To: Your Heart Health

It’s the month of love! What better time to show some extra care for your heart? Beets are an excellent source of dietary nitrates, which are quickly converted to nitric oxide (NO) in the body, a compound that relaxes blood vessels, which supports heart health. Studies show that incorporating beets into your diet, particularly through beet juice, promotes healthy blood pressure.^{1 2} Beets are also a wonderful source of antioxidants, fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C.³ Pour a glass or serve up a bowl of that delicious Beet Detox Soup and bask in the nourishment beets provide to your heart (and your whole body)!

To: Your Stellar Athleticism

You can’t be beet! Numerous studies have shown drinking beet juice increases athletic performance and endurance. The increase in NO in the body from drinking beet juice supports the cardiorespiratory system, delivering oxygen more efficiently to your skeletal muscles as you train. The improved oxygenation also supports boosting your maximum anerobic capacity (VO2 max), or the amount of oxygen you take in during high-intensity exercise. Beet juice makes a great pre-workout drink; studies suggest drinking beet juice 90 minutes before a workout, as the benefits will peak two to three hours after consumption.^4 5

To: The Soil and You

As a root vegetable, beets are exposed to all that is in the soil. A healthy, nutrient-rich soil is one teeming with microbes and fungi and free from toxic pesticides. Unfortunately, there are 45 different pesticides used in conventional beet farming, many of which are toxic to soil microorganisms, as well as to farmworkers and pollinators; they are also known to contaminate streams and groundwater. Choosing beets that are organically grown supports soil health, farmworker health, pollinator health, and ecosystem health.⁶ When it comes to nourishment, choosing organic beets also gives you a higher nutrient content—a 2019 study found that organic beets have a higher content of betalains, compounds that support detoxification and reduce inflammation, polyphenols, and higher antioxidant activity than their conventional counterparts.⁷ Show your body and the planet some love by choosing organic!

Love,
Your Not-So-Secret Admirer, Organic Beets

Try Our Coconut and Lime Beet Detox Soup Recipe

This delicious soup is the perfect antidote to a long season of overindulging.

References

1. Kapil, V., Khambata, R. S., Robertson, A., Caulfield, M. J., & Ahluwalia, A. (2015). Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979), 65(2), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.114.04675
2. 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
3. Beets, cooked, boiled, drained nutrition Facts & Calories. Nutrition Data know what you eat. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2022, from https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/…
4. 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
5. Muggeridge, D. J., Howe, C. C., Spendiff, O., Pedlar, C., James, P. E., & Easton, C. (2014). A single dose of beetroot juice enhances cycling performance in simulated altitude. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 46(1), 143–150. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a1dc51
6. Eating with a conscience. Beyond Pesticides. (n.d.). Retrieved October, 2022, from https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/eating-with-a-conscience/cho…
7. Carrillo, C., Wilches-Pérez, D., Hallmann, E., Kazimierczak, R., & Rembiałkowska, E. (2019). Organic versus conventional beetroot. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties. LWT, 116, 108552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2019.108552