Daily Dose of DYK?

The “Beet” on the Street with Upbeet!

I am always amazed when I do events for Upbeet, how many people have never tried beets.  Honestly, what’s surprising is that the generation from the mid 30’s and older, have tried and mostly enjoy the taste, but the younger generation mostly have never tasted beets before.  As a beet lover, I will agree the taste of raw beets is very “earthy” yet sweet.  But with seasoning and some baking, beets can be a wonderful and nutritious compliment to any meal.  Not to mention, but if you have raw beets, which half my garden is, cutting a chunk off and adding to your dark color smoothie is a healthy boost.  Let’s take a look at the power of the beet:

• Raw beets are rich in Vitamin A, B1, B6, C and minerals such as iron, copper, and magnesium.  Essential for a healthy immune system.,
• Beet leaves are rich in fiber, which is important for a good digestive system and helping to lower cholesterol.
• Beets are rich in folate which supports the synthesis of DNA in the cells and is extremely important for potential mothers to protect against neural tube defects of unborn babies.
• High in antioxidants that which help neutralize free radical cell that have been known to contribute to chronic diseases like cancer.
• High in dietary nitrates, which your body converts to nitrix oxide, which helps relax and expand blood vessels, allowing more blood flow.  Helps lower blood pressure and also shown to improve endurance among athletes in test studies.

Hope that helps shed some light on why you NEED beets in your diet.  If you can’t get past the taste of beets, than you need to try Upbeet Endurance Drink, which each scoop is the equivalent of consuming 2-3 whole beets with leaves!

Crossfit Dover Event was Awesome!

Had the pleasure of attending Crossfit Dover 5K and 1.5 mile fitness test to support Spinal Muscular Atrophy.  Enjoyed meeting some awesome people, handing out lots of free samples, and providing the winners with a container of Upbeet Endurance Powder.

Best “First-thing-in-the-morning” smoothie recipe with Upbeet

No doubt, if you are looking to give your immune system a indestructible shield to tackle the day, this recipe is the one.  It also has a refreshing taste to it, so there is no need to have to pinch your nose, to drink it.

Upbeet Replenisher:
1 scoop of Upbeet Endurance Powder
1 carrot
2 celery stalks
1/2 apple
1/2 banana
1/2 sqeezed lime
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Blend well
More recipes on facebook.com/getupbeet
100% organic
nothing artificial
Rich in vitamin A,C,B1,B6, magnesium, iron

Enjoy in good health!

You Can’t Beat Beets For Performance!

When it comes to performance foods, beets are definitely one of the most beneficial foods to aide us in optimal endurance.  Nitric Oxide (NO), is a dietary component that has been shown to be a vaso-dilator.  Meaning, it expands our blood vessels allowing more oxygen to flow through out body.  In regards to performance, this oxygen-rich blood allows our muscles to contract for longer periods before fatigue sets in.  This NO in beets, is a by-product of the rich amounts of dietary nitrates found in beet root.  Once consumed, our body converts it to NO, increasing blood flow through the body.

Upbeet, contains organic beet root, that can be combined with water, or fruit juice, to aide in performance.  Each scoop of Upbeet contains 2-3 whole beets, without the “earthy” taste that raw beets provide.  Upbeet, to maximize human performance, should be taken an hour prior to exercise, and studies of beet root, show that maximal benefit of beet root happens after 5 days of beet root consumption.  In numerous studies, athletes in cycling, rowing, and running improved endurance levels up to 16% with the consumption of beet root juice.

Upbeet, comes in Fruit Punch, Mango, and Red Raspberry, yet contains no artificial flavors, no added sugar, no caffeine, no GMO, and is 100% certified organic.  At Upbeet, we believe getting a strong body starts on the inside!  Visit us at www.getupbeet.com

Red Raspberry packs a PUNCH!

Creating Upbeet, the primary goal was to find the most powerful fruits and vegetables that can assist in playing a vital role contributing to cardiovascular health and performance.  Learning about red raspberries, I discovered something called Anthocyanins, which is a pigment found in colorful fruits which also act to relax blood vessels improving circulation and providing more oxygen to muscles.  If you are not sure why oxygen is so important to provide muscle contraction, here is a brief physiology lesson:

When you begin moving or exercising, obviously muscles must contract to move your body around a specific joint.  Our muscles contain a high energy compound called ATP(adenosine triphosphate).  When this molecule breaks up, it releases energy allowing the muscles to contract.  Unfortunately, our muscles can only store a limited amount.  In order to create more of this ATP, our body needs another energy source it can quickly convert.  Glucose, is what allows life, and the quickest source our bodies can get glucose from is carbohydrates.  Fortunately, our muscles and liver can store this glucose in a form called glycogen.  When our muscles run out of ATP, this glycogen is quickly converted to glucose, and synthesized into ATP.  However, ATP when broken down releases a byproduct, called pyruvate, which converts to lactic acid if its not taken out of the muscle and your muscles will begin to burn and fatigue.  To take it out of the muscle so the muscle doesn’t fatigue, we need oxygen.  The more oxygen found in the blood, the more efficient our body is able to remove the pyruvate, which in turn, allows for longer periods of muscle contractions.  In addition to removing pyruvate, oxygen is also required in the process of breaking down fat molecules, which are extremely dense and very significant in energy production.  Thus, consuming foods that improve blood flow, equates to increased endurance levels and better performance.  Red Raspberries, which is the second ingredient found in Upbeet Endurance Powder, provide this benefit!  Not to mention, they taste great too!

Darren Stroh, MS, NASM-CES

Is your Pre-workout slowly killing you? The Story of Upbeet

The pre-workout supplement market has exploded in the last several years and it shows no signs of slowing down.  The supplement market, unfortunately not regulated in our country, leaves the door open to ambitious, artistic minds that can pull together ingredients loaded with caffeine, creatine, and a few amino acids, and combine with an artificial flavor and sweetener, and its off to the computer.  Business minded people know that people make purchases based on visual perception, so they know if they can create a label that stands out, they have a winner!  Never mind if this product is actually healthy for you, in fact, never mind if this product is dangerous, as long as it gives you the benefit of increased energy you are searching for.  A quick trip to your doctor may reveal information you do not want to hear.  Introducing:  Upbeet Endurance Powder, the story.

One of the things I always look forward to, is my brother visiting from Florida, which allows us the opportunity to workout together, catch up and just spend some brotherly time.  The last visit, I was taking a popular Pre-workout supplement (3 initials) and I always felt like I had a great workout when I took it.  When my brother was intrigued by my enthusiasm for the product, he started taking along with me.  He, like myself, thought the product was awesome!  Once he left, he informed me purchased the same product and continued to use it until his doctor visit and blood work changed that.  He called one afternoon, informed that after his blood work, his bilirubin levels were dangerously high.  He never experienced this before, and didn’t know exactly why, but realized his only dietary change was adding the preworkout into his routine.  Suspicious, he ceased taking it for several months, and went back for a follow up.  Sure enough, his bilirubin levels had diminished.  If you are not sure of what bilirubins are, they are a toxin found in the liver.  Over time, these can destroy your liver and your ability to clean out your blood system.  Now, are we 100% certain it was the pre-workout?  We didn’t feel subjecting our bodies to experimental purposes that cause health effects was something worth repeating, however, it is coincidental and left up to society to draw their own conclusion.  This is where Upbeet makes its entrance.

Having been a vegan for over a year, I became very informed and enlightened by the wonders food has on our body.  Over the last decade, we as a society have put more trust in scientists than we have mother nature.  It saddens me, but what I learned being vegan is the medicinal properties that natural organic food has on our body.  Everything that grows out of the ground, plays a vital role in our health and existence.  This is what food is.  Unfortunately, our society has switched to “food-like” products.  Products that resemble food, but have had the nutritional components stripped away.  So my search began on what does mother nature provide that gives us increased energy to perform at optimal levels:  1st ingredient:  Beets.  The wonders of beets is amazing.  They are high in dietary nitrates, which when consumed, our body converts to nitric oxide.  NO is a vaso-dilator, meaning it increases the size of our blood vessels allowing more oxygen-rich blood flow to the working muscles.  More oxygen to the muscle, means increased endurance and prolonged muscle contractions.  Now lets face it, if you are not familiar with beets, they have a very “earthy” flavor that not a lot of people would put high on their preferred taste list.  But as I continued to research beets, more and more studies have been conducted showing increased performance levels when athletes consume beet juice prior to exercise.  So I continued to search for more organic ingredients to help enhance the flavor, and improve performance.  I stumbled upon something called Anthocyanins.  This is the dark pigment that gives certain fruits their color.  Anthocyanins are antioxidants that also act as vaso-dilators to improve blood flow.  So next, I added red raspberries, goji berries, and bilberries to the list included in Upbeet.  Bilberries, are the same family as blueberries, however contain a higher level of antioxidants than blueberries.  Upbeet flavor was coming together, and it was packing a punch of healthy ingredients.  I next needed something that give that “pre-workout” feeling without having to add caffeine, which sometimes makes people feel “jittery”.  I discovered Maca Root, a type of ginseng that helps aid in digestion, yet also has proven effects of increased energy, so in you go!  Add some organic ginger and cinnamon, and lastly, I need something to add a bit of sweetness, but not too much.  I noticed on my old pre-workout, it used a sucralose, an artificial sweetener shown in studies to be harmful by altering the good bacteria in our stomachs lending a weaker immune system to fight off diseases.  I encountered organic agave, which is not as sweet as sugar, and is much lower on the glycemic index than sugar, meaning it doesn’t spike the blood sugar levels as quick as sugar.

Mix this all together in our proprietary blend, all organic, nothing artificial, and introducing Upbeet Endurance Powder!  Scientifically proven to increase performance, increase energy, and improve your immune system for optimal health.  However, like all supplements, it is not regulated by the FDA, and does not claim to treat, prevent, or cure any illness.  Like all supplements, you should always consult your physician before making any dietary changes.  visit our site at www.getupbeet.com 

Wishes for Optimal Health and Happiness!!

Get a Nutritional Surge First Thing in the Morning

I am asked about the best time to drink Upbeet Endurance Powder.  It is classified as a Pre-workout, and the scientific studies drank the beet juice an hour prior to exercise, which no doubt, Upbeet will provide the same benefits towards your performance goals.  My personal recommendation is to drink a scoop of Upbeet with some fresh fruit and vegetables first thing in the morning.  Since Upbeet also contains red raspberry, goji berry, bilberry, in addition to beet root and leaves, drinking it first thing in the morning will give your body a tremendous boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.  You can find Upbeet recipes on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/getupbeet 

Today’s food system to our body is like inches on a standard football field

If we use a football field to timeline how us as humans have eaten through the course of existence, the introduction of packaged foods, processed foods, artificial ingredients (such as flavors and colors), preservatives, and within the last 30-40 years, Genetically Modified Organisms used in our crops, would basically be inches from the goal line.  To clarify, our ancestors ate what the earth provided in its natural state for 99.9 yards, and until that last .1 yard, which was the industrial food revolution, that flooded our food system with chemicals and artificial ingredients in order to maximize production, minimize cost, and increase shelf life for food products.  Why is this important?  Quite simply, our bodies have never had the chance to adapt to this dramatic change in our food system, and its creating an epidemic of health problems in our society.  If you look at the average American’s diet, every single meal and food product consumed throughout the day contains one of the above unnatural ingredients.  Most Americans do not eat a complete meal in a day that is 100% organic and natural.  This is a recipe for disaster.  It seems to be getting worse before it gets better.

Beet root Improves Running Performance: Scientifically Backed

Whole beetroot consumption acutely improves running performance.

In a St.Louis University Study, 11 participants participated in a double blind study to determine the endurance effects of consuming nitrate supplementation through beet root juice in completing a 5k run.  The result of the study, the beet root trial resulted in the final 1.1 miles at a higher velocity than the non-beet root trial.  In addition, the Rate of Perceived Exertion of the beet root trial was lower than the non beet root trial.

Murphy M¹, Eliot K, Heuertz RM, Weiss E.

Author information

• ¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Saint Louis University, 3437 Caroline Street, St Louis, MO 63104, USA