Beets are highly regarded for supporting nitric oxide, improving blood flow and heart health. They are touted for these benefits primarily due to their nitrate content. Nitrates you eat are turned into nitrite and then into nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a powerful signaling molecule that tells your blood veins and arteries to open up in order to allow for greater blood flow. The benefits of nitrates go far beyond just heart health, though. Healthy nitrates support healthy immune function, improve exercise capability, foster more productive mitochondria, and so much more. Learn more about the benefits of nitric oxide supplements for performance here, and the benefits on general health here.
Unique plant chemicals called polyphenols give beets their vibrant golden and red hues. These plant chemicals also serve as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
The antioxidant content of beets alone are enough to make them a top notch superfood. For example, even if you take out the nitrates, beetroot juice still has positive effects on heart health. Betalains and carotenoids are just a couple of the types of antioxidant nutrients you can get from eating more beets.
You have to find a way to get the unique antioxidants and the powerful nitrates in beets, without the negative side of drinking too much beetroot juice.
Limitations Of Beets
Unfortunately, along with the nitrates and the spectrum of antioxidants, beets also deliver a hefty dose of sugar. When you drink 8 ounces of beet juice you consume over 20 grams of sugar. That’s a lot. Even though that sugar is natural, it can still carry the same negative effect that refined sugar can. From impairing your metabolism to stiffening connective tissues to increasing risk for chronic conditions, sugar is sugar, and it wreaks havoc on your health.
To make matters worse, beets actually don’t deliver all that much nitrates in the first place. You’re better off with a red leafy vegetable like red spinach or other reds, like rhubarb.
Adding insult to injury, many supplements are not standardized, meaning you don’t really know how much of those beneficial nutrients you’re getting from those beets.
Think that going with the all-natural version will be beneficial? Think again! It takes 2 to 3 pounds of beets to get the nitrate content of a high-quality nitrate supplement. Nitrate and antioxidant levels vary veggie by veggie, farm to farm, and even lot to lot. Don’t worry, though, we’ve got the solution for you, later in this article.
It goes without saying that any one food can only deliver a incomplete set of antioxidants for any application. Whether it’s for recovery, heart health, or any other of the number of reasons that people use beetroot juice, or beetroot supplement, the additive effect of combining supplements always beets the effect of isolated components.
In short, beets are good, but not enough. Is there something better than beets?
Benefits Of Fermented Beets
With beets high on the list of sugary vegetables and juices, it’s no wonder that people have been finding ways to get the benefits of beets without the sugar. One way to do just that is to use a high-quality standardized red vegetable extract. We will come back to this. Now let’s introduce the supplement that’s top of every sports supplement maven’s mind: fermented beet root powder. By using the age-old process of fermentation, beneficial bacteria eat the sugar content of beets, leaving you with a superior low-sugar beetroot supplement that has a couple of added benefits.
Benefits of fermented beets:
- Low sugar beet alternative
- Supports healthy gut bacteria
- Higher nitrate content per weight than regular beets
- Provides specific nutrients not found in regular beet supplements
- May be more bioavailable and more digestible
As you can see, the better choice is obvious when faced with the decision between a conventional beet powder or juice versus a fermented beet. The benefits of fermented beetroot are numerous, but is there something even better than fermented beets?
