Disclaimer: I am a caffeine fiend. I drink so much coffee that the barista in Pret regularly warns me, “It’s not good for your heart,” when I order my daily triple-shot flat white at 8 a.m. to kick-start my day.
Suffice it to say, since becoming pregnant and having to limit my caffeine allowance, I've been struggling. Prepregnancy, I also fueled my day with nootropics, Diet co*kes, and anything caffeine-infused to get me through the day. Now, with a toddler and job to contend with as well as self-diagnosed chronic fatigue, I've been desperately searching for a natural, caffeine-free energy boost.
I stumbled across a “fatigue fighter” juice, which was basically beetroot with a splash of apple, orange, celery, and ginger, and I haven't looked back since. I instantly felt my energy surge to prepregnancy levels; in fact, I was absolutely buzzing. I used to drink a green juice on the daily and have always swerved beetroot in favor of leafy greens—but it turns out that the Jennifer Aniston–approved beetroot, hailed as the “super-root,” is a great way of sneaking in the nutritional benefits if you're unable to stomach the earthy aroma or inky texture of greener juices.
My experience with beetroot juice
Constantly keen to chase my first high, I found myself ordering my “fatigue fighter” beetroot juice every day. Of course, if you're less lazy than me, or are on a tighter budget, you can make your own by washing one beet, chopping it into four to eight pieces, and feeding them through a blender. If you can't stomach the taste, which is a little earthy and sweet, you can add a splash of orange or celery juice.
Sometimes I would down the entire bottle with my breakfast (though please note I didn't replace any meal with my juice because food is life); some days I would slowly sip the juice throughout the day. On the days I did treat myself to a morning coffee, I'd save my beetroot juice to power me through the dreaded 3 p.m. slump, and it worked absolute wonders. After a month of mixing up my beet juice routine (LOL—who am I?), I found it most efficient when drunk in the afternoon. For those, like me, who dislike coffee beyond midday or often find themselves reaching for a sweet treat to power through an afternoon of Zoom calls, I can highly recommend adding this in as an energy-boosting alternative.
I didn't experience any negative side effects, and I certainly didn't miss the jittery crashes that often come after a coffee hit. My skin has also been glowing, and I'm going to credit the beetroot juice over my lackadaisical skin care regime.
What are the benefits of drinking beetroot juice?
I've waxed lyrical about my personal experience with beetroot juice, but what are the actual health benefits? Evelina Sabonaityte, MD, a clinical nutritionist, claims that beetroot juice is “nothing short of a nutrient-packed elixir.”
Here are some of the benefits of beetroot juice, according to Dr. Sabonaityte and Katy Kasraie, one of the doctors at The London General Practice.
