There are loads of trendy and potentially faddy foods that may boost your performance, from BCAAs to cayenne pepper. But the latest food that’s going under the microscope for its fitness and recovery benefits is one that has undeniably healthy properties: beetroot.

Research into the root veg has been ongoing for a while, but recently the benefits of it as a sports-specific food have been making waves in the fitness world.

Can beetroot help sports performance and recovery?

The latest paper into beetroot for sports, from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2021, found that there is “no added advantage of beetroot juice ingestion in terms of metabolic recovery after the marathon”. In the study, participants consumed 250ml of beetroot juice or a placebo within 48 hours after completing a marathon, with little difference between markers of recovery in the two groups.

All the reasons beetroot could be great for your exercise and running performance