The added-nitrate beet drink — the NO precursor explicitly in the formula.
Total Beets earns its high ranking for one substantive reason: it's among the very few mainstream beet powders that openly adds standardized NO3-T nitrates on top of whole beet root. That means it's targeting the nitric-oxide pathway with the actual precursor — inorganic nitrate — rather than hoping the beet mass alone carries enough. Since nitrate is the active the human trials dose by (Wylie 2013), explicitly building it into the formula is exactly the right instinct, and it's what separates Total Beets from a plain powder.
The honest limits are two. First, despite adding nitrates, it still doesn't print a total nitrate figure — so it's more transparent than an undisclosed-nitrate beet powder but less so than a concentrated extract that states a nitrate percentage. Second, the beet mass itself is modest at 3 g, and it's a flavored, sweetened drink mix rather than a clean single ingredient. At about $0.90 a serving it's well-priced, and the added-nitrate design makes it the sharpest mainstream beet drink for someone who wants the NO precursor explicitly in the mix. Here's the full breakdown.
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Read the complete Beetroot guide →The standout axis: Total Beets adds standardized NO3-T nitrates on top of whole beet, putting the actual nitric-oxide precursor explicitly in the formula. That directly targets the studied pathway rather than relying on the variable, undisclosed nitrate of beet mass alone — the single best reason it ranks at #2. Just short of the top only because the TOTAL nitrate still isn't quantified.
On beet mass alone, 3 g per serving is modest versus 4-5 g bulk powders. But the added NO3-T nitrates lift the targeted-active picture beyond what the raw beet number implies — beet mass is only a proxy, and this product supplements the proxy with a named nitrate source. Reasonable for a daily NO drink; the undisclosed total still prevents confirming the trial-range dose.
Partial credit for transparency: it names the NO3-T nitrate source rather than hiding behind beet mass, which is more honest than most of the category. Held back because it's a flavored, sweetened drink mix (not a single ingredient) and it still doesn't disclose total nitrate per serving. More transparent about the active than a plain powder; less so than a nitrate-standardized extract.
About $0.90 per serving for a fortified formula that adds standardized nitrates is good value — cheaper per serving than the premium canisters (SuperBeets ~$1.30) and the chews, while doing more than a plain powder by including the added nitrate source. Strong value within the flavored-drink tier.
A flavored drink mix that dissolves easily, with a strong review base and the kind of palatability that supports consistent daily dosing — exactly what the blood-pressure benefit needs. Slightly below the very top only because, as a sweetened mix, it's a matter of taste preference versus the cleaner (but earthier) plain powders.
“Combines beet root with added nitrates to boost nitric oxide.”
Accurate and the product's genuine differentiator — it adds standardized NO3-T nitrates on top of whole beet root, and nitrate is exactly the precursor the body converts to nitric oxide (the mechanism in Webb 2008, PMID 18250365 and Wylie 2013, PMID 23640589). The 'added nitrates → more NO precursor' claim is mechanistically correct and is what sets it apart from plain beet powders.
“Supports energy, circulation, and athletic performance.”
Plausible via the nitrate-NO pathway — better blood flow and lower O2 cost of exercise are documented effects of dietary nitrate (Lansley 2011, PMIDs 21071588 and 21471821). Marked partial because the magnitude depends on the total nitrate dose, which Total Beets doesn't disclose, so the specific performance/energy effect per serving can't be quantified against the trials.
“Supports healthy blood pressure.”
The beetroot/dietary-nitrate blood-pressure effect is real and replicated (Webb 2008, PMID 18250365; Siervo 2013 meta-analysis, PMID 23596162). Fair for the mechanism and the added-nitrate design; partial because the trials used defined nitrate doses while Total Beets states only that nitrates are added, not the total — so the effect size for this product isn't quantifiable from the label.
“Contains a meaningful dose of beet root.”
3 g of beet root per serving is real but modest versus 4-5 g bulk powders, so 'meaningful' is generous on beet mass alone. It's partly redeemed by the added NO3-T nitrates, which target the active pathway directly — but as a beet-mass claim specifically, it's on the low end of the category.
“Mixes easily into a great-tasting drink.”
Well-supported by the product's review base — it's a flavored drink mix that dissolves easily and is palatable enough for daily use. This usability supports the consistent dosing the blood-pressure benefit depends on, and is a genuine, repeatable strength.
Most beet products rely entirely on whatever nitrate the beet happens to contain, which is variable and undisclosed. Total Beets breaks from that by adding standardized NO3-T nitrates on top of beet root, putting the actual nitric-oxide precursor explicitly in the formula. Since nitrate is the active the human trials dose by (Wylie 2013), that's exactly the right design instinct, and it's the single biggest reason this ranks at #2 rather than mid-pack. You're getting a product that targets the studied pathway with the precursor, not one that hopes beet mass is enough.
The limitation that keeps Total Beets from ranking even higher: it adds a named nitrate source but still doesn't print a TOTAL nitrate figure per serving. So you know there's standardized nitrate in the mix, but you can't reconcile it to the millimole doses the trials used. That makes it more transparent than a plain undisclosed-nitrate powder, but less transparent than a concentrated extract that states its nitrate percentage (Toniiq, #4, at ~56 mg/serving). Better-targeted than most; still not fully verifiable.
At 3 g of beet root per serving, the beet mass is on the low side — bulk organic powders deliver 4-5 g. The honest way to read this product is not by its beet number but by its design: it stacks standardized NO3-T nitrates onto that modest beet, which is a more direct route to the NO precursor than extra grams of variable-nitrate beet would be. For a daily NO/blood-pressure drink that's a sensible build; for someone who specifically wants high beet mass as an endurance dose, a higher-gram powder or disclosed-nitrate extract is the better tool.
At about $0.90 a serving, Total Beets is well-priced for a product that does more than a plain powder — it includes the added nitrate source, mixes into a palatable daily drink, and undercuts the premium canisters (SuperBeets ~$1.30) and the chews on price. Within the flavored-drink tier it's strong value: you're paying a fair amount for the added-nitrate design and the compliance a good-tasting drink brings, which is a sensible place to spend in this category.
Because the total nitrate isn't disclosed, judge Total Beets by feel over time. For endurance, take it 2-3 hours before exercise (when plasma nitrite peaks) and watch perceived effort over a few sessions — the added NO3-T is a point in its favor, but you still can't confirm you're hitting the studied dose. For blood pressure, the lever is consistency: take it every day for a couple of weeks and reassess, which is the pattern the trials (Webb 2008, Siervo 2013) reward and which a tasty daily drink makes realistic.
Total Beets is the pick for the buyer who understands that nitrate, not beet mass, is the active — and wants a product built accordingly. By adding standardized NO3-T nitrates on top of whole beet root, it puts the actual nitric-oxide precursor explicitly in the formula, which is exactly the right design given that the human trials dose by nitrate (Wylie 2013). At about $0.90 a serving in a palatable daily drink, it's the sharpest mainstream beet drink for targeting the NO pathway directly, and it earns its #2 placement on that strength. Two honest limits keep it from the very top. It adds nitrates but doesn't disclose the TOTAL nitrate per serving, so it's more transparent than a plain powder but less so than the nitrate-standardized Toniiq extract (#4) — if you want a fully stated dose, buy that instead. And its beet mass (3 g) is modest, so if your goal is high beet mass for an endurance dose, a higher-gram powder serves better. For everyone who wants the NO precursor explicitly in a good-value, good-tasting daily drink — and will judge it by feel over a couple of weeks — Total Beets is a strong, well-designed buy.
The recognized brand-default — fermentation-processed concentrated beet crystals built around NO activity, with the best taste and broadest trust, though no added nitrate source. Buy it for brand recognition and flavor over the added-nitrate design.
See it on the list →The product to buy if you want a fully STATED nitrate dose — a 20:1 extract at min 4% nitrates (~56 mg/serving) in flavorless capsules. More transparent than Total Beets' added-but-undisclosed nitrate.
See it on the list →Another nitrate-stacked option — adds Oxystorm red spinach (a high-nitrate plant) on top of organic beet in a tasty mixed-berry blend, if you prefer a second whole-food nitrate source to added NO3-T.
See it on the list →8.4/16.8 mmol nitrate raised time-to-exhaustion ~14%/~12%; 4.2 mmol did not. Establishes that nitrate is the dose-dependent active — the reason Total Beets' decision to ADD standardized NO3-T nitrates (rather than rely on beet mass) is the right design, even though the total still isn't disclosed.
~500 mL beetroot juice lowered blood pressure ~10/8 mmHg ~3 hours post-ingestion via bioconversion of nitrate to nitrite. The mechanism behind Total Beets' blood-pressure positioning — the added NO3-T nitrates feed the same nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway.
Pooled RCTs: inorganic nitrate / beetroot significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (~4-5 mmHg). Confirms the blood-pressure effect is real and replicable across studies — relevant since Total Beets supplies both beet and added inorganic nitrate.
