Nitrate is absorbed by vegetables from the soil, but it needs to be converted into nitrite by bacteria in the mouth before it can be used by the body.
With these cardiovascular benefits limited by the bacteria in the mouth converting nitrate into nitrite that can be used by the body, scientists are investigating how this process might be enhanced. A little-explored theory is that increasing the acidity in saliva could increase this chemical reaction.
To test this theory, researchers investigated whether chewing sugar-containing gum, which is acidic and lowers the pH in the mouth, increases nitrite production.
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