6 Benefits of Beet Juice

Beets are full of nutrients that can help lower your blood pressure (and avoid heart disease), boost your athletic performance, ease joint pain, and stall brain degeneration. They are also a good source of vitamins and mineral and contain antioxidants. There really is no good reason not to include beets in your diet, and beet juice can be a fun and flavorful way to do so. You can juice them yourself, or try our ready-to-drink beetroot powder supplement.

Here are six reasons to include beets in your diet:

1. Lower Blood Pressure

Are you at risk of heart disease because of high blood pressure? High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, which often results in a heart attack or stroke. One way you can combat high blood pressure is surprisingly simple: drinking beetroot juice.

Beets contain helpful phyto-nitrates. These aren’t to be confused with sodium nitrates (a preservative and carcinogenic chemical used in processed foods). Phyto-nitrates are converted to nitric oxide when they are eaten. They open blood vessels, improve blood flow, and signal to artery walls to relax. Just what a heart needs to stay healthy. [1] [2] [3]

How much do you need to drink to get these benefits? One study shows how drinking two cups of beetroot juice per day significantly lowered blood pressure in adults. [4]

2. Boost Athletic Performance

Athletes love beets for one simple reason: they can boost their performance and increase their stamina. It does this, again, with its powerful nitrates. The nitrates improve the efficiency of the mitochondria (the “powerhouse of the cell”). They also help our body make better use of oxygen and recover from intense physical activity.

Making better use of oxygen helps athletes lengthen time to exhaustion. One group of cyclists drank 17 oz (500 ml) of beetroot juice before a competition. The results were encouraging. Their time-trial performance was enhanced by 2.8% for their 2.5 mile (4 km) race and by 2.7% of their 10-mile (16.1) trial. Why not give your race, game, or workout an edge with beetroot juice? [5]

3. Reduce Joint Pain with this Natural Anti-Inflammatory

Pigments in beets known as betalians may reduce inflammation. This is beneficial for various organs in your body, your digestive system, and cardiovascular system. It can also reduce swelling in the joints. One study reported that a beet concentrate reduced knee discomfort . If you are experiencing joint pain, including beets in your diet is a natural way to reduce inflammation. [6]

4. Protect Your Brain

One leading factor in mental decline is the lack of oxygen supply and blood flow to the brain. The nitrates found in beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain, specifically to the frontal lobe. It also opens up blood vessels. By keeping oxygen and blood flowing to the brain, you can maintain brain health and improve cognition, especially as you age. [7]

5. Get Your Daily Vitamins and Minerals

Beets are rich in the following vitamins and minerals:

Vitamins A
Vitamin B
Vitamin C
Potassium
Magnesium
Iron
Copper
Phosphorus
High in protein
High in fiber
Organic nitrates (found in pigment)

The benefits are endless when you include these vitamins in your diet. For example, potassium supports blood pressure, heart health, gut health, and contributes to bone and muscle strength. Medical News Today listed beets at the top of potassium rich foods (containing more milligrams of potassium per cup than any other food listed). [8] And the iron found in beet juice can help fight against anemia and iron deficiency. Vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron, and is also good for reducing the risk of heart disease. [12] Who wouldn’t want these benefits?

6. Give Your Body the Antioxidants it Needs

Beets are rich in antioxidants, which are needed to stabilize free radical molecules. These are molecules that are helpful in fighting off infection and disease, but having too many of them in your body can be dangerous. Fighting these harmful molecules with antioxidants can be as simple as a daily drink of beetroot juice.

Though more research is needed, there is evidence that these antioxidants can help prevent certain cancers. Test tube and animal studies have shown reduced growth in cancer cells when antioxidants are applied. [9] [10]

Why Choose Juice

Won’t simply eating beets have the same benefits as the juice? There are benefits to both, and eating beets is certainly still healthy. However, Marjorie Nolan, RD, states that cooking beets hampers some of the nitrates. To get all the nitrates your body needs, drinking beet juice is a good way to go. [11] It can also be a fun and tasty way to add beets to your diet. You can mix beets with other fruits and vegetables. Here are some ideas as you get started:

Check out this Lemon Ginger Power Beet Juice recipe from Inspired Taste.
Give this classic Beet-Carrot-Apple Juice from Food Network a try.
Get in your super foods with this powerful Blueberry Beet Juice with Kale from Driscolls.

Don’t have time or means to juice your own beets? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Check out Heartbeet Complete. Not only does it have 1,000mg of beetroot powder, it also contains other heart-healthy ingredients like L-argenine, turmeric, and key vitamins and minerals. With its tasty Tart Cherry flavor and nutritious value, it is a mix that is hard to beet.

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