Think beetroot powder is just color? Think performance.

Beetroot is instantly recognizable for its intense red-purple appearance. For food and beverage manufacturers, that color has long been one of its most obvious attractions.

But there is more behind the red.

Beetroot contains naturally occurring pigments called betalains, including betanin, which are responsible for its characteristic color. At the same time, beetroot can also be a source of dietary nitrate, a compound that has made beetroot an increasingly discussed ingredient in sports and performance nutrition.

That combination makes beetroot particularly interesting: it can bring visual impact to a formulation while also carrying a much broader ingredient story.

But what exactly is the difference between beetroot powder and beetroot extract? Why is nitrate attracting attention in sports nutrition? And what should formulators look for when selecting a beetroot ingredient?

Here is what is behind the red.

Beetroot at a glance

Beetroot, Beta vulgaris, can be processed into several ingredient formats, including whole-root powders, juice powders, concentrates and extracts.

These formats should not automatically be considered interchangeable.

Depending on the raw material and manufacturing process, beetroot ingredients can differ considerably in:

• betalain content
• nitrate concentration
• flavor and aroma
• solubility
• color intensity
• particle size
• carrier content
• concentration and standardization
• suitability for different applications

This distinction becomes especially important when beetroot is being selected not only for its color, but for a specific compositional characteristic such as nitrate.

Why is beetroot so intensely red?

The characteristic red-purple color of beetroot comes primarily from a group of water-soluble pigments known as betalains.

Betalains are generally divided into two main groups:

Betacyanins provide red to violet tones, while betaxanthins are associated with yellow to orange shades.

In red beetroot, one of the best-known betacyanins is betanin.

These pigments have attracted considerable interest in food technology because they can provide vibrant natural color to products including beverages, confectionery, dairy applications, desserts and other food systems.

This makes beetroot an attractive ingredient when formulators are looking for strong visual impact from a plant-derived source.

However, color stability depends heavily on the application.

Betalains can be sensitive to factors such as: temperature, light, oxygen, processing conditions, storage, water activity, pH.

Different drying and extraction processes can therefore have a meaningful influence on both pigment concentration and final color performance. 

For product developers, this means that the question is not simply:

“Does this ingredient contain beetroot?”

A better question is:

“Which beetroot format fits the formulation?”

And color is only the beginning.

The colorless side of beetroot: nitrate

One of the most interesting compounds associated with beetroot has no color at all.

Nitrate.

Dietary nitrate is naturally present in a range of vegetables, particularly leafy greens and certain root vegetables. Beetroot has become one of the most widely researched dietary sources in exercise science.

The reason is the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway:

NO₃⁻ → NO₂⁻ → NO

After nitrate is consumed, part of it enters a pathway in which nitrate is reduced to nitrite and subsequently to nitric oxide (NO).

Oral bacteria play an important role in this process, making the oral microbiome part of the nitrate story as well. Nitric oxide itself is an important signaling molecule involved in several physiological processes, including vascular regulation.

This pathway is one of the main reasons dietary nitrate and nitrate-rich beetroot preparations have received so much attention in exercise and sports nutrition research.

Why is beetroot showing up in sports nutrition?

This is where beetroot becomes especially interesting.

Beetroot and dietary nitrate have been studied in relation to exercise efficiency, endurance performance and physiological responses to exercise.

Research has investigated nitrate-rich beetroot across a wide range of sports. In endurance-oriented disciplines, studies include:

Cycling
Running and athletics
Triathlon
Rowing
Cross-country skiing
Swimming

A more recent meta-analysis focusing on maximal oxygen uptake found a small overall association with improved VO₂max/VO₂peak, with clearer effects in recreationally active participants.

What should manufacturers look for in a beetroot ingredient?

When selecting beetroot powder or beetroot extract powder, product developers should look beyond appearance.

1. Nitrate specification

If the product concept involves sports nutrition or nitrate, knowing the actual nitrate content is essential.

Do not assume nitrate concentration based on color intensity.

2. Betalain content

For applications where beetroot's characteristic red-purple appearance matters, betalain concentration and color performance become more important.

3. Standardization

An ingredient that is standardized to a defined component may make formulation and batch-to-batch consistency easier.

The exact specification should always be reviewed.

4. Solubility and dispersibility

A beverage has very different technical requirements from a capsule, tablet or powdered blend.

5. Sensory profile

Beetroot can bring characteristic earthy notes. Depending on the product concept, this can either support the sensory profile or require masking.

6. Processing stability

Heat, light, oxygen and other processing conditions can affect betalain stability and therefore the final appearance of the product.

7. Carrier systems and additional ingredients

Some dried extracts and juice powders use carrier materials to support drying, stability or handling.

These should be considered when comparing specifications.