Which Foods Produce The Most Nitric Oxide?

Nitric oxide foods sit at the center of a growing conversation about heart health and blood flow.

Arugula tops the list with close to 480 mg of nitrate per 100 grams, more than any other vegetable tested.

Beetroot follows at around 250 mg per 100 grams, and a large 150-gram spinach salad can deliver up to 400 mg on its own.

About 80% of the nitrate your body converts into nitric oxide comes from vegetables, mostly leafy greens and root vegetables.

So, which foods actually move the needle, and how do you eat them the right way? Here is the full, ranked breakdown.

How Do Foods Turn Into Nitric Oxide In Your Body?

No food contains nitric oxide directly, since the molecule is a gas that breaks down within seconds.

Instead, plants supply two separate raw materials your body turns into nitric oxide through two different paths.

• The nitrate path. Vegetables like arugula, beets, and spinach carry inorganic nitrate. Bacteria on your tongue convert that nitrate into nitrite, and your stomach acid finishes the job by turning nitrite into nitric oxide.
• The amino acid path. Foods rich in L-citrulline (watermelon, cucumbers) or L-arginine (peanuts, nuts) supply building blocks that your kidneys and an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase turn into nitric oxide.

Eating from both paths gives your body more than one route to keep nitric oxide levels steady, especially as natural production slows with age.

Which Vegetables Produce The Most Nitric Oxide?

Leafy greens and root vegetables dominate the list.

Here is how the most studied options stack up, ranked by nitrate content per 100 grams raw.

Rank	Food	Nitrate Content (mg per 100g)	Notes
1	Arugula	Around 480 mg	Highest of any tested vegetable, though a full 100g serving is roughly 5 cups
2	Beet Greens	Up to 400 mg	Often thrown out, but carries more nitrate than the root itself
3	Swiss Chard	Around 270 mg	Comes with a strong dose of potassium and vitamin K too
4	Beetroot	250 mg (range 110 to 250+ depending on soil and season)	The most studied vegetable in nitric oxide research
5	Spinach	200 to 250 mg	A 150g salad can supply close to 400 mg total
6	Celery	Around 200 mg	Easy to add to juices and soups
7	Bok Choy	150 to 250 mg	Common in stir-fries; cook briefly to keep nitrate intact
8	Butter Lettuce and Romaine	150 to 200 mg	Swap out iceberg lettuce, which trails far behind
9	Broccoli	90 to 100 mg	A steady weekly contributor rather than a top performer
10	Carrots	92 to 195 mg	Wide range depending on growing conditions

Preparation matters as much as the food itself. Boiling can cut nitrate content by close to half, since the compound leaches into the water.

Eating these vegetables raw, in salads, or as fresh juice keeps more of the nitrate intact.

Which Foods Supply L-Citrulline And L-Arginine For Nitric Oxide?

Not every nitric oxide food works through the nitrate pathway.

A second group supplies the amino acids your body needs for the enzyme-driven route.

Food	Amino Acid	What It Does
Watermelon (especially the white rind)	L-citrulline	The richest whole-food source of citrulline; a daily 300g serving has shown clear gains in artery function in adults with mild high blood pressure
Cucumbers	L-citrulline	A milder, low-calorie source you can eat daily
Peanuts	L-arginine	Supplies the direct precursor to nitric oxide, though less efficiently absorbed than citrulline
Pumpkin Seeds	L-arginine	A snack-friendly way to add arginine to your day
Walnuts and Almonds	L-arginine	Come with heart-healthy fats alongside the amino acid

Which Other Foods Help Nitric Oxide Work Better?

Some foods do not increase nitric oxide directly, but they help your body produce more of it and keep it active for longer.

Adding these foods to a balanced diet can support healthy circulation and complement other natural ways to increase blood flow to the penis, including regular exercise, quality sleep, and maintaining a healthy weight.

• Citrus fruits and bell peppers carry vitamin C, which protects nitric oxide from breaking down too fast and also helps your stomach convert nitrite into nitric oxide instead of harmful byproducts.
• Dark chocolate contains flavanols tied to better blood flow and lower blood pressure in several studies.
• Berries bring polyphenols that support the same protective effect as vitamin C.
• Red wine, in modest amounts, contains polyphenols linked to blood vessel support, though the alcohol content means moderation matters here.

Pairing a nitrate-rich vegetable with a vitamin C source, such as spinach with a squeeze of lemon or a salad with bell peppers, gives your body a better shot at turning that nitrate into usable nitric oxide.

Are Nitrates From Vegetables Safe To Eat?

Yes, and this is a common point of confusion. Nitrates get a bad name because of cured meats like bacon and hot dogs, where nitrates can form harmful compounds called nitrosamines under high heat.

Vegetables do not carry the same risk, since the vitamin C and polyphenols naturally found in plants block that reaction and steer the chemistry toward nitric oxide instead.

The European Food Safety Authority sets an acceptable daily nitrate intake of 3.65 mg per kilogram of body weight.

A single 100g serving of arugula or beetroot sits well within that limit for most adults, even with more than one serving a day.

How Much Of These Foods Do You Need To Eat Daily?

Research trials that show real changes in blood pressure and blood flow tend to use these amounts:

1. 250 to 500 mg of nitrate daily, roughly one large beetroot, a cup of arugula, or a spinach salad, tied to measurable increases in plasma nitrite within two hours
2. 300 grams of watermelon daily, shown in a 2017 study to improve artery function and lower blood pressure in adults with early-stage high blood pressure
3. A daily mix of leafy greens and root vegetables rather than relying on one food alone, since nitrate content swings with season and soil quality

A varied diet usually works better than focusing on one “superfood.”

If you struggle to get enough nitrate-rich foods every day, you may also want to learn about the best supplements for nitric oxide production and how they compare with food-based sources.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nitric Oxide Foods