Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator in the cardiovascular system and has been shown to have protective properties in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Inorganic nitrate, an oxidation product from endogenous NO production and also a constituent in green leafy vegetables, can be recycled, via nitrite, back to bioactive NO in the body. Recent research has shown beneficial effects of nitrate and nitrite in animal models of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Moreover, dietary nitrate reduces blood pressure and oxygen cost during exercise in humans.