Summer 2018 Catalog
Listen to These Beets!
Written By Kayanne McDermott, B.A., ND.
Kayanne holds a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Bridgeport, College of Naturopathic Medicine and C.W. Post of Long Island University, respectively. Meet Kayanne for a free nutritional consultation at our Ralph Avenue, Brooklyn and Westbury, Long Island retail locations. Email Kay: KMcdermott@invitehealth.com
Have you heard of beetroot, the hidden gem of a root vegetable that is often overlooked? This round, red vegetable is completely distinct from the source of table sugar – the carrot-shaped, yellowish sugar beet!
Red beets contain vitamin C, minerals, and carotenoids but it is the nitrate content of red beet that is so special; it is converted to bioactive nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is natural to the body and is used to open up our blood vessels for good blood flow. This is helpful in maintaining normal blood pressure due to its relaxing and dilating effects on blood vessel walls. Nitric oxide also enhances muscle function and improves physical performance. It benefits endurance, stamina, and muscle recovery. This is because the improved blood flow enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all of our muscles, including the heart, while clearing waste acids that could otherwise build up in muscle during physical activity. The rich, red color comes from betalains. Betalains are a group of powerful heart healthy antioxidants that are protective for the circulatory system and the brain.†
Montmorency Tart Cherries complement red beets in numerous ways due to their extremely beneficial anthocyanin content. Mixing the red beet vegetable with this tart fruit enhances exercise performance, endurance, and accelerates the rate of muscle recovery after physical activity. Both plants improve cerebral blood flow and supply antioxidants that support memory and cognitive functions and both improve circulatory health for blood pressure normalizing benefits.†
References:
1. Bryan, NS. Functional Nitric Oxide Nutrition to Combat Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2018 Mar 17;20(5):21. doi: 10.1007/s11883-018-0723-0.
2. Van der Avoort CMT, Van Loon LJC, Hopman MTE, Verdijk LB. Increasing vegetable intake to obtain the health promoting and ergogenic effects of dietary nitrate. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 Mar 20. doi: 10.1038/s41430-018-0140-z.
3. Govind J.Kapadia,HarukuniTokuda,TakaoKonoshima,HoyokuNishino. Chemoprevention of lung and skin cancer by Beta vulgaris(beet) root extract. Cancer Letters. Volume 100, Issues 1–2, 27 February 1996, Pages 211-214.
4. Domínguez R, Maté-Muñoz JL, Cuenca E, García-Fernández P, Mata-Ordoñez F, Lozano-Estevan MC, Veiga-Herreros P, da Silva SF, Garnacho-Castaño MV. Effects of beetroot juice supplementation on intermittent high-intensity exercise efforts. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Jan 5;15:2. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0204-9. eCollection 2018.
5. Kapadia GJ, Tokuda H, Konoshima T, Nishino H. Chemoprevention of lung and skin cancer by Beta Vulgaris (beet) root extract. Cancer Lett. 1996 Feb 27;100(1-2):211-4.
6. Clifford, Tom. Howatson, Glyn. West, Daniel J. and Stevenson, Emma J. The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2015 Apr; 7(4): 2801-2822.
7. Alba, C Ma. Daya, M. Franck, C. Tart Cherries and health: Current knowledge and need for a better understanding of the fate of phytochemicals in the human gastrointestinal tract. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Sep 28:1-13. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1384918.
8. McCormick, R. Peeling, P. Binnie, M. Dawson, B. Sim, M. Effect of Tart Cherry Juice on recovery and next day performance in well-trained Water Polo players. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2016 Nov 14;13:41.
___________________
Assisting Jerry Hickey, R.Ph is a team of nutritional professionals - a group of hand chosen, dedicated experts, available at each and every InVite® Health retail location - there to provide you with a FREE, personalized, and professional nutritional consultation. Visit an InVite® Health retail location near you for assistance in selecting the correct nutrients to address your health concerns.
You can also e-mail an InVite® Nutritionist or call us directly with any of your nutritional questions. The InVite® Health team is always available to assist you.