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- What Is SuperBeets Heart Chews?
- Is It Effective?
- How It Compares
- Bottom Line
- Customer Experiences
Pros
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What Is SuperBeets Heart Chews?
SuperBeets Heart Chews is a chewable gummy supplement manufactured by HumanN.
HumanN specializes in supplements designed to support nitric oxide levels in the body as a means to promote heart health.
Most of their products are made with “heart-healthy” foods like beets and grapes.
Low nitric oxide levels are associated with high blood pressure. Nitric oxide has a vasodilating effect in the circulatory system. It plays a role in healthy blood flow by relaxing the arteries.
The chews contain grape seed extract (GSE for short) and beetroot powder, which are believed to promote heart health and healthy blood pressure levels thanks to their rich antioxidant and polyphenol nutritional profile.
The chews are pomegranate berry flavored and intended to be a portable version of HumanN’s popular SuperBeets powder, which needs to be added to water.
Is It Effective? Evaluation of Claimed Benefits
SuperBeets Heart Chews claims to:
- Support normal blood pressure
- Support circulation
- Support heart health
- Protect from oxidative stress
SuperBeets Heart Chews’ active ingredients have been well-studied and appear to have a minor yet positive effect on blood pressure and cardiovascular health.
Beetroot Powder (500 mg)
Beets are rich in dietary nitrates, which are converted to nitric oxide in the body.
They are also a good source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that help prevent inflammation and damage from oxidative stress.
One of these compounds, called betalains, are responsible for the vibrant red and gold color of beets and aren’t found in many other fruits or vegetables.
Beet juice supplementation has been clinically studied and found to have a blood pressure-lowering effect, especially in individuals with high blood pressure.(1)
Researchers attribute this relationship to the nitrate content of beets.(1)
HumanN claims their beetroot powder preserves the nitrate and antioxidant content of beets to support circulator nitric oxide levels and overall health.
I didn’t find any studies comparing the nutritional profile of HumanN’s beetroot powder to beet juice, so it’s hard to say whether it actually contains the same amount of nitrates and nutrition as whole beets and beet juice.
However, if the powder is nutritionally comparable to whole beets, then it may have a beneficial impact on nitric oxide levels and blood pressure, as observed with beet juice supplementation.
Grape Seed Extract (Enovita, 150 mg)
The brand claims SuperBeetsChews are made with a novel type of GSE that’s sourced from white grapes in the Loire Valley wine region of France and supposedly more potent and better absorbed than other GSE supplements.
They’re referring to Enovita, a trade name for the type of GSE they contain.
Enovita contains 95% of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs for short), which are one type of polyphenol (aka plant compound) found in grape seeds.(2)
Evidence suggests OPCs possess strong antioxidant properties.
There are no studies comparing the OPC content or bioavailability of Enovita versus other grape seed extracts.
Several trials have found GSE supplementation has a beneficial effect on blood pressure and lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.(3)
One study that used Enovita (and is cited on the SuperBeets website) found that both 150 mg/day and 300 mg/day doses resulted in drops in blood pressure, with the higher dose having more significant change.
However, this study had limitations. It was small, with only 119 subjects who began with either normal or mildly elevated blood pressure.
Any benefits seem dependent on continued supplementation. This study observed improvements in participants’ blood pressure were temporary, reversing when GSE supplementation ceased.(4)
Support for Claimed Benefits
Here is our score, based on scientific evidence, of how likely SuperBeets Heart Chews will be effective for its claimed benefits:
Supports normal blood pressure | 3/5 |
Supports circulation | 3/5 |
Supports heart health | 3/5 |
Protects from oxidative stress | 3/5 |
Side Effects, Safety, and Dosage
Each bag of SuperBeets Heart Chews is a 1-month supply and contains 60 chews. One dose is 2 chews.
Grape seed extract (GSE) and beetroot powder are generally considered safe ingredients with very few side effects for most healthy individuals.
Some individuals notice their urine has a pinkish-red hue, called beeturia, when taking beet supplements. This has to do with how your body metabolizes pigments in beets and is harmless.(5)
If you're considering trying SuperBeets Chews, you should speak with a healthcare provider first.
If you suspect your blood pressure is high, it’s essential to seek medical attention.
If you’re currently taking blood pressure or blood-thinning medication, your healthcare provider needs to know if you try this product.
Since beets and grape seed extract have blood pressure-lowering properties, this supplement could lower your blood pressure too much in combination with your medicine.(1, 3)
Proton pump inhibitors, which reduce stomach acid to manage reflux symptoms, interfere with the conversion of dietary nitrates to nitric acid.(6)
If you take such medicine, it may cancel out the blood pressure-lowering effect of beets, which contain nitrates.(1)
Individuals with type 2 diabetes or who avoid added sugars should be aware that these chews contain 4 grams of added sugar per serving in the form of tapioca syrup and cane sugar.
The brand claims its GSE is tested for purity and safety, but I found no independent third-party testing labels on the product.
Cost and Where to Buy
SuperBeets Heart Chews can be found at Amazon, GNC, Whole Foods, Sprouts, and other major retailers listed on HumanN’s website.
They retail for $39.95 for a 1-month supply, which is roughly $1.30 a serving.
There are discounts for 3-month and 6-month supplies and, if you purchase directly from the brand, you can subscribe to auto-shipments and bring the cost down even more.
SuperBeets Heart Chews are backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee. Full details and contact information can be found on their website.
How SuperBeets Heart Chews Compares to Alternatives
There are a few other brands of beet chews on the market that contain less sugar and are less expensive for a one-month supply, but they don’t contain grape seed extract (GSE).
You can find GSE in capsules or softgels. Most contain 400 mg of GSE per serving, which is more than 2.5 times as much as the SuperBeet Heart Chews.
GSE capsules tend to cost less than SuperBeets Heart Chews, but if you purchase beet chews and GSE separately, you’ll likely end up spending more.
Several brands claim their GSE has been standardized to contain 95% polyphenols, but they don’t specify which compounds like the Enovita GSE in SuperBeets Heart Chews does.
Other blood pressure support supplements contain additional plant-based ingredients, like garlic, green tea, hawthorn, and hibiscus, that have been clinically studied and found to have blood pressure-lowering capabilities.(7)
The Bottom Line
There’s no denying that beets and grape seed extract contain beneficial compounds that can support health.
Although there is sufficient scientific evidence that compounds in beets and grape seeds can help lower blood pressure, SuperBeets Heart Chews have not been studied for efficacy.
Most of the research around beets involves beet juice, not beetroot powder as found in SuperBeets Heart Chews, so it’s hard to say if the chews offer the same benefits.
As for GSE, benefits appear to be dose-dependent. Most studies evaluated 300 mg of GSE supplementation per day, while SuperBeets Heart Chews contains 150 mg GSE per dose, so again, it’s hard to say if that’s enough to produce the same results.
Tips for Supporting Healthy Blood Pressure
Lifestyle factors and diet play a huge role in supporting healthy blood pressure. My top three tips are:
- Choose foods naturally low in sodium and go easy on the salt shaker.
- Get regular physical activity, even if it’s just a daily walk.
- Avoid smoking. Period.
If you suspect your blood pressure is high, it’s essential you speak with a medical professional.
If your blood pressure is slightly elevated (what doctors call prehypertension) after consistently trying the above, I’d recommend trying SuperBeets Heart Chews for a month or two to see if it helps bring your readings down.
If your blood pressure is normal and you want extra antioxidants, include more servings of antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and dark chocolate.