Beetroot is one of the most underrated vegetables. It is a nutrient powerhouse, full of nourishing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre. Beetroot is well-established for its anti-inflammatory benefits and immune-boosting properties. It is also known for lowering blood pressure, improving digestion, supporting skin health, optimising detoxification pathways, improving cognitive function and increasing athletic performance.
Despite this, we get asked quite often why we chose beetroot to be in our product. Besides its delicious flavour and vibrant colour, we believe beetroot is one of the main ingredients to facilitate the incredible benefits customers experience from our blends. All of our ingredients are precisely selected with intention and prepared in ways that ensure an optimal level of bioavailability and absorption. Beetroot juice powder is foundational in this process.
How Does Beetroot Achieve All of These Wonderful Things?
Beetroot has an incredible ability to deliver nutrients around the body.
Beetroot juice has been shown to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to the body's tissues, including the brain, heart, and muscles. This effect is thought to be due to the high levels of nitrates found in beetroot juice. Nitrates are converted in the body to nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes and widens blood vessels, improving blood flow.
One study found that drinking beetroot juice increased blood flow to the brain in older adults, suggesting that beetroot juice may have potential cognitive benefits. Another study found that beetroot juice supplementation improved running performance, potentially due to increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles.
In addition to nitrates, beetroot juice is also a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Vitamin C is important for immune function, while iron is necessary for the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Potassium helps to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. As you can see, these are some very key nutrients for overall health, particularly for cardiovascular and cognitive function, electrolyte balance and athletic performance.
How Does Beetroot Improve Performance?
In fact, beetroot juice’s ability to support blood and oxygen flow is so widely recognized, it is consistently used within the sports industry. One of the primary ways that beetroot juice is used to improve athletic performance is by increasing endurance. Studies have shown that drinking beetroot juice can improve the time it takes to reach exhaustion during prolonged exercise, such as running, cycling, and swimming. This is thought to be due to the improved oxygen delivery to the muscles, which allows for longer and more efficient muscle contractions.
Another way that beetroot juice is used to improve athletic performance is by enhancing recovery after exercise. Exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and impair subsequent exercise performance. Beetroot juice has been shown to reduce markers of muscle damage and inflammation, which may help athletes recover more quickly and perform better in subsequent workouts.
Beetroot juice may also improve high-intensity exercise performance. One study found that drinking beetroot juice improved performance in high-intensity intermittent exercise, such as soccer and rugby, by increasing the body's tolerance to fatigue. Pretty incredible, huh?!
Beetroot and Reproductive Health
So how is this mechanism of action relevant to all of us (not just athletes), and of course, our Mummas? One study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2013 investigated the effects of beetroot juice on menopausal symptoms in women. The study involved 30 women who consumed 250 ml of beetroot juice daily for 14 days. The results showed a significant reduction in the severity of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.
Another study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine in 2015 investigated the effects of beetroot juice on endometrial thickness in women with thin endometrium. The study involved 20 women who consumed 250 ml of beetroot juice daily for 14 days. The results showed a significant increase in endometrial thickness, which is an important factor for successful implantation and pregnancy.
In TCM, beetroot is believed to nourish the liver and promote the circulation of blood, which helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and relieve menstrual cramps. It is also believed to have a purifying effect on the blood, which can help to treat skin disorders and promote healthy digestion.
In Ayurvedic medicine, beetroot is considered to be a "rasayana" or a rejuvenating herb, with a special affinity for the liver and the blood. It is believed to enhance liver function, detoxify the blood, and promote healthy digestion. Beetroot is also believed to have a cooling effect on the body, making it useful for treating conditions such as fever, inflammation, and hot flashes. It is often used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat anaemia, as it is believed to increase haemoglobin levels in the blood.
How Can You Include Beetroot in Your Diet?
- Roasted and/or steamed - cubed or sliced into side salads, gazpacho, mashed as a side, blended into hummus
- Raw - juiced or grated into salads, sandwiches, sauces and marinades
- Pickled - jarred in the fridge to add to any dish
- Our Foraged For You blends - of course!
Overall, what we have found within ourselves and our customers is profound nutrient delivery, regulation of blood pressure, improved iron levels, improved energy and more. A food to embrace and celebrate!
Written by our beautiful qualified Clinical Nutritionist Jessie Johns and overseen by Nutritionist and Founder Sheridan Austin.
References:
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Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017 Nov 3;9(11):1211. doi: 10.3390/nu9111211
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Presley TD, Morgan AR, Bechtold E, et al. Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults. Nitric Oxide. 2011 Oct 30;24(1):34-42. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2010.10.002
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