7 Reasons We Love Beetroot

#1. It’s the Perfect Vegetable for Athletes

Beetroot contains nitrates, which produce nitric oxide in the blood, widening blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and enhancing circulation. With your blood flowing more easily, your muscles reap the rewards of getting more oxygen, reducing soreness and recovering more quickly. More oxygen also means more stamina, so you can get up and go for longer, plus its anti-inflammatory properties help with recovery.

Top Tip: Add some beetroot juice or powder to a smoothie after exercising and help your muscles recover more quickly.

#2. It Supports Heart Health

Beetroot is bright red because of a substance called betanin, a potent antioxidant. Aside from giving beetroot its vibrant colour, betanin also reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, protecting against artery inflammation and lowering the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

#3. Immune-boosting profile

Beetroot has been used as a food and a medicine for hundreds of years. Its rich source of minerals and plant chemicals helps the body resist infection and stimulates the immune system by improving tissue oxygenation and energy to all body cells. It also helps stabilise the body’s pH (acid-alkaline balance), supporting healthy immunity by creating a healthier environment.

#4. It Helps Your Baby’s Development During Pregnancy

Folic acid is essential for the growth and development of a baby’s tissues and spinal cord, and beetroot is a great source. Many women can also become iron-deficient during pregnancy, increasing the fatigue that often occurs during the first trimester. Beetroot encourages the production of new red blood cells (a process called erythropoiesis), helping to boost iron levels. Eating a nice raw salad packed with beetroot or adding a little beetroot powder to your morning smoothie can be a great way to reap the benefits during pregnancy.

#5. It’s an Antioxidant

Beetroot is great for helping your liver to detoxify. Essentially, it neutralises the toxins, making them water-soluble for excretion.

#6. It Can Help to Prevent Dementia

A study has shown that due to a high content of nitrates present in beetroot, an increase in blood flow to the brain may also help fight the progression of dementia. It’s this increased blood flow to the brain coupled with the regenerative effects of folic acid that may help with the deterioration of brain health.

#7. It’s Great in Baking

Containing up to 10% sugar, beetroot is one of the sweetest vegetables making it an excellent ingredient for baking. Unlike refined sugar, beetroot’s natural sugar also contains fibre, so it’s released more slowly, keeping your blood sugar levels stable. Because of its sweetness, it is delicious added to smoothies, chocolate cake (yes, chocolate cake!) and salad dressings. While it all sounds a bit “new-age”, adding beetroot to your baking is not a new concept; in fact red velvet cake was originally made with beetroot, which is where its delightful colour comes from.



Beetroot is a delicious (and versatile) vegetable that can be easily incorporated into your diet. If you love its earthy taste, then it’s fabulous in a raw salad. Otherwise it’s great in raw baking or added in powder form to your fruit smoothie. Get creative, and have some fun with it – your body will thank you for it.