Written by Charlotte Campbell
Beetroot
Beetroot is bold, punchy and has a variety of health benefits. We've compiled a whistle-stop guide of the main benefits of beetroot, in case you needed any convincing that this purple wonder should make its way into your nutritional plans!
#1 Benefits of Beetroot for Weight Loss
100g of beetroot contains only 43 calories but 325mg of potassium - that's 9% of your recommended daily intake! One of potassium's many benefits is that it encourages the body to keep the body's fluid level steady. In other words, it really helps if you are prone to water retention - a very common cause of the scales creeping up.
Another beetroot benefit is that it is a good source of dietary fibre (100g provides 11% of your recommended intake), which encourages the body to feel full and steadies blood sugar levels. This in particular help people in the "cutting" phase of a workout regime, or those generally restricting their calories for weight loss, keep to their nutritional plans.
#2 Benefits of Beetroot for Exercise
Athletes have increasingly been attributing beetroots to a key in their success. USC's basketball team nutritionists are such converts they make it compulsory for players to take it before games and practices. But why? A recent study in Sports Medicine concluded that the nitrates found in beetroot do improve performance in endurance activities. Essentially, beetroots make the body more efficient with the way it uses oxygen. A further study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, found that beet root juice increases maximum muscle power by about 6%.
In addition, studies on cyclists taking part in time trials showed that beetroot improved their scores by an average of 16 seconds.
So, if you want to maximise your gym time and smash those personal bests, you'd better beet it!
Beetroots in endurance exercise: McMahon, Nicholas F.; Leveritt, Michael D.; Pavey, Toby G. (6 September 2016). "The Effect of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Endurance Exercise Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". Sports Medicine.doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0617-7. PMID 27600147.dietary NO3? supplementation such as nitrate-rich vegetable sources or beetroot juice
Beetroots and Time Trial Success http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23846159
Beetroots & cardiovascular disease: Lundberg, J.O.; Carlström, M.; Larsen, F.J.; Weitzberg, E. (2011). "Roles of dietary inorganic nitrate in cardiovascular health and disease".Cardiovasc Res. 89 (3): 525–32.doi:10.1093/cvr/cvq325. PMID 20937740.
USC Basketball and Beetroots: http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-usc-beet-juice-20160315-story.html
Beetroot and blood pressure: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23596162
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Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
Casey Walker is an experienced sports nutrition new product development technologist. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise Science and a Master of Science in Sports Sciences and Physiology.
Casey’s scientific research area of expertise lies in the effects of dietary nitrates on sprint performance and exercise-induced muscle damage. He has also worked as a sports scientist for a medal-winning Paralympic track cyclist, with a goal of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
Find out more about Casey’s experience here.
In his spare time, Casey is a keen middle-distance runner with an interest in triathlon. He’s always looking out for the latest blends and supplements to improve his half-marathon time and recovery.
