When it comes to beverage choices, a fresh juice is smart shout no matter what, but adding one super vegetable to your blend could give your brain as well as your body a major boost.

According to a new study by scientists at Wake Forest University, drinking beetroot juice before working out makes the brain of older adults perform more efficiently, mimicking the workings of a younger brain. So how exactly does it work? Well; the purple stuff contains a high level of dietary nitrate, which is converted to nitrite and then nitric oxide (NO) when consumed. NO increases blood flow in the body, and multiple studies have shown it can improve exercise performance in people of various ages. “We knew, going in, that a number of studies had shown that exercise has positive effects on the brain,” said W. Jack Rejeski, study co-author. “But what we showed in this brief training study of hypertensive older adults was that, as compared to exercise alone, adding a beet root juice supplement to exercise resulted in brain connectivity that closely resembles what you see in younger adults.” The study shows how important it is to make smart food choices as we age in order to help avoid brain deterioration and just one dose of beetroot juice daily can make a difference. We'll be stocking up in the weekly shop this weekend.