What Does Beet Juice Taste Like?

Beet juice is a highly nutritious drink filled with antioxidants and immunity boosters. There is no doubt about its health benefits; however, when it comes to its taste, there’s not much fanfare there.

So, what does beet juice taste like? Beet juice has a sharp, earthy, and mildly sweet taste that simply cannot be described as pleasant, especially to the untrained palate. The earthiness is rather strong and it is often described as tasting “like dirt.”

Read on to find out more about beet juice’s health benefits, what it tastes like, what you can do to make it taste better, what other juices it mixes well with, and much more!

What Is Beet Juice?

Raw beets are rich in folate, which is a B-vitamin needed to make red and white blood cells in bone marrow, produce RNA and DNA, and convert carbs into energy.

They are also high in dietary nitrates and contain calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorous, and zinc.

Drinking beet juice as opposed to eating raw beets is a much easier way to get all these nutrients, which gives you all the more reason to blend them and turn them into beet juice.

According to research, beet juice helps lower blood pressure and improves exercise stamina due to increased plasma nitrate levels.

It may also improve muscle power in people who experienced heart failure and slow the progression of dementia by increasing blood flow to the brain.

You may notice that your urine may turn red or pink after eating beets or drinking beet juice. This is a harmless condition and shouldn’t be cause for concern.

Keep in mind though, that if you suffer from low blood pressure, drinking beet juice regularly may increase the risk of your blood pressure dropping too low. 

Also, if you are prone to kidney stones, avoid drinking beet juice as beets are high in oxalates, a naturally occurring substance that forms crystals in your urine and may lead to kidney stones.

How To Make Beet Juice

Beet juice can easily be made at home following a few simple steps. You can enjoy it as is or enhance its flavor by mixing it up with other ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Juicer or high-powered blender
• Sharp knife
• Fine-mesh strainer (in case you’re using a blender)
• Fresh beets 
• Additional ingredients (optional)

Here are step-by-step instructions for making beet juice in a juicer:

1. Start by peeling off the tough outer layer of the beets, rinsing them thoroughly to get rid of any impurities, and removing the stems and leaves.
   • You can juice the green stems, if you want but be warned that they may make the juice taste even more bitter.
2. Cut the beets into small pieces. Make sure they are small enough to go through your juicer’s opening chute.
3. Juice the beets according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure to use a good quality juicer for maximum juice yield.
4. Add other fruit, vegetables, and flavorings to the juicer to enhance the flavor of the beet juice.

Note: If you are using a blender, add the chopped beets to it along with some water. You can add your choice of additional ingredients as well. Blend well and strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

What Does Beet Juice Taste Like?

Beet juice has a sharp, sweet, and earthy taste, which can often be a little too much to take, especially if you are not a beet lover. The earthy flavor is strong with this one — most people associate it with tasting similar to dirt.

Beetroot, which is a root vegetable, gets its distinct earthy flavor from geosmin, an organic compound produced by microbes in the soil. It may make beetroot taste like dirt but is harmless and safe to eat.

Geosmin is also present in other vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, and lettuce, which is why they have an earthy flavor as well.

People tend to be averse to beet juice because of its taste. If you are not a fan of the vegetable’s earthy flavor, but want to benefit from its wide range of health benefits, you can try adding additives to make it taste better.

How Can You Make Beet Juice Taste Better?

Beet juice is packed with nutrients, but its strong flavor may make it difficult to stomach for many. Luckily, it mixes well with several fruits, vegetables, and juices that help mask its bitter flavor and make it more palatable.

Here are a few great ways to improve the flavor of your beet juice!

1. Apple Juice

Apple juice is sweet and overpowering — it acts as a great buffer for other juices that aren’t as delicious, such as beet juice.

Adding a few slices of apples to your juicer along with the beets will not only improve the flavor of the beet juice, but also make it even more nutritious.

2. Carrot Juice

Packed with vitamins and minerals, carrot juice adds a bit of zest and gives your beet juice a hint of sweetness. It helps cut the sharp taste of the beetroot without overpowering its flavor.

3. Orange Juice

Orange juice is one of the most popular, and our absolute favorite! Packed with vitamin C, this citrus juice has just the right amount of natural sugars to sweeten up your beet juice.

4. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another citrus-y option and a great way to improve the flavor of your beet juice.

Since it may make the juice a bit too sour for some people, make sure to add not more than half a lemon and sweeten it using fruit juices such as apple and orange juice.

5. Kale

Kale is a cruciferous, dark green vegetable that has gained immense popularity over the years due to its higher content of fiber, vitamin K, and potassium.

Adding a few stalks of kale along with your beets will help cut down the strong flavor and add vital nutrients to the drink.

6. Ginger

Ginger is popular in traditional medicine for its healing and anti-inflammatory properties that it gets from the polyphenol antioxidant called gingerol.

Adding an inch of ginger root to your juicer along with your beets creates a sweet and spicy balance that helps dilute the sharp flavor of the beets.

7. Berries

Berries make everything taste great! We may be biased with this due to our love for berries, but try adding some strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and gooseberries to your beet juice and see for yourself.

8. Fresh Mint

Fresh mint, including peppermint, spearmint, and lemon balm, has a cooling effect and gives the beet juice a menthol flavor when added to it. Be careful to not go overboard as it can easily turn your beet juice too minty.

9. Banana

Beet juice mixed with banana is a great combination for people who take working out seriously. Bananas are an excellent mineral source and can help balance nutrients such as potassium in your body.

Adding a banana to your beet juice will give it a smoothie-like consistency and provide a much better taste experience.

Final Thoughts

Beete juice is a great way to get some healthy vitamins and nutrients into your body, even if it doesn’t have the tastiest flavor on its own. However, it’s easy to make and pairs well with other flavors.

All the ingredients listed above are great additions to your beet juice as they help enhance both its flavor and nutrient profile.

However, what may work for others may not work for you, and vice versa. For this reason, it is best to give them all a try and see what your taste buds prefer. You can even mix up the ingredients to create interesting flavor combinations.

One of our favorites is the ABC juice — apple, beetroot, and carrot juice! Not only do they taste great together, but they are all jam-packed with nutrients to give you a major energy boost.

Related Questions

Now that you know all about beet juice, what it tastes like, and what you can mix it with to make it taste better, here are a few additional questions we thought you might have.

Can you drink beet juice every day?

Yes, you can drink a normal serving of beet juice every day without experiencing any side effects. If consumed fresh and without any added sugars, it is a healthy option that helps lower blood pressure. 

However, please remember that if you suffer from low blood pressure, drinking beet juice regularly can increase the risk of your blood pressure dropping too low. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking about adding this to your daily routine. 

How long does beet juice last?

Beet juice shouldn’t be kept out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. It is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container where it should last for 2 days. To make it last even longer, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.

How to tell if beet juice is bad?

Fresh beet juice has a smooth texture, pourable consistency, and smells earthy. If you notice an unusual smell, the color changing, or a funky taste, it has probably gone bad and must be discarded.

Related Articles