Beetroot and beet greens are part of one versatile and vibrant type of vegetable. In addition, beets are known for their earthy flavor and nutritional value. Yet, you may want to understand their limitations.
Besides bringing a pop of color to your plate, red spinach is also a highly nutritious plant, way more than red beets when comparing their dietary nitrates levels.
Both beets and red spinach are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and many experienced health benefits when consumed both. However, one is more potent than the other when it comes to the level of dietary nitrates, which matters if you want to take them to support your nitric oxide levels in the body.
Below we will look at the benefits beets, and red spinach offer the body!
Beets Nutritional Profile:
Beets are considered a superfood.
They are a good source of:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Folic Acid
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus, and antioxidants.
They also contain smaller amounts of:
- Iron
- Calcium,
- Copper
- Thiamine
- Riboflavin
- Selenium
- Vitamin B6
Beets Benefits:
Researchers conducted studies with red beets on nitric oxide, improving blood flow and heart health. They are touted for these benefits primarily due to their nitrate content. However, their nitrate levels are almost 5x lower than in red spinach.
Dietary nitrates you eat are turned into nitrite and then into nitric oxide in the body.
The benefits of dietary nitrates go far beyond just heart health, though. Healthy nitrates support healthy immune function, improve exercise capability, foster more productive mitochondria, and so much more. Learn more about the benefits of nitric oxide supplements for performance here, and the benefits on general health here.
Even if you take out the nitrates, beetroot juice still has positive effects on heart health. However, remember, beet juice contains a lot of sugar. That's why it’s worth watching the amount of beet juice you drink daily to avoid a spike of your sugar levels.
However, there are healthy and easy ways to get the beets benefits without sugar. There is a way to get antioxidants and powerful nitrates found in beets without the negative side of drinking too much beetroot juice.
Red Spinach Nutritional Profile:
Red Spinach is considered a powerful source of nitrates 5x ~ higher than beets.
Red spinach is a good source of:
- Iron
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
Red spinach also contains:
- Fiber
- Protein
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Calcium
Red Spinach Benefits:
Due to the iron content and dietary nitrates, red spinach is considered good for your blood health – significant for endurance activity and supports heart health.
Red spinach is also a good source of potassium, which plays a vital role in your electrolyte balance that impacts the health of every cell in the body and the ability to absorb water and keep you hydrated.
Besides this, the red leaf is also valued for its high vitamin C content. It is low on calories, carbohydrates, and especially sugar content. It is a great veggie to support your energy and cardiovascular health daily.
Many studies show that dietary nitrates like those found in red spinach support athletic performance, and recovery partly because they are known for improving the efficiency of mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy in your cells.
If you are not lucky enough to find red spinach at a local Indian or Asian market. Try Resync products loaded with dietary nitrates from red spinach and red beets and contain valuable synergistic antioxidants like Aronia berry, mango, turmeric, and ginger to support your blood flow and cardiovascular health.
It’s worth it to consume these reds regularly in order to experience beyond heart-health benefits over the long term.
Note* Blood nitrate levels may peak within 2–3 hours of consuming reds or their juice. Therefore, consuming them an 1.5 hrs before training or after the competition is best to maximize their potential benefits.
