I read today that beetroot is the new ‘legal blood-doping.’ Apparently it was widely used by the very successful Team GB (Great Britain) in last year’s Olympics. Rich in Potassium, Folic Acid and Anti-Oxidants, beetroot has also been proven to help lower blood pressure. Though the reason why beetroot supposedly increases performance, is nitrate, which converts into nitrite in the body and then into nitric oxide. This widens blood vessels, stimulates blood flow and reduces the amount of oxygen needed by the working muscles; allowing them to run more efficiently. (Not sure if they need less oxygen or they simply get more because of the widened vessels, need to investigate this). The trick is that you need to have the concentrated version otherwise you’ll be eating beetroots all day. Moreover, there is no use in pickled or boiled beetroots because the quality is in the juice. They go onto to mention, that elite athletes may not feel the benefits as significantly as an average punter. But it could be worth trying some shots, apparently it tastes good if nothing else. Check: