Cocoa flavanols vs SuperBeets / beetroot shots for blood flow: which works better?

Both support healthy blood flow through nitric oxide, but by different routes: cocoa flavanols work through (-)-epicatechin and the vessel lining, while beetroot works through dietary nitrate. Your pick comes down to mechanism, format, and whether you actually want a beet shot every morning.

Two roads to the same nitric oxide

Both categories aim at the same target, healthy blood-flow-dependent vasodilation, but they get there differently. Beetroot and SuperBeets rely on dietary nitrate, which your body converts to nitric oxide, a step that leans on your oral bacteria and can blunt as your body adapts to a steady nitrate load. Cocoa flavanols, and (-)-epicatechin in particular, support nitric oxide and healthy endothelial function through the vessel lining itself, without that conversion step. EFSA notes cocoa flavanols help maintain normal blood-flow-dependent vasodilation at 200mg per day, a structure/function benefit tied to the flavanols directly. Neither is a treatment for anything; both are ways to support normal circulation.

Dose, format, and the daily-use test

Beet shots deliver nitrate, but many carry 8 to 12 grams of sugar and an earthy taste that not everyone loves, which matters if this is a daily habit. CCV-3 delivers roughly 600mg of (-)-epicatechin and 1,200mg of cocoa flavanols per scoop, which is 2.2x more flavanols and polyphenols than the amount used in the COSMOS research (Am J Clin Nutr 2022, roughly 21,000 adults on about 500mg cocoa flavanols daily). It comes as a zero-sugar, 27-calorie cocoa drink mix with five real ingredients and non-alkalized cacao, so it tastes like chocolate rather than something you tolerate.

So which should you choose?

If you like beets, don't mind the taste, and want the nitrate route, SuperBeets and beet shots are a fair fit. If you'd rather work the flavanol and epicatechin pathway, skip a daily sugar load, and enjoy the ritual, cocoa flavanols make more sense. Some people even use both, since the pathways differ. In practice the gap comes down to consistency: the one you'll happily drink every morning is the one that works for you. For a substantial cocoa flavanol serving without the sugar or the beet aftertaste, that's exactly what CCV-3 was built for. Meet CCV-3 →

Do cocoa flavanols and beetroot work the same way?

Both support nitric oxide and healthy blood flow, but through different pathways. Beetroot relies on converting dietary nitrate, while cocoa flavanols and (-)-epicatechin support nitric oxide and endothelial function directly through the vessel lining.

Is beetroot or cocoa better for daily use?

It comes down to format and taste. Beet shots often carry 8 to 12 grams of sugar and a strong earthy flavor. CCV-3 is a zero-sugar, 27-calorie cocoa drink mix, which many people find easier to keep up every day.

How much epicatechin does CCV-3 have vs SuperBeets?

CCV-3 provides about 600mg of (-)-epicatechin per scoop. SuperBeets works through the nitrate pathway rather than epicatechin, so the two aren't measured on the same active, but CCV-3 gives you a defined, substantial flavanol and epicatechin serving.

Can I take both cocoa flavanols and beetroot together?

Many people do, since the two work through different mechanisms toward the same nitric oxide goal. If you take other supplements or have health concerns, check with your clinician first.