The Health Benefits Of Beetroot

Do you love them or loathe them? This vegetable seems to seriously divide the room, but they are a super power on our plate in my opinion. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is a nutrient-rich root vegetable renowned for its diverse health benefits.

It is a powerful source of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, particularly dietary nitrates, betalains, and polyphenols. The health benefits of beets include improved cardiovascular function, enhanced athletic performance, cognitive support, and potential cancer-protective properties. 

Beetroot’s high nitrate content is particularly important, as it contributes to vasodilation and cardiovascular health (Lundberg et al., 2008). Additionally, betalains, the pigments responsible for beetroot’s deep red-purple colour, exhibit strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (Kanner et al., 2001).

Cardiovascular Benefits of Beetroot

One of the most extensively researched benefits of beet juice in particular, is its ability to lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. Dietary nitrates in beetroot are converted to nitric oxide (NO) in the body, which helps to dilate blood vessels, enhancing blood flow and reducing hypertension (Kapil et al., 2015).

A meta-analysis of clinical trials found that beetroot supplementation significantly lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly in individuals with hypertension (Siervo et al., 2013). Furthermore, beetroot consumption has been shown to enhance endothelial function, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (Bondonno et al., 2015).

Athletic Performance Enhancement

Beetroot is widely recognised for its ability to boost exercise performance due to its ergogenic properties. The nitrates found in beetroot enhance mitochondrial efficiency and increase oxygen delivery to muscles, thereby improving endurance and reducing oxygen cost during physical activity (Jones et al., 2018).

A study by Lansley et al. (2011) demonstrated that consuming beetroot juice before exercise improved time-to-exhaustion in endurance athletes by 16%. Other research suggests that beet juice supplementation can enhance peak power output and high-intensity exercise performance (Domínguez et al., 2017).

Cognitive and Neurological Benefits

Emerging research suggests that beetroot consumption may support brain health by improving cerebral blood flow. The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway enhances perfusion in the prefrontal cortex, a region associated with cognitive function and executive processing (Wightman et al., 2015). The better the blood flow to the brain, the better it functions. It is logical. 

In older adults, dietary nitrate intake from beet juice has been shown to improve reaction time and cognitive performance, potentially mitigating age-related cognitive decline (Clifford et al., 2016). These findings suggest that beetroot may play a role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties

Beetroot contains betalains, a class of potent antioxidants that exhibit strong anti-inflammatory effects. Betalains have been shown to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases (Clifford et al., 2015).

Oxidative stress plays a central role in ageing and chronic diseases, and beetroot’s high polyphenol and flavonoid content helps to combat oxidative damage (Kanner et al., 2001). Studies indicate that regular beetroot consumption can reduce oxidative stress markers, supporting cardiovascular and metabolic health (Vidal et al., 2014).

Potential Cancer-Protective Effects

Research suggests that beetroot extracts may have chemopreventive properties, particularly against colon, breast, and prostate cancers. Betalains exert anti-proliferative effects by modulating cellular signalling pathways involved in apoptosis and tumour suppression (Lechner et al., 2014).

A study by Kapadia et al. (2011) demonstrated that beetroot extract inhibited cancer cell proliferation in vitro, suggesting potential applications in cancer prevention and adjunct therapy. However, further clinical trials are required to establish definitive benefits.

Gut Health and Digestive Benefits

Beetroot is an excellent source of dietary fibre, which supports digestive health by promoting gut motility and enhancing microbiota composition (Slavin, 2013). The prebiotic properties of beetroot fibre may contribute to the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria, supporting overall gut health (Louis et al., 2016).

Additionally, betalains in beetroot have been found to exhibit hepatoprotective effects, supporting liver function and detoxification pathways (Clifford et al., 2015).

Nutritional Composition of Beetroot

Beetroot is highly nutritious, offering a rich profile of essential micronutrients and bioactive compounds. A 100g serving of raw beetroot contains approximately:

• Energy: 43 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 9.6g

• Fibre: 2.8g

• Protein: 1.6g

• Fat: 0.2g

• Folate (Vitamin B9): 109 µg (27% RDI)

• Vitamin C: 4.9mg (8% RDI)

• Potassium: 325mg (9% RDI)

• Iron: 0.8mg (4% RDI)

• Nitrate: ~250mg

Best Way To Use

Avoid those awful pickled varieties in the super market. The benefits are still there, they just taste awful haha. My favourite way to prepare beetroot is to roast them in wedges and have them with a horseradish dip. They are great juiced and grated too. 

Conclusion

Beetroot is a nutrient-dense functional food with numerous health benefits, including blood pressure regulation, enhanced athletic performance, cognitive support, anti-inflammatory properties, cancer-preventive potential, and gut health promotion. The benefits of beet juice and whole beetroot consumption are strongly supported by scientific evidence, making it an excellent dietary addition for overall health and disease prevention.

References

• Bondonno, C.P., Liu, A.H., Croft, K.D., Ward, N.C., Shinde, S., Moodley, Y., Lundberg, J.O., Puddey, I.B. and Hodgson, J.M., 2015. Antioxidant activity of nitrate and nitrite in the cardiovascular system. Nutrients, 7(6), pp.4911-4937.

• Clifford, T., Howatson, G., West, D.J. and Stevenson, E.J., 2015. The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease. Nutrients, 7(4), pp.2801-2822.

• Jones, A.M., Thompson, C., Wylie, L.J. and Vanhatalo, A., 2018. Dietary nitrate and physical performance. Annual Review of Nutrition, 38, pp.303-328.

• Kapil, V., Weitzberg, E., Lundberg, J.O. and Ahluwalia, A., 2015. Clinical evidence demonstrating the utility of inorganic nitrate in cardiovascular health. Nitric Oxide, 45, pp.58-68.

• Siervo, M., Lara, J., Ogbonmwan, I. and Mathers, J.C., 2013. Inorganic nitrate and beetroot supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults. Hypertension, 61(3), pp.621-626.

• Wightman, E.L., Haskell, C.F., Forster, J.S., Veasey, R.C. and Kennedy, D.O., 2015. Effects of chronic nitrate supplementation on cognitive function. Psychopharmacology, 232, pp.4043-4054.