Choosing the Right Beetroot: Juice, Powder, or Capsules

Beetroot has been enjoying a well-deserved comeback as a superfood for several years now. However, those who want to integrate beetroot into their daily lives will encounter various forms of administration, which differ significantly in quality, processing, and benefits, from fresh tubers to powders, capsules, and juice.

In this article, you will learn what makes beetroot so interesting, where many beetroot preparations reach their limits, and which aspects are truly crucial for selection.

Beetroot is one of the foods that has received a lot of attention in research for years. Its natural nitrate content is at the forefront. In the body, nitrate is converted into nitric oxide, a messenger substance associated with the regulation of blood circulation and blood pressure (1).

Beetroot has also long been established in the sports context: studies show correlations between a nitrate-rich diet and effects on endurance and oxygen efficiency (2).

Beetroot also contains other valuable nutrients:

• Betanin: The red pigment, which is attributed antioxidant properties
• Betaine: A compound associated with normal homocysteine metabolism
• Polyphenols: Secondary plant compounds that can contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress
• Minerals: Iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, and more for various bodily functions (3)

If you would like to learn more about the health effects of beetroot, click here.

Despite its interesting ingredients, beetroot is relatively rarely consumed regularly in everyday life. There are several reasons for this.

• The taste: The earthy, slightly sweet-tart taste of beetroot is an acquired taste for many. The preparation is also not always considered straightforward, especially due to its strong coloring.
• Oxalic acid: Raw beetroot contains relatively high levels of oxalic acid. It is a natural component of beetroot and can play a role in the formation of kidney stones in people with a predisposition, especially with larger amounts of raw tubers (4).

At first glance, beetroot in powder form seems like a practical solution: it has a long shelf life, is versatile, and can be easily stirred into smoothies, yogurt, or water. However, a closer look reveals some limitations.

What you should pay attention to:

• Drying ratio: Approximately 5 kg of fresh beetroot yields about 1 kg of powder. A typical serving (3–5 g) corresponds to only about 15–25 g of fresh tuber.
• Typical consumption amounts: The amounts used in everyday life are usually significantly lower than the dosages studied. To make a meaningful contribution at all, such products are often combined or enriched with additional nutrients.
• Processing influences: Heat-sensitive compounds, such as polyphenols, can be partially lost during drying. Therefore, beetroot powder does not always fully represent the fresh tuber (5).

Beetroot powder can still be a useful supplement, for example, to enrich dishes in terms of taste and appearance. However, when it comes to targeted intake of larger amounts of specific ingredients, this form of administration often reaches its limits in everyday life.

Beetroot capsules and tablets are considered the most convenient form of administration: no taste, no discoloration, and easy to take with water. Especially for on-the-go, they seem ideal at first glance. However, a closer look reveals some limitations here as well.

What you should pay attention to:

• Basis of the products: Many capsules simply contain concentrated dried beetroot powder. The fundamental issue of quantity therefore remains.
• Typical dosages: The amounts contained per beetroot capsule are usually very small and often below the amounts studied.
• Processing and concentration: Certain ingredients such as nitrate cannot be concentrated arbitrarily without changing the natural composition.

Beetroot capsules and tablets can be a practical option in everyday life. However, when it comes to targeted intake of relevant amounts of certain ingredients, it is worth looking more closely at the respective composition and dosage.

A look at the scientific literature shows that a large proportion of studies on beetroot have been conducted with juice. There's a simple reason for this: beetroot juice delivers the ingredients in a form that is well-standardized and can be consumed in larger quantities.

Beetroot juice contains a wide spectrum of natural compounds, including nitrate, betanin, betaine, polyphenols, as well as vitamins and minerals. Unlike isolated products, it largely reflects the natural composition of fresh beetroot (4).

However, in everyday life, classic beetroot juice presents some practical challenges: limited shelf life, storage effort, and comparatively large quantities per serving.

A possible alternative is beetroot juice concentrate: a large portion of the water is gently removed from the juice. This results in a significantly smaller volume with a high concentration of the contained nutrients, which facilitates both storage and everyday use.

What to look out for:

• High nutrient density: Due to water removal, the nutrient density per serving increases while the volume decreases. The contained ingredients are therefore available in a significantly more compact form.
• Natural active ingredient complex: Important components such as nitrate, betaine, and polyphenols are largely preserved during the gentle concentration process, so that the natural matrix of the beetroot is well represented.
• Everyday usability: Even small amounts are sufficient and can be flexibly stirred into water, juice, or smoothies.
• Processing (e.g., fermentation): Depending on the manufacturing process, the composition can change. In fermented varieties, for example, some of the oxalic acid is broken down, which positively influences taste, tolerability, and safety (7).

Betanio PLUS is a high-quality organic beetroot juice concentrate that delivers the valuable ingredients of beetroot in concentrated form, with 46 times less oxalic acid and a mild, balanced taste.