxidative stress won’t cause as much trouble by inhibiting nitric oxide production. Furthermore, green tea contains essential vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and multiple B vitamins. Some sources say that when choosing a green tea blend go for the high-quality options. Choosing a cheaper, low-quality green tea may contain excess fluoride, which inhibits NO production. So go find a high-quality green tea and boost those nitric oxide levels. Green tea is great as is or you can add a little honey if you like it on the sweeter side.

 

Are There Other Drinks That Can Boost Nitric Oxide Levels?

Simply put, yes. There is no limit to the drinks you can use to boost your nitric oxide levels. Some other drinks that can boost your nitric oxide levels in some capacity include:

 

  • lemon juice
  • lime juice
  • suped-up water (water with fruits/veggies added to it
  • plain old water
  • herbal teas
  • apple juice
  • tomato juice

Yes, the list goes on! If it is a fruit or vegetable that can be made into a juice, chances are it has some properties that boost nitric oxide levels to some capacity.

 

Can I Use Only Drinks To Boost Nitric Oxide Levels?

No. There are plenty of foods that you can eat to boost your nitric oxide levels. Furthermore, you can make some daily habit changes to boost your nitric oxide levels as well. Some tips you can implement today to bolster your NO levels include:

 

  • limiting mouthwash use
  • go for a brisk 15-minute walk
  • practice nose breathing
  • get a little sunlight
  • get rid of your cigarettes

 

Final Thoughts

There are some other tips and tricks you can use to boost your nitric oxide levels, but this is a great start for making the changes necessary to keep your nitric oxide levels as high as possible as you get older. Implement the tips above and add some of these juices to your diet today and set yourself up for success. Nitric oxide is too essential of a molecule for you to not prioritize boosting your nitric oxide levels. For more healthy living tips and information on nitric oxide, check out the rest of our blog.