Why Experts Say You Need To Eat Beetroot Before Your Next Workout

To anyone who’s totally clueless when it comes to fitness culture, don’t be fooled: pre and post-workout food and drinks aren’t just salads, acai bowls, protein shakes, and Gatorade. There are plenty of other options out there, ones that will better complement your chosen diet and fitness routine, more than these stereotypes ever can. Take this great option for example: whether you eat it or drink it, this root vegetable is an awesome pre-workout snack that you should definitely try.

Beetroot!

More fondly referred to as beets, beetroot is the bulbous taproot part of the beet plant. Easy to distinguish thanks to its reddish purple color (without the skin), it’s a popular root vegetable used around the world for different cuisines. In the fitness world however, it’s well known for entirely different reasons. Since it’s rich in nitrates, a naturally-occurring chemical that gets converted into nitric oxide in our bodies upon consumption, beetroot has a host of benefits that can help you during workout. 

Nitric oxide is important because it can improve blood flow and lung contraction, as well as strengthen muscle contraction. The result is better endurance, which is a great thing when you’re trying to crush it at the gym! But it doesn’t end there: beets are also known to strengthen the heart. The nitrates from it dilate the blood vessels, resulting in improved blood pressure: there’s an increase in blood flow without the heart having to exert too much effort as it pumps blood throughout our body. This allows you to get the most out of your workout and ensures you don’t tire out quickly. 

Plus, it helps with recovery: beets don’t just provide you with what you need during workout—all that nitric oxide, thanks to better blood flow, ensures that the muscle you’ve damaged during your workout gets all the oxygen and nutrients it needs for repair. 

You can either cook it or juice it, it doesn’t matter: beetroot is perfect if you’re looking to add something to your list of pre- or post-workout snacks. This doesn’t mean it’s a miracle food though—just like any other food out there, long-term consumption is best if you want to see results.