The Benefits of Beetroot for Performance
Athletes that compete in endurance sports are constantly searching for natural solutions to increase their performance and endurance. Beetroot is a well-known superfood that is becoming increasingly popular for those looking for a natural competitive advantage. Beetroots can be consumed as juice, powder, or as part of a meal, and they have been shown to increase both athletic performance and endurance. Let's examine exactly how this colourful vegetable can provide such benefits.
1. High Nitrate Content for Improved Blood Flow
Beetroots are notable for having a high nitrate content. After being consumed, nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, a chemical that is essential for widening blood vessels. The result - increased blood flow, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles during exercise.
2. Increased Endurance and Reduced Fatigue
Studies have show that athletes who consume beetroot juice before exercise can reduce the oxygen cost of exercise - allowing them to perform at higher intensities for longer durations before reaching fatigue.
Participants in a study that was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology were able to prolong their time to exhaustion by as much as 16% by consuming beetroot juice.
This enhanced endurance is particularly beneficial for long duration events like marathon, triathlons, cycling races and boxing matches where maintaining high efforts is crucial for success.
3. Improved Recovery Time
Beetroots also contain antioxidants like betalains, which help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. This can assist in improved recovery times after intense efforts, allowing you to train more frequently.
Summary
Beetroots are a versatile vegetable that offer several benefits to improving performance, endurance and recovery. If you are looking at taking your training and performance to the next level, try adding beetroots to your diet.
Our Endurance Fuel contains 500mg of Betaine Nitrate (two compounds found naturally in beetroots) per serve, to harness the power of the beets!
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