It has taken the endurance sports world by storm. In the quest for higher endurance levels, elite and everyday athletes alike are finding a magic potion in....wait for it....beet juice.
No, beet juice doesn't taste great, but it works. A study at the University of Exerter's School of Sports and Health Sciences found evidence that cyclists who consume a half a liter of beet juice for six days were able to go 16 percent longer in a time trial than those who don't take beet juice.
The reason is that beets are loaded with nitrates, and the theory is that when dietary nitrates makes it way into the body, it helps reduce the amount of oxygen an athlete needs to work out.
So where can you get beet juice? Here are three different ways to make beet juice a part of your diet, so that you can perform better than ever at your next event.
More: Can Beet Juice Instantly Improve Your Endurance?
Juicing
Beets are a common garden plant across North America, mostly in the summertime. They take about 6 to 8 weeks to grow.
If you don't have your own garden, beets can be found at supermarkets and farmer's markets and rammed through a juicer. The downside? They don't taste great...many think they taste like dirt.
To add some sweetness to the flavor, you can juice beets along with apples, carrots and more to come up with a drink that you can get down.
In all, experts recommend no more than eight ounces of beet juice three times a week.
