Description
What is Beet Root Powder?
beet root powder is made from the root of the beet plant. It is a dried, ground powder that can be taken as a daily supplement. beet root powder is a good source of nitrates which can be converted to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps with blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles, improving performance during exercise and helping to protect against oxidative stress when training at high-intensity levels for prolonged periods of time.
beet root powder can come on its own or be mixed with other nutrients to provide even more nutritional value.
For example, it’s not uncommon for beet root powder supplements to include additional ingredients such as:
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Calcium
- Ginseng
- L-Arginine
Overall, you can think of it as a superfood supplement that can bring you a slew of health benefits in a daily dose of simple to administer powder. It can be incorporated into your morning smoothie or taken on its own, or even found in capsule format if drinking beet root powder isn’t your cup of tea.
Beet Root Powder Benefits
When it comes to the benefits of beets, and beet root powder, there is no shortage of direct and indirect health benefits for consumers. Most of the health benefits that have been studied by experts and food scientists are attributed to the makeup of beet and its mechanisms in the body.
But why? And how does it specifically help your body out? Let’s discuss!
Beet Powder Lowers Blood Pressure
Beet root powder is a natural way to lower blood pressure and improve the health of your heart and arteries. Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death in the United States, and hypertension (aka high blood pressure) puts you at risk. Hypertension was a primary or contributing cause of more than 670,000 deaths in the United States in 2020 alone, and over 37 million U.S. adults have uncontrolled hypertension.
beet root’s nitrates help lower blood pressure by relaxing the muscles around your arteries, allowing them to dilate properly so that they can carry more oxygen-rich blood to your organs. In addition to proving that nitrate from beet root regulates vascular function, awareness is growing of beet root’s vasoprotective effects on microvascular vasodilation and arterial stiffness.
Beet Root Powder as a Pre-Workout Supplement
Beet root powder is increasingly being seen as a great pre-workout supplement. Nitric oxide generated by beet root can influence athletic performance in a variety of ways. By increasing oxygen, glucose, and other nutrients – as well as reducing lactic acid buildup – nitric oxide boosts athletic performance. This can help you train harder and more effectively while also helping you recover faster between workouts.
Beet root powder contains natural nitrates, which have been shown to improve your body’s ability to process oxygen more efficiently. The nitrates in beet root powder may also help with muscle recovery and energy levels during an intense workout that lasts longer than an hour or two (like those found in CrossFit).
To get the best results from your beet root powder pre-workout supplement it’s important to consume it about an hour before your workout begins. That’s because the concentration of the nitrates in your plasma is at its peak between 1 and 3 hours after consumption of a product like beet root powder.
Beet Root Powder Can Help with Erectile Dysfunction
If you’re looking for a natural way to improve your sex life, beet root powder could be just what you’re looking for. Some research has shown that beet root powder can help with erectile dysfunction by increasing blood circulation and reducing high blood pressure.
When it comes to erectile dysfunction (ED), there are many issues that may be contributing factors:
- Low testosterone levels
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Cholesterol or high blood pressure
- Neurological conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, or nerves
- Depression and anxiety
Blood circulation to the penis may be hindered by high blood pressure, which can lead to ED. This is where nitrates come in handy: they can help with blood flow and reduce blood pressure, so they could be used as part of ED treatment.
As cyclic guanosine monophosphate (a component found in beet root powder) helps relax arteries, it could increase blood flow to the penis; many ED drugs work by recycling cGMP back into the body. Nitrates are also a vasodilator – during vasodilation, the body’s blood flow is increased to areas that lack oxygen and nutrients. This is also a helpful mechanism for erectile dysfunction!
Beet Root Powder for Lowering Blood Sugar
Beets are a well-known source of fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, which may help lower blood sugar. A study in which 44 individuals with type 2 diabetes ate 3 ounces of raw red beet root for eight weeks showed improvement in their fasting blood glucose levels as well as improvements in metabolism and cognition.
Another study shows that 8 weeks of eating raw red beets improved cognitive function, glucose metabolism, and other metabolic markers in type 2 diabetes patients.
If you have high blood sugar or diabetes, be sure to talk to your doctor about changing your diet and supplement routine.
Beet Powder Side Effects
Like any supplement, it only makes sense you’re going to be concerned about the side effects of beet powder. The good news? In general, there is almost nothing to worry about when it comes to taking beet powder every day.
That doesn’t mean you should start taking beet powder by the scoop without some guidance, however. Be sure your medical professionals like doctors and pharmacists have given you the green light before you begin your beet root powder regimen.
Take the time to learn about the potential impacts by reading on, too.
Side Effect #1: Diabetic Impacts
It is important to be aware that beets are high in sugar, especially when they are juiced. Since most of the fiber is removed when beets are juiced, the sugar may cause glucose spikes. Whenever you eat beets or consume beet root powder, monitor your blood sugar levels and adjust your insulin if necessary, especially if you’re new to the beet root game.
Keep in mind you would have to eat or consume insane amounts of beets or beet root powder for this to be an issue. And more evidence than not states beets are actually beneficial for diabetics, so again, take this warning with a grain of salt.
Side Effect #2: Beeturia
Beeturia, aka “Pink Pee” is the presence of red-colored urine, which can be caused by the consumption of large amounts of beets or beet powder. This can be alarming or even frightening for some people (especially if they don’t know what beeturia is), but it is harmless and entirely normal for healthy individuals who enjoy eating certain types of food.
As a general rule, if you’re experiencing beeturia after eating beets, then you’re probably fine! Try drinking more water to dilute the amount of pigment in your body and alleviate any symptoms of beeturia.
BEETROOT POWDER VS. BEETROOT JUICE
When it comes to beetroot juice vs. beetroot powder benefits, you can still get the same nutrients and nitrates from both choices. However, beetroot powder comes with a few added benefits that might make it a better choice for health enthusiasts.
Beetroot powder is lower in sugar. There’s still some sugar in powder, but much less than you’d consume in juice form.
In beetroot powder, overall calories would also be lower than the juice. This makes the powder form a great choice for anyone trying to lose weight or stay within a calorie range.
Nutrients may be compromised in juice form. Heating during the pasteurization process might mean that you don’t get all the beneficial nutrients once the juice reaches your glass.
Beetroot powder is easier to consume. Sure, you can drink a glass of juice but could you do that every day? The powder form is much more versatile so it’s easier to incorporate into your diet – especially for anyone who isn’t especially fond of beets.
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