Beet

A red-purple root vegetable (Beta vulgaris) used in bars as beet powder or beet juice concentrate for natural color, mild earthy sweetness, and a source of dietary nitrates and betalain antioxidants.

Should I eat Beet?

Beet is a safe, minimally processed natural color for most people, with small potential performance benefits only at higher nitrate intakes. Main cautions are oxalates for kidney stone formers and benign beeturia.

Summary

In foods, beet usually appears as powder or juice concentrate to add a red hue at very low levels. Major regulators permit these uses and have not identified safety concerns at typical exposures. Beetroot can supply nitrate that modestly supports endurance at higher doses and contains antioxidant pigments (betalains), but products colored with beet usually do not deliver meaningful amounts. People with a history of calcium‑oxalate stones should moderate intake, and anyone may notice temporary beeturia. Occasional GI upset occurs mainly with large, concentrated doses rather than the small amounts used for color.

Key Research Benefits

Clean-label natural red color

Provides vivid red/pink color from betanin and is authorized by major regulators.

Modest exercise support at adequate doses

Dietary nitrate from beetroot can slightly improve endurance or time-to-exhaustion when consumed at higher trial doses.

Antioxidant pigments (betalains)

Betanin and other betalains act as antioxidants, contributing to beet’s healthful profile.

Key Research Risks

High oxalate content

May contribute to calcium‑oxalate kidney stone risk in susceptible people; hydration and pairing with calcium-rich foods can help.

Beeturia (red urine/stool)

A benign and temporary color change that occurs in a minority of people, more often with iron deficiency or malabsorption.

GI upset at high doses

Large amounts of beet juice or concentrates used in performance trials can cause mild stomach discomfort or loose stool in some.

Overview

What is it?

Source: Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)

Method: Wash and macerate; juice, concentrate and/or dry; mill to powder

Processing Level: 1 / 10

Why is it used?

Purpose: Natural red colorant that also provides small amounts of dietary nitrate and antioxidant pigments.

Commonly found in: Energy bars, Sports drinks, Yogurt, Meat analogs, Confectionery

Why manufacturers choose it: Strong, label-friendly red color at very low use levels and broad regulatory acceptance.

Origin

Beetroot descends from the wild sea beet along the Mediterranean. Ancient Greeks and Romans used beets for food and remedies; swollen-root forms became common in Europe by the Middle Ages, and modern cultivars spread worldwide. Sugar beet and chard are close relatives within the Beta vulgaris complex.

Process: Wash and macerate; juice, concentrate and/or dry; mill to powder

Steps

1. Clean & Prepare: Beets are washed, trimmed, and chopped or macerated.

2. Juice/Extract: Cells are crushed to release juice rich in betanin and nitrates.

3. Clarify & Pasteurize: Juice is filtered/clarified and heat-treated for safety and stability.

4. Concentrate or Dry: Evaporate to concentrate or drum/freeze-dry into powder.

5. Mill & Sieve: Dried product milled and sized; packaged for ingredient use.

Chemicals

Research & Safety

Research Summary

Beet in packaged foods usually appears as beet powder or beet juice concentrate to provide a red/pink hue. Regulators allow these uses, and EFSA concluded beetroot red (E162) is not of safety concern at reported levels; in the US, beet powder/juice are listed color additives exempt from certification. Typical coloring use is tiny (around 0.05–0.1% of a product), so the nutrient and nitrate contribution is modest. Research on beetroot’s dietary nitrate shows small, statistically significant improvements in some endurance outcomes, but the effective trial doses (about 500–1,000 mg nitrate/day) are higher than what you’d get from most foods colored with beet. Beet pigments (betalains) act as antioxidants, though clinical disease-prevention effects remain uncertain. Practical considerations include oxalate content—which matters for kidney stone formers—and benign beeturia, which can alarm people but is not harmful.

Digestive Effects

Most people tolerate the small amounts used for color with no issues. At higher intakes (e.g., concentrated juices used for performance), some report stomach discomfort, gas, or loose stool; this is usually mild and dose-related. Beeturia, a red discoloration of urine or stool after beet intake, can occur and is benign. People with sensitive digestion or FODMAP concerns may find large portions of beet or concentrated products bloating.

Limit Consumption

People with calcium‑oxalate kidney stones or those advised to follow low‑oxalate diets should moderate beet intake or pair it with calcium-containing foods and good hydration. Individuals with iron deficiency may notice beeturia more often; the color change is benign but can be startling. For infants and young children, there are no special restrictions beyond general regulations for color additives in infant foods; follow national guidance. Athletes seeking performance benefits should note that effective nitrate doses exceed what is typically present in products where beet is used only as a colorant.

Fact Sheet

Regulatory Status

US FDA: Whole beet is a conventional food; beet powder/juice as color additives are listed in 21 CFR Part 73 (exempt from certification).

EU Status: Beetroot red (E162) authorized; EFSA: not of safety concern at reported uses.

Codex INS: E162 (Beetroot Red/Betanin)

JECFA ADI: Not specified (natural coloring principles; no numerical ADI set).

ESG & Sustainability

Environmental Footprint: As a field-grown root crop, impacts depend on irrigation and fertilizer; low processing energy for drying increases footprint vs. concentrates.

Sustainability: Widely cultivated vegetable; by-product streams (peels, pulp) can be valorized; coloring concentrates reduce volume shipped.

Animal Welfare: Plant-based ingredient; no direct animal-welfare concerns.

Carbon Footprint: Lower than animal-derived ingredients; drying to powder adds energy use vs. juice concentrates.