It has recently been reported that resting blood pressure was significantly reduced 2-3 hours following the ingestion of a dietary nitrate load (500 mL of beetroot juice), (Webb et al. 2008). The mechanism for this effect is obscure but likely related to the bioconversion of nitrate to nitrite and thence to the potent vasodilator molecule, nitric oxide (Lundberg & Govoni, 2004). Dietary-induced reductions in blood pressure potentially have important implications for public health. The purpose of the present investigation was to assess the influence of a longer period (4-6 days) of dietary nitrate consumption on resting blood pressure in healthy normotensive humans. Nine healthy males (mean ± SD, age 26 ± 7 years, body mass 81.6 ± 6.2 kg) volunteered to participate in this ethically-approved study. In random order, the subjects consumed 500 mL of either beetroot juice (BTJ, containing 11.2 ± 0.6 mM of nitrate) or blackcurrant squash (as a placebo, PLC) per day for six consecutive days. The conditions were separated by a wash-out period of 7 days. Resting blood pressure was measured using an automated blood pressure machine and blood samples were drawn to determine plasma [nitrite] on days 4, 5 and 6 of each condition. Data were analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA. On days 4-6, plasma [nitrite] was significantly increased by beetroot juice consumption but was unchanged following placebo consumption (BTJ: 160 ± 80 vs. PLC: 80 ± 60 μM; P<0.05). Beetroot juice consumption led to a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure on day 4 (BTJ: 124 ± 2 vs. PLC: 132 ± 5 mmHg; P<0.01) with the difference remaining significant on days 5 and 6. Diastolic blood pressure was not significantly affected by the intervention on day 4 (BTJ: 71 ± 9 vs. PLC: 71 ± 7 mmHg) or on subsequent days. These data extend the earlier report of Webb et al. (2008) by showing that increased dietary nitrate consumption (in the form of 500 mL/day of beetroot juice) results in a sustained reduction in systolic blood pressure in healthy normotensive humans. We suggest that dietary nitrate reduces blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide availability and enhancing vasodilatation in the microcirculation (Lundberg & Govoni, 2004). Increased dietary nitrate consumption might be considered a natural strategy to maintain or enhance cardiovascular health.