Beet juice is effective in increasing endurance and muscle strength

Lately, the benefits of beets are increasingly being recognized - especially for lowering blood pressure. However, for those of you who like sports or work as athletes, beets actually offer amazing benefits for your sports performance. This is why many Olympic athletes regularly drink beetroot juice before competing.

What are the nutrients contained in beet juice?

In beets, you will get various important nutrients such as folate, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, nitrates, magnesium, protein, and antioxidants. These various nutrients are good for helping to complement your daily nutritional needs.

A cup of beetroot juice contains approximately 100 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrates. Beets are indeed a type of fruit that is high in sugar. So, those of you who have high blood sugar or diabetes should consult with your doctor before starting to regularly drink beet juice.

Efficacy of regularly drinking beetroot juice for sports performance

It is time for those of you who like to exercise regularly drink beetroot juice, for example a glass per day. By drinking a glass of beet juice every day, you can reap the following benefits.

1. Increase stamina

A study conducted by a team of experts from the University of Exeter and Peninsula Medical School in the UK revealed that beetroot juice can increase stamina and physical endurance. The study participants were asked to regularly drink beet juice for six days before engaging in strenuous exercise. After that, it turned out that the participants could exercise for about 16 percent longer than before regularly drinking beet juice.

This is because beets are indeed rich in nitrate content which can be converted into nitric oxide in the body. This compound is useful for maximizing the use of oxygen during your physical activity. Therefore, the body will not easily lose oxygen and you can exercise longer.

2. Increase muscle strength

Apart from increasing stamina, beet juice is also good for building muscle strength. A study by experts from the Washington University School of Medicine in the United States proved this. Two hours after drinking beet juice, the study participants apparently showed an increase in muscle strength by up to 13 percent.

Again, the cause is the high nitrate content. Nitrates are able to improve blood flow in veins and arteries. Oxygen-filled blood will also improve the function and strength of your muscles.

3. Improve performance while exercising

Evidenced in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, drinking beetroot juice before running can increase the running speed of athletes by 1.5 percent. Another study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise also noted that athletes who drank a glass of beet juice before cycling apparently experienced a 3 percent increase in speed. Not only a matter of speed, these cyclist athletes also showed a stronger pedals than before.

You can get this property thanks to the content of nitrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals that are rich in beets. However, drinking juice alone is not enough to make you good at sports in an instant. You still have to train as usual with the help of beetroot juice.