Pink Latte: An Easy and Pretty Drink – With Beets!

This beet-iful, I mean beautiful, pink latte makes for a delightful (and delicious) caffeine-free cuppa any time of day!

It also works well as a light afternoon or before bed snack, thanks to the protein from the milk.

Many people also use this drink, or a variation of it, as a pre-workout, due to some of the great health benefits mentioned below.

What’s in a pink latte?

This one features beetroot powder, which provides the vibrant (and photogenic) color, along with a host of nutritional benefits.

What does a beetroot latte taste like?

Upon first whiff, the beetroot powder smelled very reminiscent of carob powder to me, so I thought it might taste a little bit like hot cocoa.

As it happens, it does not.

I tried it as I went. With just almond milk and beet powder, with no sweetener, it does taste a little earthy and vegetal, and it does taste like beets. Fortunately, I like beets.

Once I added the maple syrup and vanilla, it was much more pleasant. It has a mild, earthy flavor, but it’s mostly a sweet, milky beverage. There was still a hint of beet flavor at this stage.

Lastly, I added in the cinnamon. Sadly, this darkened the color from an extremely gorgeous pink to a slightly darker and browner pink.

(Word to the wise: take your photos for social media before adding the cinnamon!)

However, I believe with the additional of cinnamon, even those who don’t identify as adventurous eaters would still enjoy this mild-flavored pink latte.

The end result is quite delicious!

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Why Beets? Benefits to health and performance

Beets are highly nutritious. They provide us with:

• folate (a vitamin pivotal to growth, development, and heart health),
• manganese (involved with bone formation, nutrient metabolism, and brain function), and
• copper (an essential mineral for energy production and synthesizing certain neurotransmitters),

as well as smaller amounts of magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and iron.

In addition, many people use beets as a pre-workout since the dietary nitrates in beets can improve athletic performance.

How?

Your body converts dietary nitrates into nitric oxide, which dilates your blood vessels (much like commercial pre-workout).

This temporarily lowers your blood pressure, allowing you to be more efficient, and increases oxygen use.

This also increases endurance because it takes longer for you to become exhausted.

When should I drink this pink latte as a pre-workout?

You’ll achieve the best results within 2-3 hours of consuming beets or beet juice.

For the full scoop, check out this article by healthline on the health benefits of beets.

Where can I find beetroot powder?

In a health food type store such as Sprouts, you can find beetroot powder in the superfood aisle next to the supplements.

Of course, like just about everything, you can also buy beetroot powder from Amazon.

What else can I use beetroot powder in?

You can add beetroot powder to any smoothie or shake you normally make.

In addition, you can use it in place of red food coloring for naturally pink cookies and cakes.

Try it in pancakes for a cute and healthy start to your day!

Tips for Success

Even if you plan to drink this as an iced pink latte, make sure you dissolve the beetroot powder in hot milk (or water, if you prefer) first to avoid a grainy texture.

Also, keep in mind that beetroot powder can stain, so wear an apron and rinse out white cups right away.

Variations on this pink latte recipe

If you don’t need this drink to be vegan, you could use honey as your sweetener.

Feel free to use any kind of milk that’s in your fridge: almond, oat, coconut, dairy, soy, etc.

You can make this as an iced pink latte rather than drinking it hot. However, as mentioned above, make sure to dissolve the beetroot powder in hot liquid first for best results.

For added flavor and fiber, try adding in raspberries, strawberries, mint, etc.

You could also add fresh ginger for more of a superfood drink that will warm you up.

Can I add espresso or coffee to this pink latte?

Yes, and it would taste pretty good.

Just keep in mind that caffeine sabotages your body’s absorption of vitamin C, so it won’t be quite as much of a superfood drink with coffee added.

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Related Vegan Pink Drink Recipes

• Strawberry limeade
• Strawberry banana smoothie bowl (drinkable if you are lacking a spoon)
• Pomegranate green tea (not pink but there is a homemade grenadine recipe included)
• Blackberry mint lemonade (homemade simple syrup recipe included)

Pink Latte Ingredients

Before you begin, you will need:

Edible Ingredients

• 1 cup milk of your choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 Tbsp beetroot powder
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional as it darkens the color but highly recommended for flavor!)

Tools and Equipment

• Saucepan
• Whisk or wooden spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Blender or milk frother (optional but adds a bit more foam)

How to Make a Beautiful Pink Latte

1. To begin, measure out your milk, pour it in a saucepan, and warm over medium heat until it’s just shy of a simmer.
2. Whisk or stir in the beetroot powder until it is fully dissolved.
3. After that, stir in the maple syrup and vanilla. Taste to make sure it is sweet enough for you.
4. If you want to disguise the fact that your latte is made from a vegetable, stir in the cinnamon, serve hot, and enjoy! You could also throw it in a blender or use a milk frother for more foam. Sprinkle with additional beetroot powder or cinnamon as a garnish if desired.

Important: This post is for informational and educational purposes only. This post should not be taken as medical or nutritional advice or used as a substitute for such. You should always speak to your own doctor or nutritionist before implementing this information on your own. Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed this pretty pink latte recipe!