Power Up Your Workout: The Athletic and Detoxifying Benefits of Beet Juice

Dating back to the Middle Ages, beets have been valued for their medicinal properties, particularly for treating digestive and blood-related ailments. Today, beetroot and beetroot juice (Beta vulgaris rubra) are celebrated as potent health-promoting foods. Recent scientific research has shed light on the remarkable benefits of this vibrant root vegetable, highlighting its role as a functional superfood.

As interest in the health benefits of beets has surged in recent years, it’s time to delve into the nutritional profile, myriad health advantages, and practical ways to incorporate this powerful elixir into your daily routine. Whether you’re looking to boost athletic performance, enhance detoxification, or simply improve overall well-being, beet juice offers a compelling array of benefits.

The Power of Beet Juice

Beet juice, derived from the root of the Beta vulgaris rubra plant, belongs to the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae family. Historically, beet leaves were consumed long before the roots, despite the roots’ now-favored sweet taste and tender texture. This root vegetable, grown in the ground and related to turnips, swedes, and sugar beets, shares a sweet yet earthy flavor with nutrition-rich Swiss chard and other root vegetables in its family.

Consuming beetroot juice offers a concentrated dose of essential nutrients, including ascorbic acid, vitamin E, carotenes, phenolic acids, and phytoestrogens, which collectively enhance cardiac and immune functions. Compared to eating beets, drinking beet juice delivers a higher potassium concentration and greater nutritional value, as cooking often diminishes the nutrient content of the vegetable.

One of the most compelling benefits of beet juice is its ability to detoxify the body, promoting optimal function across all bodily systems. Similar to beetroot juice, beet kvass serves as an effective detoxifying drink, although it contains less sugar. Beetroot powder, another superfood derived from ground beets, offers an alternative way to harness the vegetable’s nutritional power.

Beet greens are believed to have been first consumed in Africa thousands of years ago, with the popularity of the root spreading to Asia and Europe. Ancient Romans were among the earliest to harvest and consume beet roots. From the 16th to 19th centuries, beets gained widespread use, with their vibrant juice used as food dye and their sugars recognized as a source of sweetness.

By the 19th century, beets became a primary source for extracting and refining sugar, a practice that spread throughout Europe and into the United States, where it remains prevalent today. The growing awareness of beets’ nutritional benefits has spurred increased scientific research, highlighting their remarkable health-promoting properties.

Today, the largest producers of beets include the United States, Russia, and European nations such as France, Poland, and Germany. As the understanding of beets’ health benefits continues to expand, so too does their popularity as a potent, functional food.

Nutritional Powerhouse

Beetroot juice is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with essential compounds and nutrients that support overall health. One of the key compounds found in beetroot juice is nitrate. Unlike the harmful nitrates found in processed meats like deli slices, bacon, and other packaged products, the nitrates in whole foods like beets offer significant health benefits.

In the human body, inorganic nitrates from beets convert into nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes and dilates blood vessels, improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure. Like many leafy greens such as cabbage and lettuce, beets absorb nitrate from the soil, making them a natural source of this beneficial compound. Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional content in one cup (about 136 grams) of raw beets, the primary source of beetroot juice:

• Calories: 58.5
• Total Carbohydrates: 13 g
• Fiber: 3.8 g
• Sugar: 9.2 g
• Total Fat: 0.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.04 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04 g
• Protein: 2.2 g
• Sodium: 106 mg (0.05% DV*)
• Folate: 148 mcg (37% DV)
• Manganese: 0.4 mg (22% DV)
• Potassium: 442 mg (13% DV)
• Vitamin C: 6.7 mg (11% DV)
• Magnesium: 31.3 mg (8% DV)
• Iron: 1.1 mg (6% DV)
• Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg (5% DV)
• Phosphorus: 54.4 mg (5% DV)
• Copper: 0.1 mg (5% DV)

The Remarkable Benefits of Beet Juice

Beet juice is more than just a vibrant, earthy beverage; it’s a powerhouse of nutrients and health benefits. Let’s explore how this humble root vegetable can enhance various aspects of your health.

1. Enhances Athletic Performance

Beet juice is a favorite among athletes for its ability to boost performance. The high nitrate content in beet juice increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and reduces the amount of oxygen that muscles need to function efficiently. This translates to increased energy, performance, and stamina.

A 2012 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics demonstrated that consuming nitrate-rich beetroot significantly improved running performance in healthy adults. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial, participants showed faster running velocities and lower perceived exertion after consuming beetroot.

Another study published in 2014 in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that beetroot juice enhanced time trial performance in trained cyclists at simulated high altitudes. The cyclists experienced significant endurance benefits after consuming 70 milliliters of beet juice three hours before their performance trials.

2. Powerful Antioxidant Properties

Beet juice is a potent source of antioxidants, primarily due to its high betalain pigment content. These antioxidants have been shown to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, which are linked to various chronic diseases.

Research indicates that beetroot juice can strengthen the body’s antioxidant defenses, protecting cellular components from oxidative damage. Betanin, the most abundant betalain in beetroot, is particularly effective in neutralizing highly reactive radicals that target cell membranes.

3. Lowers Blood Pressure

The nitrates in beet juice are converted into nitric oxide in the body, which helps relax and dilate blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure. A 2012 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that even a low dose of beetroot significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure over 24 hours.

Another study involving 30 participants showed that beetroot and apple juice consumption lowered systolic blood pressure, especially in men. A 2020 study further confirmed that beetroot juice significantly lowers blood pressure and is associated with a reduction in mortality rates.

4. Detoxifies the Body

Beetroot juice is a natural detoxifier, helping cleanse the blood of heavy metals, toxins, and waste through the action of a compound called glutathione. This compound is crucial for liver detoxification, and the fiber in beet juice aids in eliminating waste from the digestive tract.

Animal studies have shown that beet juice supports liver function and helps reduce acid levels in the body, promoting a healthier pH balance.

5. Supports Cognitive Health

Drinking beet juice can improve blood flow to the brain, potentially staving off Alzheimer’s and slowing the progression of dementia. Nitrates in beet juice convert to nitrites, which increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain.

A study by Wake Forest researchers found that a high-nitrate diet, including beet juice, increased blood flow to the brain’s white matter, which is often associated with cognitive decline. Another study showed that beet juice combined with exercise improved brain networks, enhancing neuroplasticity in older adults.

6. Helps Manage Diabetes

Beet juice contains alpha lipoic acid, an antioxidant that helps lower glucose levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and prevent oxidative stress-induced changes in diabetes patients. A 2020 study indicated that beet juice supplementation could effectively control diabetes and improve insulin homeostasis.

The high fiber content in beet juice also slows glucose absorption, giving the body more time to process insulin and reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications.