Red Velvet Cupcakes & The Benefits of Beets

7/2/2020

Chocolate and beets? Get your finger off the back button, let me explain! Trust me, if you are looking for a sneaky way to squeeze some nutrition into your diet, this is where it's at.

I know what you're thinking, beets taste like dirt, unless you're weird and can eat them plain like me, so how could they possibly make a cupcake taste good?

For one, they add density and moisture not found in any baking mix or unhealthy alternative, not to mention a very pretty color that your kids (or cats) are sure to be intrigued by. Best of all, the chocolate almost completely masks the flavor of the beet.

Why are beets something you want to incorporate, even if sneakily, into your diet? Let's check out some of the amazing benefits.

Aids Athletic Performance

Beets are very high in dietary nitrates, which increase blood flow throughout the body and brain. Multiple studies have proven that beets, when consumed a certain amount of time before competing, significantly reduced oxygen consumption during the event.¹

This means that athletes could run harder and faster while using LESS oxygen. Go ahead and google search Nitric Oxide supplements and you will see how many supplement companies have tried to capitalize on this science; however, consuming nitrates in pill form has been proven to have detrimental effects in the long term and are not worth the short term ergogenic benefits of supplement use.²

If you are still unconvinced, watch the "Beets Over Supplements" video below.

Reduces Blood Pressure

The same oxygen boosting effect that occurs in athletes can benefit the average person as well by dilating their blood vessels and thereby lowering blood pressure.³

High stress job? Maybe it's time to up that beet intake.

High concentrations of betaine

Betaine is the amino acid found in beets that can help reduce risk of heart disease by lowering the levels of an amino acid that, at high levels, puts you at risk for artery damage and heart disease.

FYI betaine is also found in substantial amounts in quinoa and spinach.

It also helps the liver out big time by increasing detoxifying enzymes in the body and preventing, as well as reducing, fat accumulation in the liver. This is good for your next weekend drinking binge.⁴

Essential Nutrient Gold Mine

Beets are chock full of B vitamins, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, and potassium, to name a few. Stop wasting money on multi-vitamins.

Helps you poo

Thanks to all the fiber in a whole beet, you won't have any problems on the potty.

"Heaven forbid people should have to change their diet to improve their health."
- Michael Greger, M.D.

Flourless Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

I love this one because you can throw everything into a blender. Costco currently has cooked prepackaged beets, which completely expedite the process of cleaning, cooking, and peeling your own!

directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place everything into the blender and mix until smooth.
3. Add chocolate chips and then pour into cupcake pans.
4. Bake 15-20 minutes until center is set.
5. Allow to cool and then top with cream cheese frosting (recipe not included)!
6. Makes 12 normal sized muffins total.

Equipment

Blender
Cupcake pans
Oven

Ingredients

1 cup pureed beets (about 2 beets)
2 large eggs
½ cup cashew or almond butter
½ cup cocoa powder
⅛ cup pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup chocolate chips

Nutrition info:
Per Serving (1 muffin)

Calories: 128
Fat: 10 g
Sodium: 36 mg
Carbohydrate: 11 g
Protein: 4 g

Disclaimers

Pink pee is normal.
Tissues recommend when you cry because they are so easy to make.

To-Go Omelets: Easy on the Run Breakfast

Supplements: Helpful or Snake Oil?

Make Yourself an Athlete

The Mindset of Greatness

Join the Self-Made Movement

References

1. Bailey SJ, Winyard P, Vanhatalo A, Blackwell JR, Dimenna FJ, Wilkerson DP, Tarr J, Benjamin N, Jones AM. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2009 Oct;107(4):1144-55. Epub 2009 Aug 6.

2, 3, 4. FACLM, M. G. (n.d.). Whole Beets vs. Juice for Improving Athletic Performance. Retrieved August 22, 2017, from https://nutritionfacts.org/video/whole-beets-vs-juice-for-improving-athletic-performance/

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