TV doctor Michael Mosley has revealed a drink that he says can boost performance and endurance.
The weight-loss expert has founded a number of diets including the Very Fast 800 diet and the new 5:2 diet. These diets focus on when you eat as well as what you eat in order to promote fat burning.
In terms of what you eat, Dr Mosely is a proponent of the fruit and veg rich Mediterranean diet which also features lots of olive oil, oily fish and nuts among other things. He has now also pointed out one specific drink - which can also be a food - that he says he swears by.
The drink in question, which he discussed in his Just One Thing podcast, is beet juice - which of course comes from beetroot. The doctor explained that people can still get the nutritional benefits without having to eat the veg, reports the Express.
The doctor says on his podcast: "I know it sounds unlikely, but consuming beetroot or drinking it in the form of beetroot shots a few hours before an activity has been shown to improve performance and endurance."
He adds: "Lots of athletes also swear by it."
Dr Mosley continued to list the benefits of beetroot, which include:
- Lower blood pressure
- Increase stamina
- Reduces inflammation
- More muscle power
- Help maintain a healthy weight
- High in fibre and potassium among other essential minerals
- Can slow down dementia
Dr Mosely said: "Beetroot [and beet juice] has been proven to improve cognitive performance and there are suggestions consuming beet juice that it could be helpful to keep your brain healthy as you age."
"It's a short, sharp treatment," Dr Mosley explained.
He recommended consuming around two or three medium sized beetroots a day or taking shots of beetroot juice.
"Knock it back two hours beforehand," he advised for people doing workouts.
Dr Mosley said: "You can even make beetroot and chocolate brownies. It's not all grim stuff!"
He added: "There are also known side effects, apart from pink wee."
But as with any food, over-eating on beetroot or drinking too much beet juice can lead to other health problems. Risks of overconsumption can include increased risk of kidney stones due to being high in compound oxalate.
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