Beet Juice has been making some headlines lately with the research paper I will link at the end. The study used 500ml of beet juice drunk for 6 consecutive days. After that period some testing was done. It found that the beet juice increased the stamina and let you exercise 16% more. This was a bigger adaptation then even training!
The research shows how the nitrate contained in beet juice leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake, making exercise less tiring. The researchers aren't sure of the exact chemical reaction that is taking place that causes the nitrate in the beet juice to boost stamina. They are suspecting it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing the oxygen cost of exercise. The group that drank the beet juice also had lower resting blood pressure.
This will be an interesting food to follow as more research is done. It could have big implications for cyclists, runners and also people looking to lower their blood pressure naturally. Here is the research article from Journal of Applied Physiology.
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