I first made this because I had a bag of beetroot going soft in the fridge and half a punnet of blueberries that were not going to see another day. What came out of it was better than either of them deserved. It is dark, almost black in the glass, sweet at the front and tart at the back, and it has a lot more going on than plain beetroot juice, which I have always found a bit like drinking soil. Two glasses from one go. I make it on afternoons when I have a long stretch of work ahead of me and I want my head clear for it.
Why these ingredients work
Blueberries carry the stronger evidence of the two. They are rich in anthocyanins, the pigments that make the skin that deep blue-black, and a double-blind trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2023 found that wild blueberry polyphenols improved both vascular function and cognitive performance in healthy older adults. That is one trial and not a promise, but it is more than most brain food claims have sitting behind them.
Beetroot is the more complicated one. The nitrates in it convert to nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels, and that part is well established. Whether that widening translates into sharper thinking is a separate question. Trials testing beetroot juice against cognitive tasks have been mixed, with some showing a benefit and at least one careful dose study finding nothing at all. I still drink it. The blood flow side is real, and a glass of this gives you around 700mg of potassium and 150mg of sodium, which is more mineral content than most juices manage. Beetroot also brings a useful amount of folate, and it carries its own sugar, about 23g in a glass. Worth knowing if you are counting it.
FAQ
Do you need to peel beetroot before juicing?
Not for a juicer. Scrub it properly under cold water and cut the leafy top off an inch above the root, and that is enough. The skin holds colour and a bit of fibre, and peeling it by hand is a messy job for very little gain. A blender is different. Peel it there, because the skin breaks down into small gritty bits that a sieve will not catch.
Does beetroot and blueberry juice taste earthy?
Less than beetroot juice on its own, which is the whole reason the blueberries are in there. They bring the tartness that stops it tasting like a root vegetable, so it comes out sweet first with a sharp finish behind it. It is still a strong drink. If it is too much for you, top the glass up with cold water or pour it over ice. It lightens considerably.
How long does beetroot and blueberry juice keep?
Drink it fresh. It separates within a couple of minutes, which is normal and not a fault, so give it a stir before every sip. In the fridge in a bottle filled right to the top it will hold for a day, but the tart edge goes and the colour dulls. One thing worth knowing before you start: beetroot turns urine and stools pink for a day afterwards. It is called beeturia and it is harmless, but it alarms people the first time it happens.
More brain recipes: see the full Brain collection.
Beetroot and Blueberry Juice
Equipment
- 1 Juicer a slow juicer takes the dense beetroot more easily
- 1 High-speed blender for the blender method
- 1 Nut milk bag or a fine sieve
- 1 Airtight glass bottles if you must store it, but fresh is much better
- 1 Budget cold press juicer a cheaper slow juicer copes with beetroot fine
- 1 Budget blender works as long as you strain it well
Ingredients
- 3 medium beetroot about 400g, scrubbed, topped and tailed
- 200 g blueberries fresh, or frozen and thawed
- 100 ml cold water for the blender method, and to loosen the glass if you like
Instructions
Juicer method
- Scrub the beetroot under cold water rather than peeling it. Trim the leafy top off an inch above the root and cut away the tail, then cut each beetroot into wedges that fit your feed chute.
- Rinse the blueberries and pick out any stalks or soft ones. There is no need to hull or chop them.
- Switch the juicer on and feed the beetroot through first, one wedge at a time. Let each one clear before you add the next, because beetroot is heavy and it backs up quickly if you rush it.
- Follow with the blueberries. They go through fast and they help flush the last of the beetroot pulp out of the machine.
- Stir the juice, pour it into two glasses and drink it while it is fresh. It is a thick juice, so top it up with a splash of cold water if you would rather have it lighter.
Blender method
- Peel the beetroot this time, then cut it into rough 2cm chunks. The skin goes gritty in a blender in a way it does not in a juicer.
- Tip the beetroot and blueberries into the blender jug and add the 100ml of cold water. The water is not optional here, the mixture is too dry to move without it.
- Blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds, until there are no solid pieces of beetroot left and the colour is even.
- Pour the mixture through a nut milk bag or a fine sieve set over a jug. Let it drain first, then press the pulp gently with the back of a spoon. Do not squeeze it hard.
- Give the jug a stir, pour into two glasses and drink straight away.