Beet, Carrot, Ginger and Apple Juice (The Pre-Workout Boost)

This is the story of how I started loving beet juice.
A crazy and dimwitted love story.
It begins with my extreme hatred for beets.
Even as a kid, I always LOVED my veggies, but beets were something I have never acquired a taste for.
Seriously, how can you acquire a taste for something that tastes like…ehm, dirt?
I lived a happy, healthy and beet-less life, until a bunch of British lads from the University of Exeter discovered that beetroot juice - being a natural source of nitrate - gives athletes some extra oomph.
Nitrate has basically two physiological effects.
Firstly, it widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and allowing more blood flow. Secondly, it affects muscle tissue, reducing the amount of oxygen needed by muscles during activity.
The combined effects have a significant impact on performing physical tasks, whether it involves low-intensity or high-intensity effort.
In other words, beets have a similar effects of those disgusting nitric oxide supplements.
Drinking something natural and healthy instead of synthetic stuff? Too good to be true.
That was it for me. I needed to start liking beets, NOW!

Normally, a sweet taste in a vegetable is a good thing. Sweet Potatoes? Onions? Roasted Eggplant? All quite likeable. But there's something about beety sweetness that I find totally disgusting.
So imagine how I felt about drinking two whole cups of beet juice before training.
I would basically hold my nose and gulp it down in one go. I had such a hard time keeping it down though.
So I started experimenting, by adding other juices, fresh herbs and spices.
I wanted to create something with beetroot juice I could drink without barfing.
Because beetroot juice really works as a boost. Like really well. I have proof, if you need it.
After many failed attempts, I found out that carrots, apple, ginger and lemon complement really well the flavor. So well, you won't notice the beet taste. So here you have it: Beet, Carrot, Ginger and Apple juice.
In fact, this juice tastes so good you almost question if there are beets in it, seriously.
In other words, I still don't love beet juice. But I love drinking it when mixed in other juices.
Soooooo...slurp this juice without delay and beet the competition (pun intended!)

Beet, Carrot, Apple and Ginger Juice (The Pre-Workout Boost)               Print this recipe!

Note. If you don’t own a juicer you can still make this wonderful juice. Buy organic beetroot, carrot and apple juices, mix them together in equal parts and add some grated ginger. That easy.

Ingredients

3 medium beets, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and quartered
1 Gala apple, cored and quartered
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Pass beets, carrots, apple and ginger through a juicer. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Add lemon juice and mix to stir.
Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 62.5 calories, 0 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.