JOIN USResearchers in Britain claim to have found that the superjuice is important for the elderly and people with heart or lung disease, as it allows them to enjoy more active lives by widening blood vessels as one ages.
In the latest study, subjects drank a glass of the juice for six days. The researchers found that the subjects used less oxygen while walking -- reducing the effort needed by 12 per cent, the 'Daily Express' reported.
Katie Lansley of University of Exeter, who led the study, said: "As you get older, or if you have conditions which affect your cardiovascular system, the amount of oxygen you can take in to use during exercise drops considerably.
"For some people, even simple tasks like walking may not be manageable. We've seen in this study that beetroot juice can reduce the amount of oxygen you need to perform even low-intensity exercise. In principle, this could help people do things they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do."
The research, in conjunction with the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Devon, found that beetroot juice had two marked physiological effects.
It contains high levels of nitrate. This widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and allowing more blood flow. It also cuts the amount of oxygen needed by muscles. Nitrate is found in other foods, particularly leafy vegetables, but beetroot can be juiced, the best way
to ingest large amounts.
The findings have been published in the 'Journal of Applied Physiology'.