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Beetroot has been receiving accolades recently as a superfood, with many health professionals encouraging people from all walks of life to “eat the beet.” And it makes sense. Beetroot is a plant, and gains its nutrients naturally from the earth — something that in itself will bring with it some pretty powerful stuff.
But, what if you incorporate this vegetable into your everyday diet? Will you become superhuman? Maybe … maybe not. Even so, some pretty super things could very well happen to your body to help it work better than it has before. Here are some of those things:
1. Your athletic performance will improve
OK, so, while you may not be scaling buildings, picking up cars or flying your body over major cities, if you consume beetroot on the daily, research has found that you will have improved athletic performance.
In fact, a study was published in “Nutrients — Open Access Journal of Human Nutrition” where researchers sought to find the effects of beetroot juice supplementation in the cardio endurance in athletes. In the study, beetroot juice was used as a daily supplement, and the results found that chronic supplementation with beetroot juice may improve cardio performance at the anaerobic threshold and VO2max intensities.
It was further noted that the juice should be taken within 90 min before athletic effort to ensure that the juice works at its peak level which happens within 2–3 h after ingestion.
2. You’ll have more energy
So, it should be a given that if you are able to perform better athletically after consuming this red rooted vegetable, that you would also have higher energy levels. While this is pretty much the case, it is nice to have scientific evidence to back the claim up.
Research findings published in The Telegraph fund that individuals who drink beetroot juice doubled the amount of nitrate in their blood.This increase in nitrate reduced the rate muscles used their main source of energy. Beetroot juice also helped muscles work more efficiently by lowering the oxygen uptake of those muscles. This result was found during both low-intensity and high-intensity exercise.
3. You’ll have a healthier body weight
Something that goes right along with more energy and the ability to perform athletically, is a healthier body weight. Not to mention the fact that if you’re willing to eat beetroot or chug the juice, chances are your other choices in food intake are probably on the healthier side.
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Sufficeth to say, if you consume beetroot daily, your body weight will see positive (as in good) changes.
4. You could have lower blood pressure
If you’re exercising and have a healthier body weight, lower blood pressure usually does follow suit. However, the question remains if beetroot alone can lower blood pressure. Good for you, we did our research and the results are that yes, it does.
In fact, research found that not only is beetroot good for lowering blood pressure, but that it is also considered a complementary treatment for hypertension. This is due to its high content of inorganic Nitrate (NO3) that has a positive effect on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).
5. It could Increase in blood flow
One of the reasons people have been found to perform better athletically is because one of the effects of beetroot is that it could possibly open up blood vessels, allowing for better overall blood flow. Some have even claimed that it can help men perform better in the bedroom.
While the verdict is still in on this one, it’s worth a try.
6. Improve digestion
As is the same with most vegetables, beetroot is full of fiber. In fact, in just a one cup serving, there are 3.8 grams of fiber. That’s a whopping 15% of your recommended daily value. And as we know, fiber does wonders on digestive flow, keeping you moving that food through you on the regular.
7. Your sleep could improve
An often overlooked nutrient that is present in many plants, including beetroot is choline. Choline helps to maintain the structure of our cellular membranes and assists with sleep. It has also been found to improve learning, and memory, aid in the transmission of nerve impulses, as well as in the absorption of fat and in the reduction of chronic inflammation.
So, we probably should have titled this section, “Beetroot has choline,” but you get the point.
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But wait. There’s more.
Before you run out and buy raw beetroot or the veggie in juice form, be aware that anything in excess can have its drawbacks. Beetroot is a potent drink and could wreak havoc on your digestion if consumed in large amounts. Research has found that excess consumption of beet juice might cause an accumulation of metals in the liver like as iron, copper, magnesium and phosphorus.
So, eat and drink responsibly if you want to reap the many awesome benefits of this supercharged plant.