Perhaps you’ve noticed the sudden rise of superfood blends as coffee alternatives - those cozy golden lattes made from turmeric or frothy hot drinks made from beetroot. They scream “wellness” - but did you know these superfoods support exercise and fitness too?

It’s something that’s always stumped me - the way we think of health in silos, and how we see it on the shelf at the store follows suit. If you check out the supplement aisle at Whole Foods, the general wellness products are kept far from the performance products. This silo in particular was part of the reason I started Aila. I couldn’t understand why the wellness products were made from clean and organic ingredients, yet the performance products (your pre-workout for example) were made with creatine, artificial flavors and high stimulant levels. They often manifest in a sort of lime green mystery powder and come with a warning label that says “don’t consume for more than 8 weeks.” Uh, what? I wanted a product I could use before my workout that was made of all whole food ingredients.

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That’s where my incessant superfood research began and an obsession was born. Ingredients like beetroot, spirulina and even turmeric can support exercise performance and help you feel good while doing it. 

Here’s a few of my favorites and why they’re great. 

Beetroot for Improved Blood Flow:

Beetroot is a red root vegetable, and is a great source of fiber, vitamin B9, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Beetroot is also rich in natural chemicals called nitrates. Your body turns these nitrates to nitric oxide, which helps with blood flow and transporting oxygen to your muscles more efficiently.

This oxygen availability of course supports better physical performance, so much so that studies have shown beetroot to improve endurance in athletes. The studies have also reflected improvements in lengthening the time to exhaustion in runners. 

Spirulina for Boosting Endurance:

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that grows in fresh water as well as salt water. It’s an antioxidant powerhouse, can help to reduce inflammation, and was first used by the Aztecs as an endurance booster.

Recent studies have shown that Spirulina has beneficial effects on muscle endurance and exercise performance. In two studies specifically, Spirulina enhanced endurance, significantly increasing the time it took for the people in said study to feel fatigued.

What’s more, it can also help to balance cholesterol levels, lowering the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing the good cholesterol (HDL). It’s even been proven to reduce body fat.

Turmeric for Reducing Inflammation:

Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant, and antioxidants help to remove damaging free radicals from our system. A number of studies have shown how beneficial turmeric can be for athletes. One  found that with Turmeric supplementation, muscle soreness and damage were reduced after an intense exercise session. Efficient muscle recovery and support is pivotal to the longevity of your fitness and wellness routine, and staying healthy overall.

Use code STASIS20 for 20% off your next Aila order.

So, if I haven’t convinced you in these 300-500 words, reach out! I would love to chat with you about it. Or, check out our site. We’re launching a few new products in February and I can’t wait to share :) In the meantime, toss out that C4!

Recommended Reading: 

• The effects of beetroot juice supplementation on exercise economy, rating of perceived exertion and running mechanics in elite distance runners: A double-blinded, randomized study 
• Curcumin and Piperine Supplementation and Recovery Following Exercise Induced Muscle Damage: A Randomized Controlled Trial
• Systematic Physical Exercise and Spirulina maxima Supplementation Improve Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Blood Lipid Profile: Correlations of a Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial

About Aila:

Aila is an active wellness brand. By way of functional superfood blends, we make better energy on-the-go and for active lifestyles. Our vision is to bridge the gap between wellness and performance. Gone is the age of being overly caffeinated and lacking nutrition. Aila sets the stage for your most free and powerful state - giving you the energy to unlock what’s already inside and letting you just run with it.