10 Beetroot Benefits You Need To Know

Whether you love them or not, beetroot benefits can’t be ignored. There are plenty of reasons to add this deliciously sweet nitrate-rich root to your diet. Beetroot is an incredibly versatile vegetable that retains its nitric oxide boosting powers when cooked and can be enjoyed baked, boiled, steamed, or pickled.

While the cooking versatility and sweet earthy taste of beetroot make it an interesting vegetable to try, it’s truly the long list of health benefits that beets provide that give a good reason for adding them to your diet.

 

Beetroot benefits: what you should know

 

As we age, our body slowly loses its natural ability to produce certain molecules and perform different functions. One such molecule that our body slowly loses is nitric oxide. When we make poor dietary choices, such as consuming processed foods, our levels of nitric oxide drop, which can affect our heart, lungs, and other bodily functions.

Conversely, consuming foods higher in nitrates, such as beetroot, boost nitric oxide - the essential gas that regulates many body functions. A primary function of nitric oxide is to aid the delivery of oxygen throughout our bodies to essential organs, such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and brain. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, such as fiber, manganese, potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, while being low in calories, the following beetroot benefits will have you reaching for this super root.

 

Beetroot Enhances Endurance

When we think of endurance we most often think of fitness, but endurance means more to overall health than just the ability to go longer distances. Endurance helps the body and our muscles perform everyday tasks over periods of time, whether it’s vacuuming, shopping, or taking the dog out for a walk. When we increase our endurance we also improve our strength, expand lung capacity, and improve our cardiovascular health. 

Taking beetroot improves endurance and stamina while helping the body use oxygen efficiently; keeping the body ready to tackle even the most challenging tasks.

 

Beetroot Supports a Healthy Heart

It’s no secret that the heart is the body’s engine, but what many don’t know is the vital role nitric oxide plays in heart health. This vital gas promotes healthy circulation by relaxing smooth muscle around veins and arteries. Some studies have started linking our lowest nitric oxide hours (early morning) to high rates of cardiovascular events, making mornings the optimum time for exercise and beets.

The efficient movement of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body ensures the heart, and other important organs are thoroughly replenished. However, as the aging process reduces the production of nitric oxide, we need rich sources of dietary nitrate to keep those nitric oxide levels high. 

 

Beetroot Boosts Sports Performance

A metadata study examined 23 research reports on the athletic efficacy of beetroot juice supplementation. The results showed that athletes benefited from beetroot juice by way of:

• Improved cardiorespiratory endurance 
• Increased efficiency
• Improved performance at various distances
• Increased time to exhaustion at submaximal intensities
• Improved cardiorespiratory performance at anaerobic threshold intensities and maximum oxygen uptake levels

Whether you need a reliable source of energy before your workout or simply need increased daily stamina, beets help keep your body moving stronger for longer.

Stamina isn’t only crucial for sports performance, but it also helps reduce the risk of injury by keeping the brain alert and muscles strong and active. Consuming beetroot, before, during, or after a workout does wonders for muscles and joints. 

 

Beetroot Supports Recovery

Athletes that recovered with beetroot juice experienced a 10.4% higher threshold for pain than athletes that recovered without beetroot juice, according to one study by the journal Nutrients.

Recovery after a workout is important preparation for that next scheduled workout. Consuming the necessary antioxidants, nitrates, vitamins, and minerals means you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs to recover properly.

Staying hydrated, eating nitrate and antioxidant-rich foods, and taking the right supplements are crucial for fast and effective post-workout recovery. 

 

Beetroot Improves Vitality

Vitality - the ideal state of being strong and active with optimal energy remains a goal for most. When we eat the wrong foods, such as processed or fast food, we negatively affect our ability to stay active. The results are a sluggish body with achy joints and muscles that don’t function as great as they could.

Beets were cultivated in ancient Greece and leaves were eaten to improve vitality. Now anyone can grab the very real power of beetroot to fuel their very own legendary journey.  

 

Beetroot Provides Antioxidants

Beetroot benefits include their antioxidant properties that do plenty for the body, including anti-aging support. As we get older, we need a healthy supply of antioxidants to fight free radicals that affect the health of our organs and our skin - our largest organ.  A key way to do that is by following a healthy lifestyle that involves maintaining optimal levels of nitric oxide.

The bioactive compounds in beets that make them an antioxidant powerhouse include:

• Nitrate
• Flavonoids
• Phenolic acids
• Phenolic amides
• Ascorbic acid (vitamin c)
• Carotenoids
• Betalains

Beetroot Promotes Longevity

Studies show that longevity can be achieved with a vegetarian diet.  Beetroot in particular increases longevity by improving nitric oxide levels and elevating antioxidant consumption.f Of course there are other factors that contribute to a long, quality life, like getting plenty of exercises and avoiding unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking, indulging in too many sugary treats, and being sedentary.

Centenarians, those who live to see 100 years of age are studied across the world. Eastern European centenarians have been documented to experience firsthand the benefits of beets on longevity, as they’re a very popular diet staple.

The benefit of longevity means you get to see and experience more of life, and beetroot contributes to the increase of nitric oxide needed to maintain healthy body functions.

Improving longevity involves balancing a diet rich in:

• Beetroot
• Kale
• Citrus fruits
• Radishes
• Watermelon
• Pomegranate

Beetroot Reduces Fatigue

Fatigue has various sources, but the common factor of fatigue is its power to drain our energy levels, making it difficult to keep up with our everyday lives. As a result of fatigue, our nitric oxide levels go down and we lose the energy needed to enjoy an active lifestyle. Consuming more nitrates that increase nitric oxide production helps maintain steady energy.

Those over the age of 50 years benefit from these increased levels of nitric oxide that beetroot can provide. These increased levels of nitric oxide improve energy levels, stamina, and overall health, which all do their part in reducing fatigue. 

 

Beetroot Improves Digestion

Not only does beetroot improve nitric oxide levels, but a single cup of beets is a healthy fiber source to help move stools along the digestive tract. 

The fiber found in beetroot also keeps you feeling full longer, which can help reduce your daily caloric consumption as Harvard Health studies discuss the connection between fiber and weight loss.

Studies show that beetroot acts a bit like an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and can help reduce the need for NSAIDs thus reducing gastrointestinal damage from overextended NSAID usage. 

Beetroot Helps You Think Clearly

When we suffer from stress or other mental health complications, it can take a toll on our ability to think clearly. When we don’t manage stress properly, it affects our brain and our body’s ability to produce beneficial nitric oxide.

Beetroot increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain and also contains a chemical called Choline that improves memory. 

Bask In Beetroot Benefits

 

Taking a nitric oxide booster is one way to improve overall health and quality of life. Don’t let fatigue, brain fog, poor endurance, or low vitality keep you moving sluggishly throughout your days. Let the power of these beetroot benefits boost your overall health. 

References:

Lanas, Angel. “Role of nitric oxide in the gastrointestinal tract.” Arthritis research & therapy vol. 10 Suppl 2,Suppl 2 (2008): S4. doi:10.1186/ar2465

Matsushita, K. et al., "Nitric Oxide Regulates Exocytosis by S-Nitrosylation of N-ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor," Cell, Oct. 17, 2003, Vol. 115, pages 1-20.

Pullar, Juliet M et al. “The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health.” Nutrients vol. 9,8 866. 12 Aug. 2017, doi:10.3390/nu9080866

Lanas, Angel. “Role of nitric oxide in the gastrointestinal tract.” Arthritis research & therapy vol. 10 Suppl 2,Suppl 2 (2008): S4. doi:10.1186/ar2465

Ferrari, Nancy. “Making One Change — Getting More Fiber — Can Help with Weight Loss.” Harvard Health Blog, 17 Feb. 2015, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/making-one-change-getting-fiber-can-help-weight-loss-201502177721.

Domínguez, R., Cuenca, E., Maté-Muñoz, J. L., García-Fernández, P., Serra-Paya, N., Estevan, M. C., Herreros, P. V., & Garnacho-Castaño, M. V. (2017). Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Cardiorespiratory Endurance in Athletes. A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 9(1), 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9010043

Clifford, T., Berntzen, B., Davison, G. W., West, D. J., Howatson, G., & Stevenson, E. J. (2016). Effects of Beetroot Juice on Recovery of Muscle Function and Performance between Bouts of Repeated Sprint Exercise. Nutrients, 8(8), 506. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8080506

Clifford, T., Howatson, G., West, D. J., & Stevenson, E. J. (2015). The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease. Nutrients, 7(4), 2801–2822. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7042801