The Starter

A triathlete friend once told me he drank beetroot juice before every competition. I asked him why. He replied: ‘Because it gives me 3% more performance on the bike, and in triathlon, 3% is huge.’ He couldn’t explain the mechanism, but he’d read studies and noticed the effect on himself. Beetroot has become the unofficial juice of the cycling peloton, marathoners and rugby players. It’s not a placebo: beetroot nitrates convert to nitric oxide, a gas that dilates blood vessels and improves muscle oxygenation. It’s pure physiology, validated by dozens of studies. Apple softens the earthy taste and ginger adds a peppery note that awakens the palate.

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The bioactive molecules

Beetroot nitrates convert to nitric oxide via the entero-salivary cycle, it’s a powerful vasodilator that improves your VO2max by 2.8%¹. Betalains are antioxidants 1.5 times more powerful than vitamin C². Betaine is a methyl donor that supports the hepatic methylation cycle, essential for detox³. Ginger inhibits COX-2 as effectively as ibuprofen⁴.

Raw beetroot is a reservoir of inorganic nitrates (250-300 mg/100 g). Once ingested, these nitrates follow a fascinating entero-salivary cycle: absorbed by the intestine, they are concentrated in the salivary glands, reduced to nitrites by oral bacteria, then converted to nitric oxide (NO) in the acidic stomach and peripheral tissues. Nitric oxide is a powerful vasodilator: it relaxes the smooth muscles of arterioles, increases blood flow and reduces the oxygen cost of muscle effort. Lansley et al. (Journal of Applied Physiology, 2011) demonstrated that beetroot juice supplementation improved 4 km cycling performance time by 2.8% and reduced oxygen consumption (VO2) at sub-maximal intensity. Betalains, the red pigments of beetroot, are powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals produced during intense exercise. Organic iron (0.8 mg/100 g), associated with folates (109 µg/100 g), supports red blood cell production and oxygen transport. Betaine (trimethylglycine), a methyl donor, protects cells from osmotic stress and participates in the hepatic methylation cycle. Manganese finally, a cofactor of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), strengthens antioxidant defense at the very heart of the cell, where effort produces the most free radicals.

Whether you’re a marathoner, weekend cyclist or simply someone who wants to climb stairs without getting out of breath, beetroot juice is your ally. Integrate it 2 to 3 times a week into your routine and observe the effect on your endurance and recovery. It’s sports nutrition in a glass, without powder or capsules.

Table of key micronutrients

Micronutrient	Main role
Inorganic nitrates	Vasodilation (nitric oxide), VO2max improvement
Betalains	Powerful antioxidant, post-exercise recovery
Organic iron	Oxygen transport, red blood cell formation
Folates (B9)	DNA synthesis, hematopoiesis
Manganese	SOD2 cofactor, mitochondrial antioxidant defense
Betaine	Methyl donor, cellular osmotic protection

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Preparation with an extractor

Ingredients:

• 4 organic carrots
• 2 organic green apples
• 1/2 cucumber

Drink your beetroot juice 2 to 3 hours before exercise to give the nitrates time to convert to nitric oxide. If you’re starting out, limit beetroot to 100-150 g and supplement with apple. Ginger improves absorption and masks the earthy taste. Warning: red urine after consumption is normal, it’s the betacyanin being eliminated.

My recommended extractor

For this recipe, I use the Hurom H400. Cold pressing preserves all the enzymes, vitamins and phytonutrients that the heat of a centrifuge would destroy.

Promo code: francoisbenavente20 for -20% off the entire Hurom website.

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To go further

Related articles

• 4R Protocol for the gut
• Bloating and gas
• Adrenal fatigue
• Vitality and terrain

Test yourself

• Questionnaire: Tissue acidosis
• Questionnaire: Acid toxemia
• Questionnaire: Vitality
• Questionnaire: Cortisol

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• The virgin naturo Caipirinha
• The Healing
• The Restorative
• The Antiparasitic
• The virgin naturo strawberry Mojito

Go further

• All my health questionnaires
• My naturopathy shop
• Naturopathy consultation via video
• My Living Juices ebook