1. Beetroot Improves Muscle Recovery
2. A Blessing for Your Joints
3. Guilt-free Energy
4. Weight Loss with Beetroot

Superfoods are the future of performance enhancement, make no mistake. We've relied on cutting-edge science to create tonics and supplements to make us go the extra mile. What we didn't notice, is that nature had already provided us with fruits and vegetables that are rich in these much-needed nutrients.

Beetroot is among these superfoods. Oddly enough, what it contains is what helps rockets propel forward. We’re talking about Nitrates, compounds that contain Nitrogen or Nitric Acid. When nitrates are ingested, they are converted into Nitric Oxide or “NO”.

In general, Nitrates improve blood flow in the body. They cause your blood vessels to expand or dilate, allowing more blood to flow. This means better nutrient flow, better lactic acid removal (the acid responsible for making your muscles feel tired) and above all, better oxygen flow. Athletes and anyone else who undergoes vigorous physical activity knows that getting oxygen into your system can greatly boost your stamina.

According to studies, intake of beetroot nitrates shows significant improvement in muscle activity. Specifically, the muscles needed for quick reflexes. The overall improvement of your stamina combined with better reflexes can make the difference between first and second place.

You can eat beetroot in many ways, but the most efficient way is getting yourself some beetroot powder. Add it to any food you normally eat or mix it in a cup of water, whichever suits you.

Beetroot Enhances Muscle Recovery

In any form of physical training, recovery is 50% of the entire process. You work out specific muscles to further your goals, technically damaging them in a specific way. Afterwards, you rest and you let your body rebuild the damages, making the areas stronger, tougher or leaner to better do that task. This is especially true for bodybuilders. It's not the weight lifting itself that builds the muscle - it’s technically the way your body recovers from exertion.

Beetroot helps with muscle recovery, and it's perfectly safe. It helps in a subtle but effective way. First is that the nitrates it contain help reduce inflammation. Inflammation happens when a part of your body is damaged. In this process, the body swells the area, making sure that white blood cells and other bodily resources are delivered. This is a good thing, but there's always a downside. It hurts and can get in the way of your training.

A first-time athlete or gym-goer will tell you that the day after a workout is the most painful. Depending on the workout, it could render them immobile, let alone continue with the training. This is where beetroot can help. It helps reduce inflammation is a much more natural way than medicine and it lasts longer. This means you can work out better, heavier and more effectively with less inflammation to deal with.

Beetroot is a Blessing to your Joints

Our muscles do the flexing and lifting, but it's our joints that take most of the stress. Our knees, elbows and ankle joints absorb a great majority of impacts. Just jumping makes your knees and ankles absorb half your body weight in force. They can take the brunt and more, but eventually, the mechanisms of your joints will wear down like any machine. This can lead to a condition known as arthritis, where the tissue that keeps your joints lubricated wears out, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Not only does Beetroot prevent it, it also helps people who already have them. Beetroot incredible anti-inflammatory properties can reduce the overall discomfort of joint pain, along with good antioxidant and detoxification qualities.

Apart from its anti-inflammatory effects, it also improves blood circulation, ensuring that your joints get the right nutrients needed for the everyday wear and tear associated with sports and life.

Beetroot: Guilt-Free Energy

For some people, when they think of energy, they think of consuming calorie-rich food and to some extent, energy drinks. All of them have their perks, but balancing your calorie intake while trying to maintain your energy levels is a bit difficult, especially when you’re not used to it. Energy drinks bring you power like Nitrous Oxide brings a boost to race cars, but you’ll experience a burnout soon enough, along with the caffeine levels that may cause dependence.  

Beetroot does not give out calories to burn, nor does it have additives that help your body burn more energy. Instead, it helps your body manage oxygen better. Beetroot is rich in nitrates which your body transforms into nitric oxide. It improves not only blood flow, but also increases hormone levels by a small but significant amount, and improves neuron firing rate. The end result is that your muscles use less oxygen to perform their tasks, and they act faster.

If your body was an engine, beetroot is like the ideal oil that enhances the way your pistons work and improves the fuel efficiency. The bonus? Your liver will thank you, as Beetroot also has nutrients like Betacyanin, a powerful antioxidant. Not only does it improve your "engine," it also helps clean it out.

Beetroot Powder for Weight Loss

Beetroot has been a labeled a superfood for good reason. It's filled with nutrients and organic compounds whose effects favor athletes and physically active people. No special preparation needed unless you want to make it an extra special meal.

Since the nutrients it provides support for physical activity, it's only natural that it would help people who are trying to lose weight, right? Yes. Beetroot is packed with potent amounts of a chemical called Betacyanin. This organic compound is a powerful antioxidant and aids in removing toxins from your liver. It's shining role in reducing your weight, is that it helps melt away bad cholesterol and prevents it from depositing in your body.

Beetroot makes for a small but great meal. At 35 calories per 100 grams or per beet, it gives you more than it offers in calorie content. It's rich in iron and nitrates, which is perfect for giving you an edge to help you keep going.

For more information on Beetroot Powder and other health tips, click here to visit the SELFe homepage.