People ask me all the time about pre and post workout supplements. I prefer to stick to whole foods, so a processed or packaged ‘supplement’ is just not for me. I do find a good beet juice to be a great pre-workout, though.
Beets are rich in nitrates and can convert in the body to nitric oxide which can relax blood vessels, which may increase blood flow to working muscles. A fairly recent study in The American Journal of Physiology found that consuming beet juice can increase blood plasma nitric oxide levels and may result in vasodilation of blood vessels while resting and working out, which may translate to decreased stress on the heart during intense workouts, allowing for a longer workout and greater blood flow which may mean more nutrients hitting your hard-trained muscles .
I’ll either juice my own organic beets before a strength training session or hit The Weekly Juicery for either their Sweet Beet Punch or Debo’s Remedy.