YOU can’t beat beetroot – as research shows it could benefit your body and brain.
It can even help you run faster because beets are rich in nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide, a compound that helps relax blood vessels, improving blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles.
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And it’s packed with more antioxidants than tomato, carrot, orange and pineapple juice.
Today, I test three beet boosters.
DAILY SHOT
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PLENISH Beet Balance Shots are a daily dose of beetroot, apple (74 per cent), ginger, lemon juice, with the added benefit of vitamin C for glowing skin plus B6 and folic acid.
Best of all, they taste amazing.
READ MORE ON HEALTH PRODUCTS
Each 60ml bottle has just 26 calories and 100 per cent of your reference intake of B6, which is great for regulating hormones.
There is no added sugar.
I would prefer if it was more beetroot and less apple, but I love these.
I am sure they give me energy before a run.
Plenishdrinks.com, or currently £1.50 each with a Tesco Clubcard.
VERSATILE JUICE
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IT looks just like red wine when you pour it into a glass, but Cawston Press Brilliant Beetroot tastes much earthier than the shot.
That’s because it is 90 per cent beetroot juice and just 9.9 per cent apple juice, with a little citric acid and vitamin C added.
It doesn’t have that off-putting aroma which some vegetable juices have, and it is only 39 calories per 100ml, with eight per cent sugar.
This is also a really versatile product – you could easily add it to soups, casseroles, shakes or pancakes for an extra vitamin hit.
Plus, there is the added bonus of this juice being a long life product, so you can keep it stashed away in the store cupboard before you open it.
1-litre, on offer for £2.65 with a Clubcard at Tesco.
PROTEIN BAR
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BODYME Beetroot Berry Vegan Protein Bar contains protein powder blend (pea protein, sprouted brown rice protein, hemp protein) with cashews, coconut nectar, dates, goji berries, beetroot raspberry and coconut oil.
And all of them are organic.
There is not loads of beetroot in here, but this is a great snack bar.
Each 60g bar includes 16g of plant protein and is packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
No added sugar or sweeteners in here.
There is 9.5g of fat, but that comes from nuts and coconut oil.
I found these were a great pick-me-up to help beat my usual mid-afternoon energy slump – without the jittery crash that comes after a coffee hit.
£2.90 per bar from bodyme.co.uk.