Beets, genetics, and weight were just a few of the topics highlighted at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2014 Food & Nutrition Conference and Exposition. Here’s an update with some food for thought. Beets and arugula are powerful nitrate-rich foods that can enhance both athletic performance and your overall health. These vegetables are rich sources of dietary nitrate, a potent food compound that converts into nitric oxide (NO), a gas.