Simply Nutrition

Beetroot juice may keep you running for longer...

I wrote about beetroot juice a while back now, highlighted new research revealing the effects and actions of beetroot juice on lowering blood pressure. Beetroot juice is especially high in nitrates, compounds that convert to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide has several metabolic effects, such as dilating blood vessels (hence its blood pressure lowering effects). These and other findings of the health benefits of beetroot juice are also potentially relevant to those with heart disease or, breathing complications or modern-day metabolic diseases.
 
With regard to running and athletic performance, new results from the University of Exeter suggest that a simple beetroot juice could be a new and popular contender to take the crown as top sports drink. Certainly beetroot juice is far healthier all round, compared to many sugar loaded sports and energy drinks on the market. 

According to the findings published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, drinking half a litre of beetroot juice every day helped men to extend their ability to exercise by about 16 per cent, compared with when they drank a blackcurrant cordial. The boost in nitric oxide after drinking beetroot juice significantly reduces oxygen uptake, or less oxygen being burned during exercise, making exercise less tiring.

Professor Andy Jones from the University of Exeter, who led the study said "Our study is the first to show that nitrate-rich food can increase exercise endurance. We were amazed by the effects of beetroot juice on oxygen uptake because these effects cannot be achieved by any other known means, including training. I am sure professional and amateur athletes will be interested in the results of this research,” added Prof Jones. “I am also keen to explore the relevance of the findings to those people who suffer from poor fitness and may be able to use dietary supplements to help them go about their daily lives".

Here are some great beetroot and beetroot juice recipes for you!

Ref: Journal of Applied Physiology. Published online ahead of print, “Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans”. Authors: S.J. Bailey, P. Winyard, A. Vanhatalo, J.R. Blackwell, F.J. DiMenna, D.P. Wilkerson, J. Tarr, N. Benjamin, A.M. Jones

The FitDeck and TRX Suspension Trainer

Fitness Anywhere are the company that developed the brilliant portable exercise equipment - the TRX Suspension Trainer. They've just released their new FitDeck TRX playing cards. These are a great little set of well-illustrated TRX exercises, to accompany the TRX Suspension Trainer. There are 26 exercise cards, making it easy to workout effectively anywhere you happen to be - at home, on the road, in a hotel, or just "out and about". These compact and portable cards make it easy to try new exercises or new moves, and also help you to keep a check on your exercise form and technique. I have been waiting for these for a long time!