*Disclaimer: Casting Organic is not a health care professional and does not claim to have all the answers related to health and nutrition. We take our time in providing recommendations based on what has worked in our personal lives. We also make sure to do our research and reference credible sources that have a high level of expertise related to health and nutrition. Always check with your health care provider if you have any hesitations on what you should or should not eat*
Itâs no secret that here at Casting Organic we love our smoothies. And if you are looking for the perfect smoothie recipe to incorporate into your pre workout routine, you have come to the right place, my friend!
Our âBerry Beet Smoothieâ is the perfect option if you want to try something natural, easy, tasty, healthy, and ideal for your pre-workout routine.
Post Overview
- Benefits of a prework out drink
- Nutritional breakdown of our recipe
- How to prep and prepare your smoothie
- Recipe card with list of ingredients and full instructions
Benefits of a Pre-workout drink
Summer is slowly approaching and maybe youâre extra aware of your future summer bod, physical stamina, and just overall starting to refine your workout routine. Whatever stage are at in your fitness routine, and whatever goals you might have- it is especially important to always maintain healthy nutrition. It is a pretty well-known fact that you can work out as much as you want, but if you are not eating healthy and taking care of what youâre feeding your body, you will never see results.
One of the best ways to prepare your body for a workout is with a pre-workout drink. For many that are into lifting weights and resistance training, a popular pre workout option is the powder-based protein shakes/supplements. As explained by Tyler Wheeler, MD for WebMD Editorial, the purpose of these pre-workout supplements is to help the body recover and ease the fatigue of intense and upbeat workout routines.
Common ingredients
Many of the supplements that can be found in stores contain lots of the same ingredients including, Beta-alanine, creatine, amino acids, and LOTs of caffeine, caffeine, caffeine. A shockingly, it is estimated that many of the pre-workout supplements contain a range of 150 mg-300 mg per serving. According to Wheeler at WebMD, that is about 3 full cups of coffee.
Beta-alanine, creatine, amino acids AREâŠ
A pretty common component of these supplements. One thing they all have in common is that they all promote muscle growth and an increase in overall body mass. They help you gain strengthen and may even help âbufferâ your muscles during more intense routines- which is basically a way of delaying the onset of muscle fatigue.
The upside of drinking pre-workout drinks
Although the ingredients may vary from supplement-to-supplement brand, the common denominator, are the upsides of how it can truly improve a workout. Working out and physical activity has become somewhat of a science in recent years, and all to accomplish five main benefits. As published by Cornell University, these five main benefits include, increase energy, stay focused, increased blood flow, enhance fat loss, and quicker recovery.
This overarching summary of why to drink pre-workout drinks, is a great reason to incorporate it into a daily routine, but at what cost?
Down Sides of pre workout powders
While many athletes, and gym rats, are eager in using these supplements, there might also be some downsides. Texashealth.org had a chance to connect with Kelly Johnson-arbor, M.D., a medical toxicologist, and the co-medical director for the National Capital Poison Center. He states, that one of the downsides of these drinks with highly concentrated amounts of caffeine can result in higher risk of anxiety, tremors, heart palpitations, chest pain, and seizures.
Additionally, it is important to note that the ingredients in supplements are not regulated, which means that there are many risks of unknown ingredients being added, contamination, and mislabeling. There is a high probability that what you think you are buying and what is marketed to you on the supplement packaging, is not actually what you will be paying for. Itâs a sad reality, but for a lot of people, it is a risk that many are willing to take for the sake of positive workout results.
While the probability of something risky occurring or experiencing a negative side effect may not be that common, it really all depends on the individual state of each personâs body and their current level of tolerance towards working out and supplements.
In an article written by Eatingwell.com, titled, âWhat Happens to Your Body When You Take Pre-Workout Supplement Every Day,â their bottom line suggestion is to always check with a health care provider if you have any concerns about what supplements you are using.
BUT WHY NOT SKIP The Supplements ALL TOGETHER & Replace it with something natural and fresh.
Part of our food philosophy is knowing and understanding exactly what is going into our bodies. Although food labeling can be pretty accurate at times, sometimes it is unsettling not knowing the full truth. So, what better way of knowing the truth than doing it yourself.
There is no argument that having some kind of pre workout drink or is necessary to help the body get started and recover affectively. So, we have a perfect alternative to the pre-workout supplements that are getting your wallet going and keeping your taste buds bored.
Our perfect pre-workout Berry-Beet smoothie!
Nutritional Breakdown of our âBerry Beet Smoothieâ
In the past we have raved over our pineapple beet smoothie. Although we mostly talked about the health benefits when considering beets for detoxing and fasting, we also brushed the surface in mentioning the benefits of beets when considering athletic performance.
According to the NIH, beet juice increases levels of nitric oxide (NO), which serves to increase blood flow, and strengthening muscle contraction. The study finds that the root juice is able to improve cardiorespiratory performance. The study also finds that they recommend drinking the juice within 90 minutes before a workout for the peak value of the juice to take effect.
That is why, our favorite way to start off any work out, whether it is cardio or resistance training, is with a beet-based smoothie. We have felt the effects firsthand and rave over our easy and delicious pre-workout drink. Although we have not personally been a part of some kind of study, every time we drink this before a workout- we can see the difference in overall performance. Beet are none to help with so many more areas of health including, weight loss, lowering blood pressure, promoting blood flow to the brain, boosting the overall immune system, and heart health- just to name a few.
Nutritional Facts
Here is a simple breakdown of an estimated nutritional fact sheet of our smoothie:
Our Process Overview
Berry Beet Pre-Workout Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 Juicer Can be any type, as long as you are able to fully juice your beet
- 1 Blender This can be a blender or a ninja blender. There are many option to get the same result
- 1 Measuring Cups The cups will help you accurately create the right proportions for the recommended serving size
- 1 Cutting Board Not to name the obvious, but you will definitely want to use a board to chop your beets
- 1 Knife Make sure you use the right knife that can easily cut through your beets
- 1 Strainer (optional) A strainer can help remove any left over seeds from the berries and make the smoothie texture, smooth
Ingredients
- 1 Red Beet Try to choose a size that is medium
- 1 Banana Ripe bananas are best, in order to get the nice sweet taste
- 1 Cup Mixed Frozen Berries Can be any kind but we chose the organic berry mix from Trader Joes
- 1 Cup Filtered Water
Instructions
- Chop your beet into medium sized strips
- Juice the chopped up pieces of beets using your juicer
- Pour the beet juice into the blender
- peel your banana and add the full banana into the blender along with the beet juice
- Measure 1 cup of mixed berries using one of your measuring cups. Add the frozen mixed berries to the blender
- Measure 1 cup of filtered water and add it to the blender
- Then Blend everything for about 1 minute
- Once you have everything blended, we recommend that you strain the smoothie through a fine strainer to remove any berry seed
- Finally, you should have about 4 cups (or 4 servings) of beet juice! You're ready to take on your next high intense workout
Notes
Will You try our berry beet smoothie!?!
Whether you’re a runner, surfer, swimmer, cyclist, or weightlifter this smoothie might be the perfect way to start your routine on the perfect note. Let us know if you end up trying this smoothie before your next workout. If you do, remember to drink it within a 90-minute period before working out, to allow the vitamins and nutrients to be absorbed in your body.
We would love to hear if this worked for you đ and if you noticed a difference in your workout routine.
Read two of our past Smoothie Recipes
