What Vegetable Makes You Run Faster? The Science Behind Beets and Performance

November 2, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2017 review, supplementing with beetroot juice can improve cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes by increasing efficiency. While no single food acts as a magic bullet, this research demonstrates that incorporating certain nutrient-rich vegetables into your diet can significantly boost athletic performance and address the question, "what vegetable makes you run faster?"

Quick Summary

This article explores how nitrate-rich vegetables like beets and spinach enhance running performance. We detail how nitrates boost nitric oxide production, improving blood flow, oxygen efficiency, and endurance for runners.

Key Points

Beets are a top choice: Beets and beetroot juice are high in dietary nitrates, which convert to nitric oxide to improve blood flow and oxygen efficiency.
Nitrates are the key compound: The nitrates found in certain vegetables are the primary reason they can boost athletic endurance by dilating blood vessels.
Leafy greens are potent: Spinach and arugula offer high nitrate content, rivaling or even exceeding beets per gram.
Timing matters: Consuming nitrate-rich foods or juice 2-3 hours before exercise is optimal for maximizing performance benefits.
Combine with a balanced diet: Performance is best supported by a holistic diet that includes complex carbs, protein, and hydration, not just one vegetable.
Consistency is important: Regular intake of nitrate-rich vegetables is more beneficial than a single, one-off dose.

The Science of Speed: Nitrates and Athletic Performance

For decades, athletes have searched for legal and effective ways to enhance performance. The secret, it turns out, has been growing in gardens all along. Certain vegetables, particularly those high in dietary nitrates, are proven to boost endurance and speed. These nitrates, once consumed, undergo a remarkable conversion process in the body to produce nitric oxide, a molecule critical for cardiovascular health and exercise efficiency.

How Nitrates Boost Your Running Speed

When you consume nitrate-rich foods, your body's resident bacteria convert the nitrates ($NO_3^-$) into nitrites ($NO_2^-$). These nitrites are then reduced to nitric oxide (NO), particularly under the low-oxygen conditions experienced during intense exercise. The nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator, meaning it helps to relax and widen your blood vessels. This vasodilation leads to several key benefits for runners:

Improved Oxygen Efficiency: Your muscles can function using less oxygen for the same amount of work, delaying fatigue and extending endurance.
Enhanced Blood Flow: With wider blood vessels, blood flows more freely, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles.
Greater Muscular Power: Better blood flow supports enhanced muscle contraction, which can translate to more force and explosive power.

The All-Star Vegetable: Beets

Beets, with their vibrant crimson hue, are arguably the most famous vegetable in the running community for their performance-enhancing properties. Multiple studies confirm that beetroot juice significantly improves endurance. Runners who consumed beet juice saw a reduction in their 5k race times, and cyclists were able to ride longer before exhaustion. A typical ergogenic dose of nitrates is around 300–600 mg, which can be obtained through beetroot juice or concentrated shots. For best results, athletes often consume beets or juice 2-3 hours before a race or intense training session to allow the nitric oxide conversion process to peak.

Other Nitrate-Rich Vegetables

While beets get a lot of press, they are not the only vegetable packed with performance-boosting nitrates. A well-rounded diet with a variety of these foods is beneficial.

Spinach: A true powerhouse, rich in nitrates as well as iron. Iron is crucial for oxygen transport throughout the body, and its combination with nitrates provides a double boost to endurance.
Arugula (Rocket): This peppery green contains a higher concentration of nitrates than even beets on a weight-for-weight basis. Arugula is easy to add to salads, sandwiches, and wraps for a daily dose.
Swiss Chard and Bok Choy: These leafy greens also contain significant levels of nitrates and other key nutrients, making them excellent additions to stir-fries or side dishes.

Practical Ways to Incorporate Performance-Boosting Vegetables

Adding these vegetables to your diet doesn't have to be a chore. There are many delicious ways to integrate them into your daily meals.

Juice or Smoothie: A beetroot and berry smoothie is a popular pre-run choice, masking the earthy taste of beets while providing a quick dose of energy and nitrates.
Roasted: Roasting beets or sweet potatoes brings out their natural sweetness and makes them a great side dish.
Salads: Toss arugula or spinach into salads for a simple, nitrate-rich meal.
Stir-fries: Add bok choy or spinach to stir-fries for a nutrient boost.

Comparison Table: Key Runner's Vegetables


Vegetable	Key Benefit for Runners	How to Consume	Nitrate Level (Relative)
Beets	Improved oxygen efficiency, increased time to exhaustion	Juiced, roasted, or steamed 2-3 hours before a run.	Very High
Spinach	Nitrate and iron content for oxygen transport and endurance	Salads, smoothies, and stir-fries.	High
Arugula	Very high nitrate concentration	Salads, sandwiches, pasta.	Highest
Sweet Potato	Excellent source of complex carbohydrates for sustained energy	Roasted, baked, or mashed for post-run recovery.	Low
Broccoli	Rich in Vitamin C, K, and potassium for immune support and bone health	Roasted, steamed, or raw in salads.	Low

Fuelling Your Runs with Whole Foods

Beyond nitrates, a balanced diet is crucial. Combining the benefits of nitrates with other key nutrients from whole foods provides the best fuel for runners. Complex carbohydrates, like those found in potatoes and sweet potatoes, are essential for sustained energy. Lean proteins, including those from plant-based sources, help repair muscle tissue damaged during exercise.

The Endurance Plate: A pre-run meal might consist of a whole-grain bagel with a small amount of nut butter and a serving of fruit. A post-run recovery meal could be a dish featuring lean protein, complex carbs like sweet potato, and a side of spinach.
Don't Forget Hydration: Proper hydration is also a key component of running performance, as it helps regulate electrolytes and prevent cramping.

Conclusion: Strategic Nutrition for Better Running

No single food will magically turn you into a faster runner. Instead, it's the strategic incorporation of certain vegetables that can provide a significant physiological edge. Nitrate-rich vegetables like beets, spinach, and arugula enhance blood flow and oxygen efficiency, directly impacting your endurance and speed. By timing your intake of these foods correctly and combining them with other essential nutrients from a balanced whole-food diet, you can unlock your body's natural performance potential. Focus on a varied diet, proper timing, and consistent training, and you'll be on the right path to shaving minutes off your best times.

Authoritative Resource Link

For more in-depth information on dietary supplements for exercise and athletic performance, consult the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

The performance-enhancing effects of dietary nitrates from beets typically peak within 2-3 hours of consumption. This is why it's recommended to consume them a couple of hours before a run or race.

You can get the nitrate benefits from both beet juice and whole beets. However, beet juice provides a more concentrated and easily absorbable dose of nitrates, which is why it is often preferred by athletes for pre-workout timing.

Yes, but the effects might be more pronounced in recreational athletes. Highly trained individuals may already have higher baseline nitric oxide levels, but supplementation can still offer a performance boost, particularly for longer endurance events.

A common and harmless side effect is beeturia, which causes pink or reddish urine and stools. Some people may also experience mild digestive issues, which can be managed by adjusting the dosage or consumption method.

Excellent sources of nitrates include leafy greens such as arugula, spinach, Swiss chard, and bok choy. Arugula, in particular, is noted for its very high nitrate concentration.

No, it is not recommended to make significant dietary changes right before a competition. You should test and establish your nutrition plan during training to understand how your body responds and avoid potential gastrointestinal distress.

Iron is a crucial mineral for runners as it helps transport oxygen to the muscles. Leafy greens like spinach are good sources of iron. Iron deficiency can lead to fatigue and negatively impact performance.