Does beetroot help with diabetes? What the research does and doesn't show

The evidence doesn't support beetroot, taken daily over time, as something that changes blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes. The only trial that tested months of daily use found no significant difference from placebo on any glucose or insulin measure. A separate, much smaller pilot study found a short-term change after a single dose — a different, more limited kind of result that doesn't support the same conclusion as ongoing daily use.

What the evidence doesn't support

It doesn't support beetroot as a daily addition that changes blood sugar, insulin, or long-term glucose control (HbA1c) in people with type 2 diabetes — the trial that measured this over 24 weeks found no significant difference from placebo. It doesn't support beetroot as a substitute for a prescribed diabetes medication, or as a reason to change one; the pilot study below paused participants' usual medication specifically to isolate beetroot's own short-term effect, not to compare beetroot against the drugs themselves. And it doesn't support treating a single small study's short-term finding as proof that daily beetroot changes anything meaningful about diabetes management.

What the trials found

A 24-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial gave 74 adults with type 2 diabetes (average age 54, diabetes duration averaging 8.5 years) either 5 grams a day of beetroot powder, providing roughly 250 mg of nitrate, or a placebo. Blood sugar, insulin, C-peptide and lipid measures were checked at baseline and again at 4, 12 and 24 weeks. Among the 64 people who completed at least two visits, there was no significant difference between the beetroot and placebo groups on any glycemic measure over the full 24 weeks. Liver and kidney function tests, tracked as a safety check, showed no adverse changes in either group.

A separate pilot study took a narrower question: does a single dose of beetroot juice change the body's short-term response to sugar? Seven people with type 2 diabetes had their usual blood-pressure- and glucose-lowering medications temporarily paused, then completed a standard oral glucose tolerance test after drinking either beetroot juice or a placebo drink, with blood drawn at 2 and 4 hours. Total glucose exposure during the test was significantly lower with beetroot juice than placebo on that one occasion. The study's own authors, working with a group of just seven people, called for larger trials before treating beetroot as a real option for glucose control — a caution worth repeating given how small and short this result is.

Questions people ask

Is beetroot good for diabetes?

The trial that tested daily use over 24 weeks found no significant effect on blood sugar or insulin measures. A separate, much smaller single-dose study found a short-term improvement in one test, on one occasion, in just 7 people — not enough on its own to change the 24-week finding.

Can a diabetic drink beetroot juice?

Nothing in the research above found beetroot juice to be harmful for people with type 2 diabetes; the 24-week trial's safety checks (liver and kidney function) showed no adverse changes. Whether it changes blood sugar control is a separate question, and the 24-week trial found it didn't, on average.

Why isn't beetroot considered good for diabetes, given the pilot study above?

Because a single-dose study in 7 people, however encouraging on that one measurement, is a much weaker basis for a general conclusion than a 24-week trial in 74 people that found no lasting effect. The authors of the smaller study said as much themselves, calling for larger trials before drawing broader conclusions.

When to talk to a doctor

Beetroot is not a treatment for type 2 diabetes, and nothing above supports using it in place of a prescribed diabetes medication or a doctor's guidance on blood sugar management. If you have diabetes or take a medication for it, talk to a doctor before adding beetroot or any new supplement, and never pause or change a prescribed medication without medical guidance.