In 1967, Sonny and Cher sang: "The beat goes on ... La-dee-da-dee-de, la-dee-da-dee-da."

If you're old enough to remember the first time they performed that song, you're exactly the person who should listen to the following advice and not take a "la-dee-da" attitude toward beets.

We've mentioned before that beets (sometimes called beetroot) and beet juice help heart health and provide performance boosts to athletes by increasing levels of artery-relaxing nitric oxide.

Relaxed arteries mean increased blood flow, which means better athletic performance.

Russian and Eastern European countries' teams have long treated their top athletes to beet stew/soup/borscht during training sessions and before competitions.

American athletes finally picked up on that and have been doing it for a while too.

In addition to improved performance, there are many health boosts from beets and beet juice. The phytonutrients that give beets their deep crimson color have powerful anti-cancer properties, boost the immune system and help cleanse the liver.

And now research has found that for seniors, drinking beet juice before working out may significantly increase exercise's brain-boosting effects.

A recent study looked at 26 participants, average age 65, who had a shot of beetroot juice one hour before a moderately intense, 50-minute treadmill workout. Those folks showed greater connectivity between the somatomotor cortex, a brain region associated with motor function; and the insular cortex, a brain region associated with cognitive functioning.

The researchers said test subjects "had brain networks that more closely resembled those of younger adults." La-dee-da-dee-dee!