Benefits of Drinking Beetroot Juice First Thing in the Morning

Why drink beetroot juice and in particular, why drink beetroot juice in the morning?

Those are the questions that I wanted to set out to answer for you here.

I’m a big fan of beetroot juice and I do like drinking it in the morning as opposed to later on, for reason’s having to do with it’s ability to boost energy.

I’ve broken this article down into sections that first explain what beetroot does for you in general.

Then why I think beetroot juice is best as a morning drink.

What Does Beet Juice Do For You?

Beets and beet juice are one of the more recent health food fads.

It’s not like wheatgrass, which has been on shelves in health food stores since at least the early 80s (the 70s in some places). Or even Kale, which became the health food du jour.

No, beets are rather new to the health food scene.

But that doesn’t mean that the health benefits of beets are just now being discovered.

Beets have been used in different cultures for centuries for their medicinal properties as well as their great taste.

There are records of beet cultivation in Ancient Greece and Rome. Not to mention, the beet is one of the staples in Ukraine (borsch is considered a national dish).

But beet juice is a relatively recent entry into the modern healthy food movement. Here’s a few reasons why beet juice is so healthy and what it does for you.

Beet Juice Helps To Lower Your Blood Pressure

The secret to beet juices blood pressure lowing properties lies in its high amount of natural nitrates.

While you might think that nitrates are bad (think of all the times you’ve heard people bemoan nitrates in hot dogs and other cold cut style meets) the nitrates in beets are different.

They are naturally occurring and when you drink beet juice, it increases the amount of nitric oxide in your blood. The result of more nitric oxide is that there is an increase in your bodies efficiency in moving blood around your body.

There have been more than a few studies that proved the positive results of drinking beet juice.

It should be noted, that while eating beets is healthy, it is only juicing where you will get the therapeutic amounts of naturally occurring nitrates. The fiber in the beet doesn’t contain nitrate, so by juicing, you are removing fiber and focusing on the nitrate rich juice.

Beet Juice Improves Athletic Performance

One of the reasons that beets have gotten so much media coverage in recent years is that athletes have been promoting them.

Everyone from MMA fighters to baseball fighters have sworn by beets. Again, it’s due to that high level of naturally occurring nitrates in the beet juice.

When you drink fresh beet juice, it improves the oxygen flow in your body. It’s a healthy, natural alternative to all of those “Nitric Oxidize boosters” you see sold at GNC.

I will focus more on this when I get to the section covering why beetroot juice is best for the morning.

Beet Juice Can Prevent Liver Damage: The Betaine connection

Beets contain a special type of molecule call Betaine .

The special molecule is believed to be one of the reasons that beets show such success in repairing livers and preventing damage.

In addition to betaine, beets are also high in many other antioxidants.

In fact, in one ranking published by the National Institute of Health, beetroot juice ranks only behind pomegranate juice in antioxidants.(2)

In fact, there are even studies that show that betaine can reduce the size of the liver. (4)

Beet Juice Can Help Prevent Cancer

Whenever you are looking to prevent cancer, you’ll be well guided to follow a diet that is high in antioxidant and rich in fruit and vegetables.

Beets are a perfect food for an anti-cancer diet because they are a healthy vegetable with loads of cell protecting antioxidants. In fact, one study went on to discuss how the betalain has the ability to act as a “chemo preventative agent”.

Betalin is what provides beets with their deep, dark, red color. It’s a super antioxidant. When you make fresh beet juice, the rich color comes from this antioxidant. (1)

Beet Juice May Prevent Dementia

Everyone wants to keep thinking clearly into their senior years.

And one promising study suggests that older people who drank beet juice had increase in cognitive function. This was thought to be due to the natural nitrates that were in the beetroot juice.(3)

It is interesting to note that both beetroot juice and coffee are linked to improved cognition. So, if you are feeling guilty about drinking a cup of coffee now and then, don’t be!

Top Three Benefits of Drinking Beetroot Juice First Thing in the Morning

Beetroot Juice Provides Energy

The most obvious reason to drink beetroot juice in the morning is that it gives you a boost of energy.

So, instead of drinking a coffee or a workout drink that has caffeine in it, you can make a beetroot juice!

The natural sugars in the beets will provide energy. And it’s a healthier way to get an energy boost when compared to the sugary “pre-workouts” that are all the rage.

I would pair the beetroot juice with something that is light, such as lemon juice. You don’t want to have a heavy juice pre-workout.

This is why I think beetjuice works best in the morning before a workout. It functions better as a pre-workout juice and not as a recovery juice.

The Nitrates In Beetroot Juice Help With Exercise

In addition to the added energy that you get from the natural sugars in the beetroot juice, you also get nitrates.

As we spoke about above, nitrates help immensely with athletic performance.

Take a look at the back of any pre-workout powder you are likely to find at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe and you might see a nitic acid compound.

That’s because nitric acid does two very special things for athletes and those exercising.

First, it improves blood flow. Improved blood flow is incredibly important for people exercising.

Secondly, the nitric acid in beetroot juice helps with muscle soreness.

If you’re running on a treadmill, hitting the elliptical, or lifting weights, then this is super important.

Muscle soreness is not just something that hits you after you’ve finished your workout. It can hit you in the middle of a morning exercise, which is why beetroot juice is so good to drink in the morning.

Beetroot Juice Lowers Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure is highest in the morning. It’s a simple fact.

When you first wake up, you will have higher blood pressure than later on during the day.

Drinking beetroot juice first thing in the morning can help with high blood pressure.

This is a serious benefit as the morning is when there is the highest incident of cardio health problems, strokes, and other blood pressure related health problems.

Notes and Sources

Hi there everyone!

My names Jason (Jay for short). You can find out more about me and why I started this website here.

Stay healthy and I hope you enjoy the information!