[This recipe is one of our favorites when the temperature soars and we begin craving something frosty to cool us off after hard workouts - Brian]
By Kelly Newlon
When I was a kid, I was pretty certain beets were the worst thing on the planet. Growing up in a Ukrainian household, we were all but surrounded by them.
My mother arrived at Ellis Island as a child on a boat from the Ukraine. You ate what was in front of you without question or retaliation. Beets were weird, yet wildly colorful and messy. As a kid, it never occurred to me to ask what their benefits were or how to cook them.
Fast forward years later and I am fascinated by this funky root vegetable.
The health benefits of beets are nearly endless, especially if you are an endurance athlete. Beets are detoxifying for all of our systems and help carry more oxygen through our blood. High in dietary nitrates, beets have recently been proven to improve mechanical efficiency. Raw beets – whether consumed through juicing, dehydration or turning them into a powder – carry the most health benefits.
Beets have seemingly taken over the role of apples – eat a beet each day to keep the doctor away!
Our favorite way to add beets to our diet as of late has been with Beta Red Performance Formula made by Enduro Bites.
We love adding Beta Red to limeade. We keep a huge pitcher in the fridge. It’s always there when we need it – and including Beta Red is a ridiculously easy way to keep the oxygen flowing.
Psst! We also LOVE to add this to popsicle molds and keep them in the freezer for extra hot days!
Here’s our recipe:
- 1 cup fresh lime (or lemon) juice (approx. 6 large limes)
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup organic sugar or 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup Beta Red Original Flavor
Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher. Stir briskly with a wire whisk. Let sit for half an hour and then mix again to break up any sugar or beet powder clumps. Give it one last taste to adjust flavor if needed. Serve cold over ice or freeze into popsicles!
This post was written by Kelly Bailey Newlon, co-founder of Real Athlete Diets. RAD creates delicious performance-oriented food and brings it to you. Using the best ingredients is paramount to RAD. It uses locally grown, organic produce and protein to feed its clients. If you are lucky enough to live in Boulder, CO you can order individual meals from RAD via its website. You can also find RAD traveling around the country to feed folks at races, athlete camps, clinics and workshops.
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