Beets the big thing these days when it comes to running supplements.
And there is good reason for it.
This isn’t about why beets may make you run faster, but how to use beets to run faster!
Beets the big thing these days when it comes to running supplements.
And there is good reason for it.
This isn’t about why beets may make you run faster, but how to use beets to run faster!
There are a number of methods of consuming beets.
- Whole beets.
- Beet Juice
- Concentrated Juice
- Powdered Beets
Let’s go in to the pros and cons of each.
Whole Beets
The main issue here is that to get the nitrate level used in most studies you must eat three beets. That’s a lot of beets. They’re not terribly tasty raw and cooking them is a bit of work. Boiling the beets isn’t a great idea since you’d have to drink the water they were boiled in, since nutrients are leeched out. Whole beets are certainly the most time consuming method.
Beet Juice
This can be purchased at most health food stores. It’s not cheap, but you can probably get away with drinking 250 to 500ml daily two or three days pre-race and then 250ml a few hours before the race.
Beet Juice Concentrate
Here you find little shots of concentrated juice. Like regular juice, you can simply drink it daily leading up to the big event and then the morning of.
Powdered Beets
This is probably the most economic choice. Simply put a scoop in a water bottle and drink up. With this method you can even have a serving daily for as long as you want to continue purchasing the product, which is probably not economically viable for most people with the other beet options.
Remember!
More dosage is probably better, to a point. Practice this before the race with a key workout or two. Start with 250ml a couple hours pre-run and if that does not upset your stomach, try 500ml next time. If there’s an issue, go back to 250ml, if not, 500ml is probably better. More than 500ml may not offer much more of a benefit.
Finally, try to swoosh the juice in your mouth a bit. Alex Hutchinson breaks down why and how your saliva is needed for the performance enhancing process to work, and why you may want to skip the mouthwash.
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