Nitrate rich veggies are highly prized by Dr Esselstyn. They produce the magic molecule NO (Nitric Oxide) inside our bodies, which in turn protects the endothelial layer inside our arteries, helping us avoid heart attacks. For details, see lectures by Dr Nathan Bryan on NO production.

LEAFY GREENS are nitrate rich. So Dr Esselstyn asks us to eat leafy greens six times a day if we have heart disease! But are there additional veggies that are nitrate rich?

The table below is from Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits by Norman Hord, Yaoping Tang, Nathan Bryan, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 90, Issue 1, July 2009, Pages 1-10. An excerpt:

A table from the paper:

Based on the table above, I'd introduce celery and beet into my daily meals.

The research paper is co-authored by Dr Nathan Bryan, world expert in NO production, respected by Dr Esselstyn for his insights and interviewed by Chef AJ last year.