Introducing beetroot; the new superfood for athletes. No longer
the vegetable to be avoided in the supermarket but the new and best legal
performance booster since caffeine.
The secret behind beetroot is the nitrates found in the vegetable
which get converted to nitric oxide when ingested. It is the nitric oxide which
helps to lower blood pressure and lower oxygen consumption meaning an athlete
can exercise for longer before becoming exhausted. Not only this, but nitric
oxide plays an important role in human physiology. It can help to regulate
blood flow and plays an essential role in neurotransmission, immune function,
glucose and calcium homeostasis and muscle contractility.
An impressive amount of research on this vegetable shows that
it can help you to run 1-2% faster in 5ks up to marathons. This may not sound
like a lot, but this is actually a massive boost.
The best way to consume beetroot juice is through concentrated
commercial drinks. Avoid homemade juices as this could have you running
elsewhere if you know what I mean! Try 500ml before a tough workout and see how
you feel. Just don’t use any antibacterial mouthwashes or chewing gums as you
will lose the potential benefits of your juice.
This performance enhancing vegetable could definitely be the
new big thing so why not give it a try!
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