Most people have very strong feelings about beets. Some love their naturally sweet and earthy flavor, while others hate them in any form, even beetroot juice. However, regardless of your opinion, there is no denying that this vibrant vegetable has some amazing benefits.
In addition to being loaded with vitamins and minerals, they contain other health-promoting compounds such as antioxidants, carotenoids, and nitrates, which help to further increase the number of beetroot benefits. Plus, they’re super versatile and can be easily incorporated into a wide variety of delicious dishes. Why are beets good for health and can you eat them every day? Read on to learn more about the benefits and ways to easily incorporate this nutritious vegetable into your diet.
beetroot benefits
1. High in antioxidants
Antioxidants are compounds that help neutralize damaging free radicals, thus preventing oxidative stress and cell damage. Some studies have shown that antioxidants can protect against many types of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Beets are naturally rich in disease-fighting phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and trace minerals. In fact, they are an excellent source of a certain type of phytonutrient called betalains, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and provide many of the health benefits of beets.
Betalains also act as natural plant pigments and are responsible for the vibrant color of beets. In vitro studies have revealed that these powerful pigments may help protect against the development of certain cancers and diseases. Additionally, beet greens also contain a good amount of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that play a central role in eye health and may reduce the risk of conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts.
2. Helps relieve inflammation
In an animal model, beetroot supplementation reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in rats. A human study also confirmed the anti-inflammatory properties of beets, showing that cooked beets and beetroot juice were able to reduce levels of inflammatory markers in people with high blood pressure.
3. Promote heart health
One of the biggest benefits of beetroot juice is its ability to promote heart health. Beets are a rich source of dietary nitrates, which act as vasodilators to help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. A human study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that beetroot juice helped significantly lower participants’ systolic and diastolic blood pressure after just 24 hours. Another small human study in 2017 found that beetroot juice helped lower bad LDL cholesterol levels in people with uncontrolled blood pressure.
4. Helps in detoxification
Beetroot juice benefits liver function, helping to keep it running efficiently so you can continue to keep your body free of toxins. A Polish animal model showed that beetroot treatment of rats helped prevent oxidative stress and reduced lipid peroxidation, a common marker of cell damage, by 38%.
Likewise, an animal model published in the journal Phytotherapy Research showed that this juice helped increase the levels of specific enzymes involved in detoxification.
5. Boost brain function
As we age, it’s natural to see a decline in mental and cognitive function, as diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease become more prevalent.
However, due to its high dietary nitrate content, there is some evidence that beetroot powder benefits brain health and may help protect against age-related cognitive decline. In fact, a human study published in Nitric Oxide even found that feeding older adults a diet high in nitrates helped increase blood flow to certain areas of the brain involved in executive functioning.
6. Promote digestive health
Beets are high in fiber, with 3.8 grams per cup. Fiber moves through the intestines undigested, adding bulk to your stool to promote regularity and better digestive health. An analysis of five studies showed that increased fiber intake led to increased bowel movement frequency in people with constipation. Additionally, other research suggests that increasing fiber intake through foods like beets benefits digestive health in other ways and may protect against conditions like diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, and GERD.
7. It can improve athletic performance
Whether you’re a competitive athlete or a casual gym goer, beets have been shown to have a powerful performance-enhancing effect and are one of the best foods for athletes. In fact, nitrates have been shown to improve the efficiency of mitochondria, the organelle responsible for producing energy for the cells in your body.
A 2011 human study found that consuming beetroot juice significantly improved power output during a cycling time trial and increased performance by 2.8%. Another human study showed that dietary nitrate supplementation prolonged time to exhaustion and increased tolerance to high-intensity exercise.
8. It can help increase weight loss
Beets are high in fiber but low in calories, making them a great addition to your diet if you’re looking to lose a few extra pounds. In fact, each cup contains only 59 calories, plus fiber. When you eat fiber, it moves very slowly through the digestive tract to help you feel full, which can promote satiety and weight loss. According to a human study conducted in Boston, increasing fiber intake by 14 grams per day resulted in a 10% decrease in daily caloric intake and a 2 kg weight loss in four months.
ancient medicinal uses
Beets have long been revered for their health-promoting properties and are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Beetroot is used to cleanse the liver, improve blood circulation, and calm the mind, among other things.
They are also used as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments and have traditionally been used to treat conditions such as:
anemia
weakness of heart
liver toxicity
Constipation
Irritability
Hustle
irregular periods
Herpes
decreased libido
It is especially recommended to consume them during the Vata season, which runs from October to March, as their bright and vibrant colors can help balance the dryness and cold of the season.
nutritional facts
The nutritional profile of beets is quite impressive, with each serving containing a good amount of folic acid, fiber, and manganese for a low amount of calories, helping to provide all those wonderful benefits of beets.
One cup of raw beets (about 136 grams) contains approximately:
58.5 calories
13 grams of carbohydrates
2.2 grams of protein
0.2 grams of fat
3.8 grams of dietary fiber
148 micrograms of folic acid (37% of the daily value)
0.4 milligrams of manganese (22% of the daily intake)
442 milligrams of potassium (13 percent DV)
6.7 milligrams of vitamin C (11% DV)
31.3 milligrams of magnesium (8% DV)
1.1 milligrams of iron (6% DV)
0.1 milligrams of copper (5% DV)
54.4 milligrams of phosphorus (5% DV)
0.1 milligrams of vitamin B6 (5% DV)
In addition to the nutrients listed above, they also contain thiamine, riboflavin, and zinc.
How to use
Beets can be found in the produce aisle of most major grocery stores. They’re widely available year-round, but their peak season runs from June to October, which is the best time to hit farmers’ markets and health food stores for fresh, tender organic beets. You can also find beetroot juice and powder in health food stores.
When buying them, look for small to medium-sized roots with smooth, even skin and rich color (most often purple, red, striped pink, or gold). Avoid fresh beets that have significant blemishes or bruises where beet juice “bleeds” from the root.
Besides the root, beet greens are quite edible and rich in nutrients, such as the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin. They are most commonly found when you buy fresh, whole beets at farmers markets, and can be used in recipes interchangeably with Swiss chard.
Although we most often see purple beets in grocery stores, they actually come in a variety of colors, most of which have very similar tastes, health benefits, and uses.
Beets are a great addition to smoothies or salads.
There are many options for cooking beets. In fact, you can eat them raw, cooked or roasted.
When eaten raw, they are firm, crisp, and have a slightly sweet flavor. They can be used to make beet juice or added to smoothies and salads. Eating them raw retains their nutrients and preserves their natural flavor. When you cook the beets, they become more tender and slightly sweeter. They are often paired with goat cheese or balsamic vinegar to balance their sweetness, as well as arugula, which adds a nice peppery tang to the sweet, earthy flavor of beets.
Roasting them also gives their natural sugars a chance to caramelize and gives them a richer, smoother flavor. Beets can also be boiled, steamed, or sautéed.
It is important to note that although beets seem very hard and resistant, they are actually a very delicate vegetable. They tend to oxidize and lose some of their nutritional value when overheated and overcooked. Be sure to cook the beets lightly to prevent oxidation and to maximize the nutritional value of your beets. Also, when possible, choose fresh beets over canned or pickled ones to ensure you get the most nutrients.
The healthiest way to cook beets to keep their nutrients intact is to steam them for about 20 minutes or less or roast them for less than an hour, which cooks them slowly and softens them. You’ll know the beets are cooked through and done when you can easily pierce them with a fork.
Always be careful when cooking beets as their juices tend to taint!
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.
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antioxidant food beetroot