Beetroot is a known ‘superfood’ in human nutrition, but why are people feeding beetroot to their performance horses?
To answer this, we need to look at advancements in human sports science. There is an increasing body of research in humans based around the high level of natural nitrate (NO3) that beetroot provides.
This research has reported lower blood pressure and greater exercise tolerance through dilation of the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily. Consuming beetroot immediately before exercise has also shown increased energy generation with less oxygen used ( ~10% less). Run time to fatigue has during maximal exercise also shows an improvement in humans by up to 20%.
The question remains whether this positive effect on human performance translates to horses – more research is needed in this area. It could be argued, the way in which horses absorb nitrates into the body, differs from humans. It is also likely that horses have a higher nitrate intake from their natural diet.
However, with these factors considered, beetroot is still a worthy addition to your horses’ diets. Not only is it a naturally sweet, palatable vegetable, the potential performance benefits gained, particularly in racing and endurance, builds a strong case for adding it into your feeding regime. Keyflow® Pink Mash® provides a fantastic source of beetroot, along with highly digestible super fibre, gut support and aids hydration.
Please read more about how Pink Mash can work with your feeding regime or for personalised information please send us an email on advice@keyflowfeeds.com.
We very much look forward to working with you and improving the health and performance of your horses.
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