Beetroot is a deep red coloured fruit that is not as loved for its flavour as it is for its distinct red shades. It has an earthy flavour that you’ll either love or hate, there is no in between. In spite of all its flaws, beetroot is titled a ‘functional food’. Beetroot juice is no different, maybe a bit tastier since you can add your own flavours to it.

Extracted from the beetroot fruit, this thick red juice caters to a lot of your body’s need. It is high in calories and low in fat and is an excellent drink for improving athletic performance. Providing potassium and nitrates to your body it helps in maintaining blood pressure levels too. And that is not the end of it. Being rich in natural antioxidants and flavonoids, beetroot juice and beetroot has gained immense popularity as a health building and anti ageing drink.

Curious enough to know more? Read on!

Some basic facts about beetroot:

  • Botanical name: Beta vulgaris
  • Family: Amaranthaceae
  • Common name: Beet, Chukandar
  • Sanskrit name: Palanshak
  • Parts used: Root and leaves
  • Native region and geographical distribution: Beetroot is either a native of Germany or Italy and it is grown throughout northeastern Europe. Haryana, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are the major beetroot cultivating areas in India.
  1. Beetroot juice nutrition facts
  2. Beetroot juice health benefits
  3. How to make beetroot juice
  4. Beetroot juice side effects

Beetroot juice is prepared from juicing raw beets which are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and calcium. It also contains a sufficient amount of calcium and potassium which makes it the perfect food for your heart and blood vessels.

As per the USDA, database, 100g of raw beet contains the following values:

Nutrient Value per 100 g
Water 87.58
Energy 43 Kcal
Carbohydrates 9.56 g
Proteins 1.61 g
Fibre 2.8 g
Fats 0.17 g
Minerals  
Potassium 325 mg
Calcium 16 mg
Phosphorus 40 mg
Magnesium 23 mg
Vitamins  
Vitamin A 2 µg
Vitamin C 4.9 µg
Folate 109 µg
Fats/Fatty acids  
Monounsaturated 0.032 g
Polyunsaturated 0.060 g
Saturated 0.027 g

Beetroot juice is an energising drink that improves metabolism and helps maintain cardiovascular health. It has an assortment of minerals and vitamins that promote health. It’s hard to resist a health drink that poured in with so much goodness. Let us read more about the evidential health benefits of beetroot juice.

Beetroot juice increases stamina

Beetroot juice is extensively studied for its energising properties, mainly to be used as an energy drink substitute for athletes. Studies indicate that beetroots harbour rich stores of nitric oxide which aids in improving the nitric oxide levels in the blood. This nitric oxide then increases vasodilation (dilation of arteries) and provides more blood to the body tissues, leading to an improved performance. It also leads to a lesser muscle fatigue through an unknown mechanism. Interestingly, the Australian Institute of Sport has listed it as category A performance enhancers along with caffeine and creatine.

In a random clinical study done in the Netherlands, beetroot juice supplementation was found to increase blood nitrate levels and improve endurance within six days.

A recent clinical trial demonstrated a significant reduction in muscle fatigue in elite runners on adding beetroot juice to their regular diet. However, no such improvement was found in their performance.

Beetroot juice for blood pressure

Apart from being an excellent sports drink, beetroot juice is increasingly gaining popularity as a blood pressure lowering drink. This, again, is due to the nitric oxide enhancing properties of this drink. High blood pressure is mainly characterised by excessive force of blood flow over the arterial walls. As nitric oxide dilates blood vessels, it gives more space for the blood to flow thereby reducing its impact on the walls of the blood vessels.

In a clinical study involving 15 men, supplementing 500 g of beetroot juice was demonstrated to improve blood pressure levels within 24 hours.

Heart failure in older adults often leads to blood pressure imbalances an intolerance to regular exercises. According to a research article published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, adding beetroot juice to the daily diet of such individuals leads to a marked improvement in blood pressure and endurance within a week.

Yet another ageing related problem is higher levels of blood coagulation and inflammation in the arteries. Both of these increase the risk of high blood pressure due to arterial narrowing. According to a random clinical trial, taking 140 mL of beetroot juice was found to improve both of these parameters within 6 hours of administration.

Beetroot juice for weight loss

Weight gain and obesity are two of the extensively studied subjects in the modern century. Blame the fast-paced life and calorie-rich-nutrient-deficit meals, obesity has become a global epidemic. While exercise is the best way to burn all that extra fat, a lot of focus has also been put on diet and supplements. Due to its nutrient-rich and endurance enhancing benefits, beetroot has become the so-called ‘rage’ in weight loss industry. Everybody wants to know if all those weight loss claims are true.

Studied indicate that obesity is caused due to an increase in fat cell size in the body which puts an excessive stress on the body functions. This stress is in the form of free radicals, which, in turn, cause inflammation that is the ultimate marker of obesity.

Beetroot is suggested to be an excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food. It not only reduces inflammation but also it reduces the oxidative stress thus alleviating the original cause of inflammation.

Additionally, beetroot juice improves endurance and exercise performance, though it may not help you much if you are into moderate exercise, it might improve your capacity to endure a regular cardio regime and increase the pace of your weight loss program.

If you are taking beetroot juice with its pulp, it would have an additional benefit in the form of fibre. Fibre not only aids in improving digestion but also it facilitates an easy passage of stools through the intestines.

(Read more: Diet chart for weight loss)

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Beetroot juice for anaemia

Anaemia is a condition marked by a reduction in total haemoglobin levels in the body and iron deficiency is one of the most common types of anaemia. Teen and pre-teen girls and women, in general, are the high-risk population. Beetroot juice is rich in iron, which makes it an excellent remedy for anaemia. In fact, it is traditionally used to improve iron deficiency and reduce anaemia symptoms. Beetroot is also a good source of vitamin C and folate, which are two of the other causes of anaemia. Vitamin C helps in iron absorption from the intestines and folic acid are responsible for making RBC. Several clinical studies indicate the anti-anaemia potential of beetroot juice. In a clinical study done in India, 30 adolescent girls were given fresh beetroot juice in the morning, for a period of 20 days. Marked improvement was reported in haemoglobin levels in all subjects.

Similar results were noted in another clinical trial done on middle-aged women.

In a recent study, a mix of beetroot juice and jaggery was found to be very useful in improving blood haemoglobin levels in teenage girls.

Beetroot juice for skin and face

Beetroot juice is the perfect supplement for your health as it provides you with so many vitamins and minerals and is very low on fat. Regular consumption of beet juice leads to an overall improvement in body health and your skin is not excluded from that. A healthy person usually has a glowing and youthful skin. Looking at the nutrient composition, beetroot has a special collection just for your skin. It is rich in vitamin C which is a component in collagen synthesis, a protein that makes sure your skin stays young and wrinkle-free. Boasting a good antioxidant pool, beet juice helps you resist the free radical damage that is otherwise responsible for ageing skin and blemishes.

Vitamin A is yet another nutrient present in beet juice and studies have found that its topical application reduces age-related and injury damage to the skin. You can put a twist to your face mask and add some beet juice to it to get a glowing and healthy looking skin.

(Read more: How to tighten face skin)

Beetroot juice for hair

Just like its skin benefits, the overall health-promoting properties of beetroot juice is extended to the hair too. Beetroot hosts iron and vitamin A, both of which have been associated with a reduction in hair loss due to their role in the synthesis of new hair shafts.

Further, beet juice contains antioxidants like vitamin C which have been known to reduce oxidative stress and delay premature greying of hairs. It will also prevent hair fall along with promoting shinier and healthier hairs.

Beet juice improves blood circulation and combats anaemia ensuring a better blood supply to the body tissues. This, in turn, supplies important nutrients to your scalp ascertaining stronger and longer hair shafts.

(Read more: Hair fall causes)

Beetroot juice for liver

Liver is an important detoxifying organ in body. It makes sure that all the harmful chemicals and drugs are cleared out of our system. Though oxidative stress and free radicals deteriorate liver function and lead to liver damage. Animal-based studies indicate the hepatoprotective benefits of beetroot juice due to the presence of natural antioxidants. In a lab study, betanin, a chemical component present in beetroot juice was found to increase the expression of antioxidant enzymes in human liver cells.

An excess of oxidative stress may also lead to an excessive multiplication of body cells and development of tumours and cancer. Beetroot extracts have also demonstrated anti-cancer effects on liver cancer cells in preclinical studies.

However, due to lack of clinical trials, it is hard to confirm any of these claims yet.

(Read more: Foods that cleanse the liver)

Beetroot juice benefits for brain

A decline in brain function is quite common with age. It might manifest in the form of reduced cognition, memory or dementia. This is mainly due to a reduction in brain cell networks and brain signalling. The good news is that you can prevent this by drinking beet juice regularly. Clinical studies have found that beet juice improves the networking in brain cells and motor functions in older adults, making it as good as that in young people.

It also improves blood flow to the brain, thus reducing the risk of dementia in older individuals.

In another study, the vasodilation effects of beetroot juice were suggested to improve blood perfusion in the brain and avoiding the brain cell damage due to this age-related problem.

Not only this but, betanin, the compound responsible for the deep red colour of beetroot, which is also present in beetroot juice, is found to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s by downregulating the misfolding of beta-amyloid protein.

(Read more: How to improve brain power)

Beetroot juice benefits for heart

By now we already know that beet juice is an excellent hypotensive agent (Reduces blood pressure) and it increases blood flow and reduces arterial inflammation and blood clotting. All of these are the major contributors to heart-related ailments. According to a study published by the American Psychological Society, the nitric oxide released by beet juice also helps in maintaining heart rates by stimulating a certain nerve signal from brain.

High cholesterol is yet another risk factor for heart disease. Preclinical studies indicate that the chemical components present in beetroot aid in eliminating this risk by reducing cholesterol levels and avoiding lipid peroxidation which is otherwise responsible for plaque formation in the arteries and atherosclerosis.

(Read more: Heart disease treatment)

Beetroot juice is very easy to make at home. Plus, making it yourself ensures that you get the best quality ingredients and get to drink it fresh. It is always recommended to add some other flavours (fruits) with beet juice to mask its earthy taste and avoid overconsumption. Here is a recipe for making beet juice.

  • Take a whole beet, ½ a cucumber, 1-2 carrots and a tiny piece of ginger.
  • Wash all the ingredients with clean water.
  • Put all of these in a juicer and process them all together.
  • You can keep also juice them one by one.
  • Pour the contents of the juice container into a glass and squeeze half a lemon into it.
  • Let it cool and enjoy or you can also drink it right away.

If you want to sweeten the juice a bit, you can always add an apple to it.

Beetroot juice can be considered a functional food, owing to its many health benefits. However, it has some side effects too. These are:

  • Beet juice is a natural hypotensive agent. If you are suffering from low blood pressure or are taking medication for reducing blood pressure, it is advisable that you avoid beetroot juice.
  • Drinking excessive beet juice may give a reddish hue to your urine and stools.
  • Beet leaves and beetroots contain oxalates which increase the chances of kidney stones.
  • Overconsumption of beet juice can cause upset stomach.

Medicines / Products that contain Beetroot

References

  1. United States Department of Agriculture. Basic Report: 11080, Beets, raw. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release; Agricultural Research Service
  2. Domínguez R, Maté-Muñoz JL, Cuenca E, García-Fernández P, Mata-Ordoñez F, Lozano-Estevan MC, Veiga-Herreros P, da Silva SF, Garnacho-Castaño MV. Effects of beetroot juice supplementation on intermittent high-intensity exercise efforts. 2018 Jan 5;15:2. PMID: 29311764
  3. Nyakayiru J, Jonvik KL, Trommelen J, Pinckaers PJ, Senden JM, van Loon Lj, Verdijk LB. Beetroot Juice Supplementation Improves High-Intensity Intermittent Type Exercise Performance in Trained Soccer Players. 2017 Mar 22;9(3). pii: E314. PMID: 28327503
  4. Balsalobre-Fernández C, Romero-Moraleda B, Cupeiro R, Peinado AB, Butragueño J, Benito PJ. The effects of beetroot juice supplementation on exercise economy, rating of perceived exertion and running mechanics in elite distance runners: A double-blinded, randomized study. 2018 Jul 11;13(7):e0200517. PMID: 29995952.
  5. Kroll JL, Werchan CA, Rosenfield D1, Ritz T. Acute ingestion of beetroot juice increases exhaled nitric oxide in healthy individuals. 2018 Jan 25;13(1):e0191030. PMID: 29370244
  6. Eggebeen J, Kim-Shapiro DB, Haykowsky M, Morgan TM, Basu S, Brubaker P, Rejeski J, Kitzman DW. One Week of Daily Dosing With Beetroot Juice Improves Submaximal Endurance and Blood Pressure in Older Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction. 2016 Jun;4(6):428-37. PMID: 26874390
  7. Dr. N. Gayathri Priya , Mrs. M. Malarvizhi , Mrs. Annal Jega Jothi. Beet root juice on haemoglobin among adolescent girls. IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS) e-ISSN: 2320–1959.p- ISSN: 2320–1940 Volume 2, Issue 1 (Sep-Oct. 2013), PP 09-13
  8. Monteiro R, Azevedo I. Chronic inflammation in obesity and the metabolic syndrome. 2010;2010. PMID: 20706689
  9. Krajka-Kuźniak V, Paluszczak J, Szaefer H, Baer-Dubowska W. Betanin, a beetroot component, induces nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2-mediated expression of detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes in human liver cell lines. 2013 Dec;110(12):2138-49. PMID: 23769299
  10. Kafi R, Kwak HS, Schumacher WE, Cho S, Hanft VN, Hamilton TA, King AL, Neal JD, Varani J, Fisher GJ, Voorhees JJ, Kang S.Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). 2007 May;143(5):606-12. PMID: 17515510
  11. Junfeng Sun and Chunbo Li. Editorial: Brain Networks in Aging: Reorganization and Modulation by Interventions. 2017; 9: 425. PMID: 29311908
  12. Presley TD, Morgan AR, Bechtold E, Clodfelter W, Dove RW, Jennings JM, Kraft RA, King SB, Laurienti PJ, Rejeski WJ, Burdette JH, Kim-Shapiro DB, Miller GD. Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults. 2011 Jan 1;24(1):34-42. PMID: 20951824
  13. Michael T. Murray, Joseph E. Pizzorno, Lara Pizzorno. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Atria books, New York.
  14. Miller GD, Marsh AP, Dove RW, Beavers D, Presley T, Helms C, Bechtold E, King SB, Kim-Shapiro D. Plasma nitrate and nitrite are increased by a high nitrate supplement, but not by high nitrate foods in older adults. 2012 Mar;32(3):160-8. PMID: 22464802
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