 |
|
| Move to the beets |
| Beets are great. They're bursting with vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds that provide some truly impressive health benefits: |
| | • | improving heart health due to fiber, folate, and potassium | |
|
|
| | • | regulating digestion with fiber and probiotics | |
| One of the biggest advantages of beets is their ability to increase nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide is released from the natural nitrates in beets. It's an important signaling molecule that relaxes and widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and improving circulation. |
| But that's not all — nitric oxide also enhances delivery of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Additional benefits may include: |
| | • | increased exercise performance and endurance | |
| | • | healthier brain function and memory | |
| | • | improved heart health through better blood flow | |
|
| Beets have exceptionally high nitrate content, and consuming beetroot juice or beet supplements can significantly raise nitric oxide levels in your blood within hours. |
| Most of the beets I eat are pickled, and I was pleased to find that they keep most of the same nutrients as raw beets — plus, fermentation actually increases the bioavailability and absorption of nitrates. However, heavily salted varieties can be high in sodium. |
| If eating beets doesn't grab you, consider taking a supplement such as SuperBeets or this one we like from KOS (featured below). You can also make room in your diet for other foods that boost nitric oxide: |
| | • | leafy greens like spinach and arugula | |
|
| | • | garlic, onions, and leeks | |
| | • | nuts like walnuts and pistachios | |
|
|
|
| While increasing nitric oxide through foods such as beets offers cardiovascular and performance benefits for many people, the effects can vary from person to person. Discuss dietary changes with your doctor, especially if you take medications for blood pressure. |
|
| |
| What we're using |
| Refresh and nourish on the go with Beetology, a perfectly balanced blend of tart cherries, earthy beets, and crisp apples cold-pressed into a bottle to deliver the health benefits we've talked about today. Enjoy the delicious cherry-beet flavor by itself or mix the juice into smoothies or cocktails for a colorful punch. With six portable bottles per pack, Beetology makes getting your daily dose of wellness simple. |
| Every product we recommend has gone through Healthline's vetting process. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline is owned by RVO Health. |
 | | | Beetology Organic Beet and Cherry Juice |  | | 4.5 | 1,400+ ratings | | | Details: Organic beet, tart cherry, and apple juices | | | | |
|
|
 |
|
| Tart Cherry Juice |
| 🍒 Tart cherry juice comes from Montmorency cherries, a sour cherry variety. But its health benefits are awfully sweet. |
| 🥇 Multiple scientific studies demonstrate that tart cherry juice may reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery after strenuous exercise such as long-distance running, weight training, or competitive sports. |
| 🏋🏼♀️ One small 2015 study also found that tart cherry juice could improve recovery of muscle strength and function after intense resistance and weight training compared to control groups. |
| 🗓️ When should you take it? It works best when consumed in the days leading up to and immediately after the strenuous activity. In most studies that have found benefits, participants consumed two 8-ounce (240-milliliter) doses of the juice per day. |
| The benefits are attributed to the high levels of anthocyanins and other antioxidants in tart cherries. These compounds have anti-inflammatory effects and reduce the oxidative damage to muscle tissue caused by challenging exercise. |
| 🛏 Tart cherries also contain melatonin, which aids sleep. Improved sleep enhances your body's recovery. In a small 2018 study, people with insomnia drank either 16 ounces (480 milliliters) of tart cherry juice or the same amount of a placebo juice each day for 2 weeks. Those who drank the cherry juice had an average increase of 84 minutes of sleep time. |
| While most studies have shown positive results, a few note no effects, indicating that more research is still needed. But most of the evidence points to tart cherry juice as an effective, natural way to minimize muscle soreness and damage from intense exercise when consumed regularly. |
| Did you like today's email? Was it too fitness-y, or just right with valuable nutrition know-how? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com. (Please note that we may use your name and response in an upcoming newsletter!) |
|
|
| What we're digesting |
| 🏋🏽 Look, Ma, no oxygen! Even though anaerobic exercise happens in small bursts, it can come with major benefits. Here's how to do it and what to expect. |
| 🍒 Can people with diabetes safely eat cherries? Yes — in moderation — and cherries may help manage blood sugar levels as part of a healthy eating plan. |
| 🥛 Everything you need to know about creatine. Athletes often take creatine to enhance strength and performance, but older adults and vegetarians may also benefit. |
| 🫒 A dietitian's picks of the 15 best weight loss programs of 2023. You may not be surprised which diet comes out on top, but we've ranked the best of the rest. |
|
| That's all for today. I hope this information can soothe any soreness you may encounter this week. Ginger will be back on Sunday with a crumbly treat you won't want to miss. |
|
| Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon! | | | | |  | | This edition was powered by | a bowl of regular cherries
with a splash of cream. | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment