Beet Juice Boosts Stamina

A team of researchers at the University of Exeter have discovered that consuming beet juice appears to reduce the amount of oxygen required during strenuous exercise. The researchers believe their results are tied to the naturally high levels of nitrate in beets. The researchers, using the double blind protocol, tested the effects of beet juice and a placebo by having eight men between the ages of 19-38 consume either 500ml per day of organic beet juice or the placebo, for six consecutive days. The men were then asked to perform a series of tests including riding an exercise bike, at a fairly rigorous level. Those who had consumed the beet juice were able to exercise up to 16% longer than those who consumed the black currant juice placebo. In terms of real time results, the cyclists who consumed beet juice were able to cycle for an average of 11.25 minutes, 92 seconds longer than when they consumed the black currant juice placebo.

The current hypothesis regarding the apparent effects of the beet juice is that the naturally high levels of nitrate in beets is processed by the body and converted to nitric oxide, which, by retaining higher levels of oxygen reduces the amount that the cyclists needed to take in. They also had lower blood pressure, an effect already associated with beet consumption and the high level of nitrates in beets.

There's clearly quite a lot of room for research—there has as yet been no similar study about the effects on women. The results of the University of Exeter's researchers were published in the August 2009 Journal of Applied Physiology. Stephen J. Bailey, Paul Winyard, Anni Vanhatalo, Jamie R. Blackwell, Fred J. DiMenna, Daryl P. Wilkerson, Joanna Tarr, Nigel Benjamin, and Andrew M. Jones. "Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans." There's a short summary of the results here.

While beets are high in sugar, they are also a good source of vitamin C, iron and magnesium, and high in dietary fiber, folate, potassium and manganese. They're a source of antioxidents as well. Most people now consume only the roots, but the Romans prized beets for their greens. Beets can be pickled, roasted, boiled, made into juice, or shredded for salads. Their bright colors—beets are not only red, but also golden, dark purple and pink-and-white stripes of the Chioggia beet—make an attractive presentation. Their natural sweetness makes them complement a variety of flavors. There are many many ways to eat beets. Here are a few of the most common, simplest, and healthy ways to serve fresh beets. This is the perfect time, by the way; the beet season runs from about June to about October.