The Benefits of Beet Juice for a Recovering Addict
Juice feasting has come into popularity lately. It involves drinking as much fresh vegetable and fruit juice as you like, with some herbs like cayenne and ginger thrown in if you wish. This allows people to feel full and nourished.
One of the reasons people juice is to train for athletic events and give their bodies that extra boost. Recently, it has been scientifically proven that fresh beet juice can be as effective as the toxic performance enhancing drugs athletes use without the scary side effects.
In ‘Outside’ magazine there is an article describing a small study done in 2009 by researchers at the University of Exeter in England which demonstrated that competitive cyclists who drank 16 ounces of beet juice before they got on their bikes were able to ride 16% longer. The University of Exeter followed this up with a larger study in 2011 that confirmed the previous finding of increased stamina through beet juice. This time cyclists drank half a liter of beet juice every day for six days. The cyclists were then measured to be 11 seconds faster over a 2.5 mile course and 45 seconds faster over a 10 mile course. This may seem like a small increase in performance, but for athletes in training, every extra second counts. “We were amazed by the effects of beetroot juice,” said Professor Andy Jones of the University of Exeter.
Marathoner Ryan Hall added beet juice to his regimen after he began suffering extreme fatigue. It paid off. Last year he ran the fastest marathon ever by an American, finishing fourth in the Boston marathon. He competed in the Olympic Marathon August 12 at the final event of the 2012 London Olympics, and unfortunately dropped out due to an injury.
If beet juice helps professional athletes, imagine what it could do for the rest of us just looking for some extra strength and energy!
Beet juice is rich in essential nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, iron and folate. Because it is so strong, it is best mixed with carrot, celery, green apple, lemon, or water. Use organic, if possible, because you don’t want to be drinking pesticides. Beets are fairly inexpensive, and the greens of the beets (if they are still attached when you buy the beets) can be sautéed with olive oil, lemon juice, and a dash of salt for a delicious dish. Costco sells 10 lb bags of organic carrots for $4. Carrots cut the beet juice nicely, and adding some ginger or lemon juice can reduce the sweetness of the drink. If you would rather eat your beets, they are very tasty grated on a salad.
Beets may also reduce blood pressure. It has been reported that more than 25% of the world’s adult population suffers from high blood pressure. It is very important if you choose to explore beet juice as a remedy for hypertension that you inform your doctor beforehand, because your hypertension medication may have to be adjusted.
This is a source for organic beet root juice powder that you can add to water if you do not have the time or inclination to juice yourself:
Enjoy your beets, beet juice, and beet benefits!
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Filed under: Life · Tags: beet juice, healthy living, organic, super foods
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