In just a moment, you are going to read about a “superfood” you might want to add to your diet. There is some pretty good research supporting this food’s benefits, benefits you probably are NOT getting right now.
But first, do you want to live longer, feel better, be stronger, and eliminate all the pain in your life?
If you do, then you are not alone. Everyone seems to want those things.
That’s one big reason why “superfoods” are all the rage.
You’ve probably heard of various superfoods touted with all kinds of huge promises and claims like they supposedly boost energy, increase libido, and can even cure chronic disease.
What Is a Superfood?
The reality is “superfood” is not a scientific term. It’s a marketing term used to promote foods that have health benefits. That’s it.
Here is something very important to understand: all foods are chemical compounds the body breaks down and uses for whatever it needs.
Some foods have more usable nutrients than others, but your body is the real magician here. For example, if you eat a pre-packaged piece of cake you purchased from a gas station convenience store, your body will break it down and use it for energy or to make hormones or whatever it can given what nutrients it can extract from the cake.
But if you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, there are a whole lot more readily available nutrients for your body to use.
So, the big idea to understand here is that you should eat the foods that give your body the best sources of the nutrients it needs. Your body will create whatever you need from those building blocks.
That’s why you may want to think of superfoods as just foods that have certain great nutrients your body can easily use. If you predominantly eat foods that are full of nutrients, you will be much healthier than if you did not.
Clearly, you are much better off eating fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats than processed junk and fast food.
One Food You Should Seriously Consider Adding to Your Diet…
Beets. Yes, research has shown these little red roots are packed with nutrients that can produce several great health benefits.
According to an article on Science Daily posted way back in 2008: “Researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine have discovered that drinking just 500 ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure. The study could have major implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
“Led by Professor Amrita Ahluwalia of the William Harvey Research Institute at Barts and The London School of Medicine, and Professor Ben Benjamin of Peninsula Medical School, the research reveals that it is the ingestion of dietary nitrate contained within beetroot juice — and similarly in green, leafy vegetables — which results ultimately in decreased blood pressure. Previously, the protective effects of vegetable-rich diets had been attributed to their antioxidant vitamin content.”
Then in 2010, researchers from Wake Forest showed that drinking beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults — a finding that could hold great potential for combating the progression of dementia.
Fast forward to 2015… Scientists from Penn State recently published an article titled “To Beet or Not to Beet?” The article discusses a study that found the arteries of athletes who consumed nitrate-rich beet juice prior to exercise were less stiff under resting conditions, potentially easing the heart’s workload.
More Proof…
In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, healthy male subjects who drank beet juice for 15 days had lower blood pressure and more dilated blood vessels both at rest and during exercise.
The blood vessels of those who drank beet juice also dilated more easily and the heart consumed less oxygen during exercise.
According to the researchers, the findings suggest that beet juice can be used as a dietary nutraceutical supplement to enhance oxygen delivery to the muscles and reduce the work the heart does during exercise. They add, “[Exercise can be] performed at a given workload for a longer period of time before the onset of fatigue.”
In September 2015, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found drinking concentrated beet juice increased muscle power in patients with heart failure. This study also showed that spinach makes you stronger, but it is the nitrates in spinach that are responsible, not the iron as previously thought.
Nitrates Seem to Be Key
Here’s how it works, when you eat beets, the bacteria in your tongue converts those nitrates into nitritines, and once in your gut, those nitritines are converted into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a molecule deeply tied to cardiovascular health, a molecule that expands and dilates your arteries, and increases the flow of blood all around the body.
So, are beets a “superfood?” Maybe – it depends what you consider a superfood. What is clear is that beets are a great natural source of nitrates that your body can use for energy, strength, and all kinds of other potential health benefits. Eating, juicing, or blending raw beets looks like it can be very beneficial to many people.
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.
