Grab A Beetroot-Ade!

A few of my clients and friends are currently taking part in iron man/woman activities marathons and triathlons so they may find this article useful.

It looks like the Aussie love-affair with the humble beetroot may be able to reap its rewards on the sports field, with a recent UK study showing that beetroot juice may increase stamina and endurance by up to 16 per cent.

Researchers from the University of Exeter found that nitrate in beetroot juice reduced the intake of oxygen by a higher degree than other known methods.

Eight male study participants between the ages of 19 and 38 drank half a litre of organic beetroot juice daily, for six days, after which they completed a selection of tests on an exercise bike. The results were measured against the findings of the same tests when conducted using a daily placebo in place of the beetroot juice.

After consuming beetroot juice, the participants cycled for an average 92 seconds longer (16 per cent) than they did after drinking the placebo beverage, and also displayed a lower resting blood pressure.

Study author, Andy Jones, a professor in the university's School of Sport and Health Sciences, said "Our study is the first to show that nitrate-rich food can increase exercise endurance'.