What Are Beet Gummies?
Beet gummies are a supplement based on the vegetable beetroot. Beetroot has several nutritional benefits, including a high density of various vitamins and minerals [1]. But if you dislike the taste and texture of beetroot or have an aversion to beetroot, beet gummies can put you on a path to numerous health benefits with none of the disliked sensations! Sugar or other flavourings are often added to make gummies taste sweet, and they can be helpful for people who find themselves extremely sensitive to new sensations or tastes.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Beet Gummies?
Beet gummies are made from beetroot, which is rich in vitamins and minerals but still low in calories and fat. This vegetable is also an excellent source of key nutrients like copper, manganese, and folate, which can benefit health [2]. Folate or B9 is crucial for the heart and for growth, including neural tube formation – making it a particularly important consideration for pregnant women. Manganese helps with bone formation and copper is an important mineral in the synthesis of several neurotransmitters.
What Are The Benefits Of Taking Beet Gummies?
Beet gummies reportedly provide a variety of health advantages from increased heart health, liver function and athletic performance, with varying support for these claims [3]
Consumption of beetroot and its derivatives such as Beet Gummies have been suggested to:
- Lower blood pressure. A 2013 review found that drinking beetroot juice for four weeks lowered blood pressure by 8/4 mmHg, with researchers hypothesising that this might be related to Beetroot’s nitrate content, which may promote vasodilation [4].
- Regulate insulin. One 2014 study found that the phytochemicals in beet juice helped regulate insulin and glucose, but the participants didn’t have diabetes, so additional studies regarding diabetes would have to back up that claim [5].
- A number of studies have linked dietary nitrates to enhanced athleticism, which plausibly represents increased mitochondrial efficiency, which powers cellular ATP (energy) generation [2].
- Beets are high in betalains, which are packed with anti-inflammatory compounds that might benefit a range of health issues. Chronic inflammation is linked to cancer, liver disease, and obesity [2].
- Improve brain health via vasodilation of blood vessels in the brain, in particular to the frontal lobe, an area which is correlated with memory and higher functioning [5].
Yet we have to remember that it cannot be assumed that all the benefits of beetroot consumption map perfectly to those of gummies – after all, much of the benefit is fibre, which is likely to be much less present in gummies.
What Are The Risks Of Taking Beet Gummies?
There aren't many known a risks associated with beet gummies, though it might be prudent to check with a doctor if you’re unsure. Beet gummies could also lead to red or pink urine or faeces, but this is not known to be dangerous [1]. One concern is that beet consumption leads to kidney damage and lower calcium levels. But this has never been shown in humans. Talking to your care provider and staying in food-safe doses during pregnancy and breastfeeding seems wise. The other potential concern about the gummy is its sugar content, so looking at the ingredients in any supplement you consume is essential. If your supplement isn’t standardised for nitrate levels, it may contain too little to trigger an effect, which can be considered a waste of money [6].
Beet Gummies: Benefits and Risks Summary
Beetroot in itself is a good source of many vitamins and minerals, and while these have their myriad potential benefits, indeed, most people don’t eat enough of them to reap these, so taking beet gummies may be a convenient and time-saving way to achieve such benefits. Of course, the amount of nitrates and other bioactives will depend on the source of these gummies, and so if this benefit is what you are seeking then it is worth checking whether they have standardised nitrate levels.