Beet juice
Drinking beet juice before physical activity is recommended for athletes to reap the benefits. It's best to drink at least two cups of juice between two to three hours before exercising since blood nitrate levels are most optimal then. You can make beet juice at home with a juicer or you can purchase a bottle of beet juice at your local supermarket or supplement store. If you decide to purchase a bottle from the store, make sure to measure out about 16 ounces (or two cups) before activity. Be sure to look at the list of ingredients to ensure that it has no added sugar.
Beet smoothie
If you're not a fan of beets' earthy taste, you can try one of my favorite ways to have them -- in a smoothie. Because beets are a root vegetable, normally you'd have to boil them to soften them up, but an easy shortcut is to buy them precooked or frozen. While training for the NYC Half Marathon last year, my go-to beet smoothie was inspired by the Can't Beet Me Smoothie by marathon runner a
