Beetroot: Nitrates, Glycemic Index & Is It Good For You?

The earthy powerhouse

Beetroot is a root vegetable best known for two things: its stunning magenta colour and its unique, earthy flavour. It's one of those vegetables that people either love or... don't. But beyond the taste, it's gained a serious reputation in sports nutrition and heart health circles for one very specific reason: dietary nitrates. Your body converts these nitrates into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax and widen blood vessels. This improves blood flow, which has knock-on effects for everything from blood pressure to athletic stamina. It's a pretty neat trick for a humble root.

Beetroot nutrition facts

Here’s the nutritional breakdown for a 100-gram serving of cooked beetroot — that's about two small beets.

For just 43 calories, you get a decent hit of fiber and a very impressive 20% of your daily folate, a B-vitamin crucial for cell health. But again, the real story isn't just in the standard nutrition label; it's in the compounds that don't show up there, like nitrates and betalains.

The deal with nitrates

When you eat beetroot, your body converts its dietary nitrates into nitric oxide. Think of nitric oxide as a key that unlocks your blood vessels, allowing them to relax and widen. This is called vasodilation. Better blood flow means your heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood, which can help lower blood pressure. For athletes, it means more oxygen and nutrients can get to working muscles, potentially improving endurance and performance. It's the main reason you see so many runners and cyclists drinking beetroot juice before a race.

Beetroot's glycemic index

Glycemic index (GI) ranks how fast a food raises blood sugar. Anything under 55 is low, 56-69 is medium, and 70+ is high. Cooked beetroot has a GI of about 64, which puts it in the medium category. This might sound high, but it's important to consider glycemic load (GL), which accounts for the actual amount of carbs in a serving. Because beetroot isn't very carb-dense, its glycemic load is only about 6, which is very low. So, while it's not as low-GI as something like broccoli, a normal portion is unlikely to cause a major blood sugar spike, especially if you eat it as part of a meal.

How to eat it right

Getting the most out of beetroot is easy. A few simple approaches preserve its nutrients and balance its earthy flavour.

What beetroot is good for

What to pair beetroot with

Beetroot's earthy sweetness is a fantastic team player. Pairing it with the right ingredients can elevate it from a simple vegetable to something special.

Eat freely — or be mindful?

Three ways to eat it

Move beyond boiled beets with these simple recipes that make the most of their unique flavour and colour.