Best Brain Foods: Greens and Beets Put to the Test

[@MictheVegan]

He beets me. But srsly I’m coincidentally eating a lot of beets right now and I feel really good about myself.

[@Phyto_Chemicals]

Me too, but it's no coincidence, beets are in season right now!

[@ApexRevolution]

Mic don't you know that vegetables contain natural plant toxins and what you should actually do is drink a liter of olive oil everyday?

[@Freya27395]

@@ApexRevolution lol nice try

[@sonja4164]

😂😂😂

[@sonja4164]

@@ApexRevolution Hahahahahahaha That's the key to heart health!

[@Joseph1NJ]

Beets, arugula, and red onion salad. Sliced fruit with coaco powder.

[@msjw1997]

You rock!

[@gf4353]

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.

[@rafal777jojoboy5]

Beets,arugula and onion? That is not going to taste really good :D

[@rafal777jojoboy5]

I'd put something to distract the flavor in there like roasted sweet potatoes,brown rice etc

[@Joseph1NJ]

@@rafal777jojoboy5 Well, make whatever tastes good to you. I like those three ingredients, especially roasted beets. The dressing, contrary to the good Doc's recommendations, a little EVOO, red wine vinegar, S&P, that's it.

[@onetwo4833]

My Preworkout: Beetroot Juice, Watermelon Juice, Arugula, Acerolas and Garlic. Lots of synergism in there.

[@MrToontuber]

..and oxolates too.

[@boethia7367]

​@@MrToontuber Oxalates arnt bad. They negative is some minerals are less available for adsorption with just that meal. If youre eating plenty theyre nothing to concern yourself with.

[@cookie-jp8fz]

Thats awesome as I love greens. Im definitely going to get back into eating beetroot after watching this. Thanks Dr Greger 👍

[@lloydchristmas4547]

Interesting you said that because this reminds me to get back on the beet juice before workout.

[@soloman1661]

@@lloydchristmas4547 w qq awaaqww

[@Hawlkeye-e9p]

As an athlete i have know this for years and started incorporating back in 2009. A long with watercress

[@arallskiant9923]

Dope, so I will need to feed more plants to my elders to convince them to eat more plants 😵

[@oaktree2406]

Lol

[@wiseblueman8814]

Cold beetroot soup has a hipp pink colour and is great in the summer (boiled beetroot,dill, vegan sourcream/yoghurt, Lemonjuice/vinegar, salt/pepper >blend +diced pickle)

[@Gee90210]

Doc. You have done a lot to bring attention positive effects of plant food

[@waynejunior9010]

I appreciate what you do doctor! have a wonderful day

[@emilywolff4334]

I can't get enough of your videos! Thank you SO much for putting this information out there.

[@MikeCola]

When I regularly drink a cup of beet juice right before a hard (HIT) cardio workout. I perform about 10% better. The only issue is....I don't want the calories (sugar) from the juice. I've been experimenting with beetroot powder but have not had as good of a response. Going to try another brand of beetroot powder.

[@VishalChomal]

Thank you for sharing the study and results.

[@whatwouldhousedo5136]

Wonder if nitrates can influence dopamine receptors- thinking Parkinsons and other related disorders. Complex exercise has been shown to help (meaning sustained exercise where there is also a lot of quick decision making involved like many sports, not just plodding on a treadmill).

[@jaimiefinancial9246]

How much beet juice should be consumed daily? A cup or just a slice of it added to my green smoothie? Thanks.

[@debbiemoore1561]

I haven't read all the comments so this may have already been asked and answered. Where does one get quality beat juice? Do I need to buy a juicer? If so, any recommendations? Is juice recommend because of concentration? For instance, how many whole beets would one have to eat to equal 1 cup of beet juice?

[@garethbaus5471]

Juicers aren't particularly expensive but they take up a lot of space and only do one thing so I would suggest going the route of adding a beat or two to any smoothies you might make.

[@jyeah2]

Dr. Greger, Thank you :)

[@KrwiomoczBogurodzicy]

What about cooked betroots? I buy them cooked and ready to eat in those vacuum-packed bags (cause it's cheaper than fresh raw beetroots).

[@cruznvo9756]

Krwiomocz.Bogurodzicy Ⓥ I’d say precooked is better than any Canned Beets🤮. I cheat and buy precooked on occasion... but if you have Instant pot, makes cooking fresh beets a breeze😊

[@boethia7367]

Fresh is superior, but there are still benefits to precooked. ❤ Just a little less of a boost.

[@FaDx92]

For fast food solution: buy already cocked organic beetroot, cut, add natural salt and organic lemon juice, taste very good.

[@simgot3530]

Does the beet have to be raw, uncooked?

[@happygirl9485]

He reminds me of Dr. Fleischman from Northern Exposure by the way he talks. Thanks for the information.

[@Whoopsitsnia]

Dwight Schrute takes another W

[@jc-tu6pg]

if not for lionel nation i would never have found out about dr. gregor. dr gregor has been such a huge blessing in my life!

[@doblerollo7952]

Good to know, I'll keep putting beets in my pre-workout smoothie!!

[@turbonbc]

Yeah or beet juice powder works too when on the go or no beets at hand :)

[@sungheelee9358]

Doble Rollo me too!!

[@sungheelee9358]

Doble Rollo Me too!💪💪

[@SsgBence]

Is one beet enough, or should I take more to feel its effect?

[@doblerollo7952]

@@SsgBence I usually put a medium size beet and I find it very useful for cardio training 👍

[@Phyto_Chemicals]

Best foods to prevent heart disease as well!!

[@jmseipp]

I don't really like Beets at all but I can LEARN to like them!!

[@The1234craig]

You can get it in capsules to swallow or powder to put in smoothies.

[@diegonayalazo]

Thanks Dr.

[@Zeno7741]

I love this channel. Keep it coming !

[@robertaxelrod6303]

On the cocoa powder subject, is there a comparison or understanding about comparative aspects of cacao powder?

[@volition51]

Does cooking deplete or damage the nitrites?

[@enasksenos]

Thanks Dr. Much appreciated!!!

[@konstantinosb9566]

Thank you

[@karliepatterson2803]

+++++++Dr. Gregor could you discuss any nutrients/foods that are helpful in slowing Interstitual lung disease caused by rheumatoid arthritis? I always had a high RF level, not horrible 200-300. I never had classic symptoms of RA but did have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. I am trying to slow this disease progression. Thanks for signing my book :)

[@b.p.mensch8040]

Hi, I com from Germany ,and I love your Video´s. sorry my english is not good.

[@DubKc]

You did good!

[@oriasol2040]

Wonderful info as always. Thanks Doc.

[@sillyfly9530]

Interesting. Two thoughts come to mind after watching this - 1. If the effect is primarily in the region of the brain responsible for executive functioning, could nitrate-rich diets be extra beneficial for people with ADHD, as it is mostly a deficiency in executive functioning? Are there any studies testing this? 2. What are some food rich in nitrates? Drinking 2 cups of beetroot juice a day sounds like a lot of red urine, and arugula is kinda trick to find where I am, and when I do find it - it goes bad after 2 days in the fridge. Any more robust or richer alternatives? Thanks!

[@sillyfly9530]

@Alex Small Thanks! I'll look it up!

[@sillyfly9530]

I have also found another of his videos listing fennel seeds - couldn't find a comparison, but from that other video it sounded like they pack much more nitrate than beetroot...

[@Joseph1NJ]

I'm glad you said red urine. I had a beet and red onion salad the other day, and my urine was colored dark slightly. For a moment is was unnerving, then I remembered the beet salad.

[@kelleyking]

Joseph1NJ I thought he meant that beer juice tasted like pi**.

[@anuradhavaddy5976]

​@@Joseph1NJ😅

[@58gennaro]

wonder if the beet powder really is beneficial?

[@The1234craig]

Beet powder is usually made from beet juice so yes, not only good for the brain, but also cardiovascular, liver, and gallbladder health.

[@myHealthSciences]

Wonder if this could be used to help slow cognitive decline in dementia patients

[@DadsDishes]

Love the "beet" /" beat" pun.

[@maolife947]

I'm definitely going to find some beet juice before my exam today lol

[@Joseph1NJ]

So beet juice good or bad? Just 8 oz. has 20 grams of sugar. I thought we were against juices/processed foods?

[@cancerousamphibian625]

AGREED JOSEPH, eating whole beets would be SO much better.

[@fairelaine]

Would borscht (soup) be beneficial?

[@АнглийскийУмник]

Yes. Boiled beetroots are still beneficial.

[@gf4353]

THEY SURVIVED ON THAT IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS.

[@АнглийскийУмник]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZPPdqGortiJf6M

[@thehitman57]

Very good video

[@reaperkollyns6495]

Question: Is having low HDL detrimental if your LDL is also low? (trig 87 - total 122 - HDL 39 - LDL 66). I got it up to 46 one year, but my roommate is convinced I'm damaging my heart by having low HDL. Any articles or input welcome. Thanks.

[@theancientsancients1769]

Higher HDL should be your goal. Things like fish oil supplements can increase that ✌

[@berlinwall6674]

What do nitrates do?

[@imageinkdesign]

Yes, he ‘beets’ most of us...however, must he exhibit perfect tone and cadence as well?

[@tbuffi3790]

I wonder if pickled beets are ok

[@jaya570]

Very good Info

[@adamaj74]

I like how his videos just seem to end all abruptly. I'm checking to see if I lost volume, nope that's just the end of the video. lol

[@pdude1911]

Apple Beet Carrot juice ftw! 😊

[@gbubemia]

Great video! Thanks doc!!! Is the oxalate in beets not a cause for concern??

[@aviatedviewssound4798]

there is no oxalates in beets itself only in beet greens.

[@JonasAnandaKristiansson]

@@aviatedviewssound4798 for a non native Eng, what you mean only in beet greens? Thx!

[@aviatedviewssound4798]

@@JonasAnandaKristiansson The leaves on a beetroot's head.

[@Sandrae7560]

Can I use the powder and get the same results?

[@AndrewPawley11]

I love this channel!

[@bachi2012]

Excellent video thanks for the incredible information

[@snoor9252]

So how much beet juice or what amount of beets will be effective?

[@samk6209]

Hi. I started drinking beetroot powder..my poo and vee turned red. Is that normal?

[@Bloxeh]

yes, it is

[@humbledpi8227]

Si

[@IzzyWizzy691]

There are two things here about this cognitive research performed on people. 1) how confidence are we here to predicate the improvement to the beat juice? It could also be that the results just come from a natural learning curve of the brain and 2) who are test subjects here? Are they average and random picked healthy or are they from a cohort?

[@Ck-zw2dx]

Will V8 do the same thing

[@The1234craig]

Probably not, it's mostly tomato juice, with a little bit of other vegetables added.

[@kediryebre200]

what a teacher

[@MichelleSeltzer252]

Does this work for children with developmental delays and autism?

[@mathdon1106]

hey, where do i leave my question to be answered on his next live show please?

[@henriqueegerdecn]

In the chat of the live stream?

[@mathdon1106]

@@henriqueegerdecn naw? it seems people pre post them somewhere,

[@michaelonello1022]

Interesting...!

[@Hyper-Linkman]

ADHD as I've come to understand (I'm not an expert, but I have it) is an executive functioning disease, where basically the pre-frontal cortex isn't as active as it is in 'neurotypical' people. Could this increase in CBF from nitrate rich foods have any significant impact on the future treatment of ADHD? I would like to get away from ADHD medication eventually, so this connection seems somewhat hopeful.

[@BagelBagelBagel]

I have a very healthy relationship with my stimulant medication since I have been Whole food plant based. I have not had to increase dose for 9 months, which is about the same span of time I've been scrupulous with WFPB. When I was eating animals and more processed oils I would get all the standard yucky side effects, cold extremeties, tachycardia, etc. Now I get them here or there, but otherwise I have no problem. I took a tolerance break for a couple of weeks 4 months ago so I didn't have to up the dose, and I'm sure my diet allowed for a smoother transition off and back on to dexedrine/dextrostat (the one I've found most success.with)

[@markveganism5003]

Would beetroot powder still hold the same nutrients?

[@mariagradilla296]

I close proximity of each other in other words exercise then drink beer juice ?

[@henriqueegerdecn]

Yes drink BEER juice

[@ImaDoWatIWant]

Okay but what was the placebo? Air? Because after you eat almost anything you could have improvements in functioning simply because it gives you energy

[@dighyfveirfuveifbuv4420]

Is rocket still the best source of NO?

[@williamfaubion1082]

What if you want the benefit of beet but hate the taste of them, would a beet supplement work?

[@The1234craig]

yes, you can get it in capsules.

[@Daphles]

So... beet root shots before a biochemistry exam? I'll try!

[@Ck-zw2dx]

Can you buy beetroot juice or we'll have to pull out my $400 juicer

[@positivekarolina1260]

Oh well I was just about to make beetroot smoothie 🙈

[@saminyousaf1034]

You are idiot

[@Curt_Randall]

so only beet juice is this beneficial, not whole beets? it is difficult to find pure beet juice in stores without other stuff added to it. and I certainly am not going to buy a juicer and juice my own beets. I hear it takes many beets to make just one cup of juice.

[@aurorajones8481]

I bet this will work for me with my motorcycle. I have to make split second decisions while cutting through traffic at speed and on the track. I work out too so this is good news. Bad news I hate beets. Good news i love smoothies, bad news i require TWO FULL CUPS OF THIS?! Yikes. Thats gonna impact the taste buds.

[@dialecticalspectacle]

You ought to look at the oxalate content in these foods.

[@victolopez9808]

Fantástico!

[@Torch_Vs]

What if you have rosacea and anything that dialates blood vessels makes you red as a beet? Answer me that please

[@You-are-right-but]

Put it to the test

[@veganbanana4687]

and DHA in all that ?

[@skiptrace1888]

Can't beat tge beet! :-))))

[@Bajoli86]

I lost a couple of games of aoe3 yesterday versus a friend who eats the unhealthiest crap you can possibly imagine. And i lost them very badly (normally we where like 50-50%). I am on a plantbased diet (daily dozen) and he is on the "white bread with chocopasta+pizza" diet. But yes i had an asthma attack during those games, while he is able to run half a f'ing marathon and i sport 5 hours a week myself. PLZ explain to me why...I take the best B12 supplements, D3, omega 3 etc.

[@znojnyj]

Just are a beet for dinner in hopes it'll improve my inflammation situation ;P

[@znojnyj]

It's worked by the way in case anyone's wondering

[@froesesp]

I often eat beets anyways.

[@milenaseymour446]

Going to get some beets now :)

[@tosca...]

Awesome results. Pity the delivery is so badly done my neuron plasticity kept wanting me to click elsewhere ;)

[@dcgfhgjnzgfnjcbgn5828]

NutritionFacts.org in your description, you say "nitrite-rich vegetables". I think you mean "nitrate-rich vegetables". I believe Dr. Greger talks about the detrimental effects of nitrites, which are added to processed meats to preserve color. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe nitrates are really good for us, and nitrites are really bad for us. I think you guys made a rather important typo.

[@fuckingpotatoes5624]

I know I should exercise, but I'm just sooooo lazy. 😥😂

[@kalopascha]

wouldnt be better to just eat beet whole and not juice it, like apple oranges etc ??

[@josephd.4615]

The mayority of beets I get at markets have a bland flavor, only If I am lucky I get one that is sweet and tasty. Any tips on how to pick them?

[@someguy2135]

You don't pick them. You dig them up. ;^)

[@moviedude22]

A video on boosting brain and cognitive function that includes playing football as an example case test. Curious, what are the top 5 Nitrate Rich veggies that we should be consuming?

[@kalopascha]

nutritionfacts.org/video/vegetables-rate-by-nitrate/

[@al-rahimtailor8053]

In 6 hours, >6K views.

[@pbredder]

Dr Greger talks too fast!!!

[@PinkAmadeus]

Why beet juice and not the whole beet, boiled or raw? It seems to me that the whole beet would be more beneficial than just its juice, organic or not.

[@someguy2135]

Probably to make a placebo possible. The whole beet should be effective too.

[@PinkAmadeus]

@@someguy2135 Yes; you're right.

[@martharowen6801]

The whole beet is more beneficial in other ways, with more fiber and less concentrated sugar. It is not an extracted, refined food, as all juices are. That said, the juice is a concentrated product so probably has a higher percentage of nitrates. I admit that I'll drink a 3-4 oz shot of beet juice before a long run or a race in hopes it gives my arteries a boost. However, in general, I stick to whole foods.

[@rashie]

👍👍

[@AmberFrancesca]

Would stevia be considered a green, yellow, or red light food and why?

[@kingmike40]

My brain needs all the help it can get. I'll eat this stuff by the truck load.

[@veg]

Beets building your brain O_O

[@andym28]

The beet beats the disease.

[@j.c.lacroix5152]

So, this begs the question - what's the most nitrate rich vegetable? Is it beets? Am plant noob.

[@leadelephante]

In another video arugula (rocket lettuce) was shown to have the highest nitrate content

[@j.c.lacroix5152]

Awesome - thanks! SO MUCH INFO :-)

[@someguy2135]

@@leadelephante That video is well worth watching too.

[@rinkuhero]

hibiscus, while not a "vegetable" that you eat normally, is also high in it. i think beets and hibiscus are the two big ones.

[@Tehstool]

@@rinkuhero Do you have a source for that?

[@Falafelzebub]

"You can't beet that." :P

[@josephd.4615]

I like this pun xD

[@sonja4164]

LOL smh

[@Ryansarcade9]

B L O O D F L O W

[@grubi450]

But do they beat Battlestar Galactica?

[@jeanpaulchristian7819]

*funded by the beetroot industry*

[@jotamaran7557]

Big beetroot is coming for us.

[@josephd.4615]

@@jotamaran7557 lol

[@lindanelson4963]

😂😂😂

[@positivekarolina1260]

Beet pharma, Broccoli should sue them 🤐

[@shahsunil2]

@@jeanpaulchristian7819 Go ahead, dine eat any of those attacking beets.. you’ll never remember whether you did or not..🫣😉