Beetroot helps athletic performance, and does even more good for slackers

You can't beat beetroot for helping blood flow and potentially beating fatigue. Photo: Getty

In 2018, the International Olympic Committee, citing good evidence, formally recognised beetroot as a legitimate sports food.

Much of the credit for beetroot’s superior reputation comes from it being rich in nitrates which, when consumed in food, convert to nitric oxide – which causes blood vessels to relax and dilate and lowers blood pressure.