Beetroot could beat world

Beetroot! Experts previously have found that athletes drinking the juice before exercise could increase their stamina by up to 20 per cent.

It was a discovery that could revolutionise endurance sports and boost the chances of Britain's 2012 Olympic hopefuls.

Now researchers have found that not only athletes can benefit from the superjuice's performance-enhancing properties. They believe it could also be important for the elderly and people with heart or lung disease, allowing them to enjoy more active lives.

In the latest study, subjects drank a glass of the juice for six days. Researchers found that the subjects used less oxygen while walking – reducing the effort needed by 12 per cent.

Katie Lansley, a PhD student from the University of Exeter's Sport and Health Sciences department and lead author of the study, said: "As you get older, or if you have conditions which affect your cardiovascular system, the amount of oxygen you can take in to use during exercise drops considerably. For some people, even simple tasks like walking may not be manageable.

"We've seen in this study that beetroot juice can reduce the amount of oxygen you need to perform even low-intensity exercise. In principle, this could help people do things they wouldn't otherwise be able to do."

The research, in conjunction with the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Devon, found that beetroot juice had two marked physiological effects.

It contains high levels of nitrate. This widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and allowing more blood flow. It also cuts the amount of oxygen needed by muscles.

Nitrate is found in other foods, particularly leafy vegetables, but beetroot can be juiced, the best way to ingest large amounts.

Hoc's additional edited note: The latest study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, comes as health food retailers, confirmed by Hoc's Fat Pigeon, have reported sales of beetroot juice consistently increase in the past 12 months.

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