Beets are known for their deep red color and earthy flavor, but there is much more hiding inside this simple root vegetable. Packed with fiber, folate, potassium, manganese, natural nitrates, and plant compounds called betalains, beets can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet.
One of their most interesting characteristics is their natural nitrate content. After you eat beets, your body converts dietary nitrates through a series of steps into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in relaxing and widening blood vessels.
This can improve blood flow and may contribute to healthier blood pressure in some people. Better circulation also helps deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, which is one reason beetroot has attracted considerable attention in sports and exercise research.
Your Blood Pressure May Benefit
Among the most studied potential benefits of beetroot is its effect on blood pressure. The nitric oxide pathway can help blood vessels relax, potentially lowering blood pressure, although the size and consistency of the effect can vary between individuals.
This doesn’t mean beets should replace prescribed blood-pressure medication. Instead, they can be one nutritious component of an overall heart-healthy eating pattern.
Your Exercise Performance May Improve
Beetroot juice has also become popular among runners, cyclists, and other athletes.
Research suggests that dietary nitrate may help the body use oxygen more efficiently during exercise. In certain circumstances, this may improve endurance or aspects of exercise performance.
The effect isn’t guaranteed for everyone, and eating a serving of beets won’t suddenly transform athletic ability. But regular dietary nitrate intake has become an interesting area of sports-nutrition research.
And circulation is only part of what beets can offer.
Once they reach your digestive system, another group of nutrients begins doing important work.
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