Fruits and vegetables have long been at or near the top of the list of recommended daily sources of proper nutrition. Toward that end, the nutritional supplement industry has been steadily jumped aboard the fruits/veggies bandwagon in recent years, along the way coming out with “functional foods” supplements that zero in on supporting a person’s health in numerous ways.
One of the newer arrivals on the functional foods wagon train are wonder beets, which are offshoots of that delicious, reddish vegetable known as beets, more specifically known as red beetroot, or in more formal scientific terms as Beta vulgaris rubra. Whatever you call them, they are packed full of antioxidants (such as betalains, which give beets their dark red tint). Buoyed by that presence of antioxidants, beets are in a favorable therapeutic position to treat conditions linked to oxidative stress and inflammation.
It’s tough to beat beets. Note that wonder beets are gluten-free, a meaningful asset in a world where consumers are better informed than ever on the many nuances of healthy nutrition.
What Makes Beets So Healthy for You?
Antioxidants and fiber are just two of the numerous vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that serve as beet’s constituents, supporting heart health, brain health, and liver detoxification, among other remedial effects. In that regard, beets are also a source of an essential amino acid known as L-lysine not otherwise naturally produced in your body. That’s important to know because L-lysine is a fundamental building block for protein and generally supports your health in a variety of ways.
Beets are not a miracle cure, but what makes them stand out in a crowded world of potent herbs and supplements are its abundance provision of dietary nitrates. Once inside your body, these are converted to nitric oxide. They go to work supporting your heart health by helping your blood vessels to relax and widen, which enhances circulation in your body while lowering elevated blood pressure.
5 Ways in Which Wonder Beets Can Improve Your Health
We’ve touched on some of the general ways in which wonder beets can support your health. Let’s break it down a little bit more into five specific health benefits, among an assortment of others:
Boost exercise performance. Beets have been shown to optimize oxygen delivery, which is key to improved endurance in both cardio and strength workouts. This is why recreational athletes might experience heightened stamina and reduced fatigue, at least while engaged in moderate exercise.
Support cognitive function. Because beets are directly involved in helping to produce and provide nitric oxide, they play a role in improving blood flow in the body, which is linked to supporting mental clarity and focus.
Help keep you “regular.” Beets are a good source of fiber, much of it in an insoluble form, which is known to help thwart constipation, essentially to keep food you have ingested moving efficiently through the digestive tract. It also works to enhance stool bulk, which aids in the elimination of the body’s solid waste.
Bolster bone strength. Also among the many nutrients found in beetroot are minerals such as copper, folate and magnesium that contribute to the building of strong healthy bones. Another mineral in beets is silica, known to help promote healthy calcium absorption activity, and as we all (should) know, calcium is key to proper bone structure.
Alleviate hypertension. This effect of lowering blood pressure in those with otherwise mildly elevated blood pressure is linked to beet’s role in stimulating nitric oxide production, which otherwise goes down with age.
As tasty and healthy as beets are as a sensible side dish at the dinner table, they often don’t show up at mealtime or in public eating establishments. But that shouldn’t stop you from finding a beets-based supplement to add to your daily regimen. Your body will express appreciation for it in its own way. Be sure to discuss your planned use of beet supplements (most of which are designed only for adult use) with your personal physician before indulging, just to be sure they are right for you.