Who doesn’t LOVE beets?!
By: Kiki Athanas, Calii Love’s In-House Wellness Expert & Founder of Me by Kiki™
They’re pure energy food and a great source of fuel for athletes, thanks to their extremely rich source of nitrates, which can lower blood pressure and improve exercise performance (hello stamina and goodbye fatigue!).
But now there seems to be beets in just about everything, from beet juice to beet lattes – are all forms just as nourishing for your superfuel fix?
While it’s always best to opt for fresh, whole foods whenever possible, the good news is, using beet powder can be a simple hack to a whole lotta superhuman strength (in the form of those powerful nitrates previously mentioned).
Beet powder (besides being super convenient) has less carbs and calories vs. beets in any other form, which can be particularly valuable for those fitness fanatics who opt for a more keto-ish diet, and aim to keep their diet lower in sugars. For instance, a 1-teaspoon serving contains 4 grams of carbs, whereas a 1-cup serving of beetroot juice has about 24 grams of carbs.
Carbs are definitely not the enemy, but if you’re currently working on lowering your sugar intake and still want an energy-boost, beet powder is a fantastic “hack” – especially pre-workout.
Even better news is that beetroot powder is high in potassium, with a 1 teaspoon serving offering about 85 milligrams of potassium. Why is this a good thing? Well, research is starting to show more and more that it’s not about lowering your salt (sodium) intake (assuming that you’re consuming real sea salt and not the processed table salt) – but rather, it’s important to increase your potassium levels in relation to this balance.
Salt (again, pure sea salt) is another great performance optimizer, and a little sea salt in some water (with a touch of raw honey) can be a total pre-workout gamechanger for helping you push it to the max.
Getting back to beets, while the earthy flavour may or may not take your fancy, they are an incredible source of vitamins and nutrients and it’s always great to consume them in whatever way is most conducive to your lifestyle and reality! Rest assured that while the powder may seem ‘too good to be true’ – it can actually work as an even more suitable supplement for your wellness regime.
Hey – you can even try it in a cookie!