Beets are common root vegetables that stand out from other produce due to their dark red color.The plant thrives in cold climates and Germany, France, Russia, and the U.K. are leaders in beet cultivation.Used often in salads and soups, the entire plant is edible and can be boiled, baked, steamed, or eaten raw.The beet (Beta vulgaris) is a root vegetable that grows as a round bulb with a leafy top poking out above the soil.The leaves have been eaten since before written history, but the beetroot was generally used medicinally by the Greeks and Romans, and was well known to the Armenian and Arab cultures.Although beets can be eaten raw, they are generally boiled, baked, steamed, fried, grilled, or otherwise cooked before eating.Cut off the taproot and leaves, saving the greens to prepare in the same manner as Swiss chard.Beet juice will stain skin and porous surfaces; it's used as a natural dye for foods and fabric.Rub your hands with wet salt and lemon juice and then wash with soap and water.Beets are best described as having an earthy flavor with a surprising amount of sweetness for a root vegetable.Beets add a colorful flair to dishes, even beyond salad and soup, and are quite versatile for many different meals.In North America, fresh beet season runs from June through October or November.Choose beets that are small and firm with deep maroon coloring and unblemished skin (avoid scales or spots).Avoid large beets that have a hairy taproot, as the tiny roots are an indication of age and a tough, woody center.Beets are a good source of iron, which is essential for healthy red blood cells.However, the amount of iron provided is not close to that found in iron-rich powerhouses like beef, shellfish, dark greens, and legumes.
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Beetroot 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
There are numerous types of beetroot, many of which are distinguished by their color — yellow, white, pink, or dark purple.Simple sugars — such as glucose and fructose — make up 70% and 80% of the carbs in raw and cooked beetroots, respectively.This means that beetroots should not have a major effect on blood sugar levels because the total carb amount in each serving is low.Dietary fiber is important as part of a healthy diet and linked to a reduced risk of various diseases ( 3 ).An essential trace element, manganese is found in high amounts in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.An essential trace element, manganese is found in high amounts in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.A diet high in potassium can lead to reduced blood pressure levels and positive effects on heart health ( 6 ).A diet high in potassium can lead to reduced blood pressure levels and positive effects on heart health ( ).On the other hand, dietary nitrite comes from food additives, baked goods, cereals, and processed or cured meats ( 10 , 15 ).Research shows that diets rich in nitrites and nitrates can have positive health effects, including lower blood pressure levels and decreased risk of many diseases ( 13 , 16 ).Eating fruits and vegetables rich in inorganic nitrates may cut your risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and increasing nitric oxide formation ( 21 , 22 ).Studies show that beetroots or their juice can reduce blood pressure by up to 3–10 mm Hg over a period of a few hours ( 21 , 23 , 24 , 25 ).Such effects are likely due to increased levels of nitric oxide, which causes your blood vessels to relax and dilate (26, 27, 28 , 29 ).Dietary nitrates have been shown to reduce oxygen use during physical exercise by affecting the efficiency of mitochondria, the cell organs responsible for producing energy ( 30 ).SUMMARY Beetroots can lower blood pressure, which may lead to reduced risk of heart disease and other ailments.Adverse Effects Beetroots are usually well tolerated — except for individuals prone to kidney stones.FODMAPs can cause unpleasant digestive upset in sensitive individuals, such as those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).SUMMARY Beetroots are usually well tolerated but contain oxalates — which may lead to kidney stones — and FODMAPs, which may cause digestive issues. .
Beetroot
Beta is the ancient Latin name for beetroot,[3] possibly of Celtic origin, becoming bete in Old English.The domestication of beetroot can be traced to the emergence of an allele which enables biennial harvesting of leaves and taproot.From the Middle Ages, beetroot was used as a treatment for a variety of conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and the blood.Bartolomeo Platina recommended taking beetroot with garlic to nullify the effects of "garlic-breath".Food shortages in Europe following World War I caused great hardships, including cases of mangelwurzel disease, as relief workers called it.Usually the deep purple roots of beetroot are eaten boiled, roasted, or raw, and either alone or combined with any salad vegetable.In Poland and Ukraine, beetroot is combined with horseradish to form ćwikła or бурачки (burachky), which is traditionally used with cold cuts and sandwiches, but often also added to a meal consisting of meat and potatoes.Similarly in Serbia beetroot (referred to by the local name cvekla) is used as winter salad, seasoned with salt and vinegar, with meat dishes.As an addition to horseradish, it is also used to produce the "red" variety of chrain, a condiment in Ashkenazi Jewish, Hungarian, Polish, Lithuanian, Russian, and Ukrainian cuisine.In Indian cuisine, chopped, cooked, spiced beetroot is a common side dish.A common dish in Sweden and elsewhere in the Nordic countries is Biff à la Lindström, a variant of meatballs or burgers, with chopped or grated beetroot added to the minced meat.In Northern Germany, beetroot is mashed with Labskaus or added as its side order.A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilised beetroot or into pickles.Betanin, obtained from the roots, is used industrially as red food colorant, to improve the color and flavor of tomato paste, sauces, desserts, jams and jellies, ice cream, candy, and breakfast cereals.[10] When beetroot juice is used, it is most stable in foods with a low water content, such as frozen novelties and fruit fillings.In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) amount providing 180 kilojoules (43 kilocalories) of food energy, raw beetroot is a rich source (27% of the Daily Value - DV) of folate and a moderate source (16% DV) of manganese, with other nutrients having insignificant content (table).The red colour compound betanin is not broken down in the body, and in higher concentrations may temporarily cause urine or stools to assume a reddish color, in the case of urine a condition called beeturia.Nitrosamine formation in beetroot juice can reliably be prevented by adding ascorbic acid. .
9 Impressive Health Benefits of Beets
In addition to bringing a pop of color to your plate, beets are highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, many of which have medicinal properties.What’s more, they’re delicious and easy to add to your diet in dishes like balsamic roasted beets, hummus, fries, and salads, among many others.In fact, some studies show that beetroot juice could significantly lower levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure ( 6 , 7 ).Although research has turned up mixed results, several studies suggest that increasing your intake of folate could significantly lower blood pressure levels ( 10 ).Nitrates appear to affect physical performance by improving the efficiency of mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy in your cells ( 12 ).According to one review, beetroot juice could enhance endurance by increasing how long it takes to become exhausted, boosting cardiorespiratory performance, and improving efficiency for athletes ( 13 ).One study in 24 people with high blood pressure found that consuming 8.5 ounces (250 mL) of beet juice for 2 weeks significantly reduced several markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) ( 8 ).Plus, an older 2014 study in people with osteoarthritis — a condition that causes inflammation in the joints — showed that betalain capsules made with beetroot extract reduced pain and discomfort (20).Beetroot juice and extract have also been shown to reduce kidney inflammation in rats injected with toxic, injury-causing chemicals ( 17 ).Still, more studies in humans are needed to determine whether enjoying beets in normal amounts as part of a healthy diet may provide the same anti-inflammatory benefits.Fiber bypasses digestion and travels to the colon, where it feeds friendly gut bacteria and adds bulk to stools ( 21 ).May support brain health Mental and cognitive functions naturally decline with age, which can increase the risk of neurodegenerative disorders like dementia.Particularly, beets have been shown to improve blood flow to the frontal lobe of the brain, an area associated with higher level thinking like decision making and working memory ( 27 ).Furthermore, a study in people with type 2 diabetes found that reaction time during a cognitive function test was 4% faster in those who consumed 8.5 ounces (250 mL) of beetroot juice daily for 2 weeks, compared with a control group ( 28 ).However, more research is needed to determine whether beets could be used to improve brain function and reduce the risk of dementia among the general population.Although more research is needed, test-tube studies have shown that beetroot extract can slow the division and growth of cancer cells ( 30 , 31 , 32 ).The fiber in beets may also support digestive health, decrease appetite, and promote feelings of fullness, thereby reducing your overall calorie intake ( 39 ).Additionally, by including them in smoothies or other recipes, you can easily increase your intake of fruits and vegetables to improve the quality of your diet ( 40 ).Beets blended with Greek yogurt and fresh garlic make a delicious, healthy, and colorful dip.Beets blended with Greek yogurt and fresh garlic make a delicious, healthy, and colorful dip.Fresh beetroot juice is typically better than store-bought versions, which can be high in added sugar and contain only a small amount of beets.Fresh beetroot juice is typically better than store-bought versions, which can be high in added sugar and contain only a small amount of beets. .
What Are Beets? Nutrition, Benefits, Types, How to Cook, More
They star in the popular smoothies and juices of today, and have long been eaten for their bounty of vitamins and minerals.Read on to learn more about their benefits — like whether they can actually “detox” your body — and whether this root vegetable may pose any side effects for you based on your individual health.Records suggest people in ancient Babylon, Greece, and Rome enjoyed the root veggie, and archaeologists have found evidence of their use in certain parts of North Africa as well. .
History of Beets
The colorful, sweet root vegetable known as the beet tends to spark an impassioned response from folks who either love it or loathe it.In the anti-beet camp are President Obama and his wife Michelle, who asked that they not be planted in the White Houses organic vegetable garden.Beets contain a substance called geosmin, which is responsible for that fresh soil scent in your garden following a spring rain.Humans are quite sensitive to geosmin, even in very low doses, which explains why our beet response ranges from one extreme to the other.Beets are most commonly a dark red color, however they also come in other hues ranging from white to yellow to a candy cane red-and-white variety known as Chioggia.The rosy betalain-rich juice of red beets was used as a cheek and lip stain by women during the 19th century, a practice that inspired the old adage red as a beet..Humans originally ate beet greens but not the thin and fibrous roots, which were occasionally used in medicine.Despite only growing well during spring and fall, beets were so well regarded in Ancient Rome and Greece that methods were developed for producing them during the hot summer months.Its earliest form more closely resembled a parsnip rather than the bulbous shape were now familiar with, which began appearing near the end of the 1500s.Northeastern Europe was the first area to embrace the beet root as a dietary staple; it was valued as one of the only vegetables that grew well throughout winter.His student, Franz Achard, perfected this method for extracting sugar, leading him to predict the inevitable rise of beet beer, tobacco and molasses, among other products.They also contain high amounts of boron, a trace mineral which increases the level of sex hormones in the human body.How Carrots Won the Trojan War: Curious (but True) Stories of Common Vegetables.Lawrence Erlbaum Asociates, Inc. Betalains, Phase II Enzyme-Inducing Components From Red Beetroot(Beta vulgarisL.).Toris food writing and photography have appeared on the websites of CNN, Bon Appetit, Zabars, Williams-Sonoma, Yahoo Shine, LA Weekly and The Huffington Post. .
What's the Difference Between Cane Sugar and Beet Sugar
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Although the final sugarcane product does not have bone in it, this distinction is important to many vegans and other vegetarians who seek to minimize animal suffering.Although the industry maintains that they are identical products, many chefs use only brown sugar made from sugarcane, maintaining that brown beet sugar negatively affects their products. .
How to Make Beet Kvass!
An Eastern European probiotic drink made with beets, sea salt and water.But with the Coronavirus scare, this may be another useful tool to help us boost our immunity by adding more healthy probiotics to our diet.An Eastern European drink or tonic made of fermented beets.organic beets fine sea salt filtered water.***To shorten the fermentation process, you can also add whey ( the liquid from straining yogurt) or kraut or pickle brine ( the kind from alive cultures- in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, or homemade.).Dice or thinly slice, two organic beets (about two cups) leaving the skin on.Mix 3 cups water with 1 heaping tablespoon sea salt.to fill the jar, use ratio: Feel free to add 1/4 cup of whey or kraut or pickle brine.The salt will kill the harmful bacteria, but allow the healthy lactobacilli to flourish.It will continue to ferment in the fridge, but at a much slower rate, developing more depth of flavor.If you notice any white foam on top of your kvass it is most likely kahm yeast and harmless.Pickle brine (the kind in the refrigerated section of the grocery store) or the homemade kind- is FULL of probiotics too. .
How to Cook Beets So You'll Actually Love Them
Beets were never on my veggie radar: They are on a long list of vegetables that somehow never made it into my adult life.Those early trips to the farmer's market provided me with a new vocabulary and highlighted the fact that my plate was not as diverse as I thought it was.We really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, because I had no idea that each one was a treasure filled with vitamins and nutrients designed to naturally improve health.These super veggies are a great source of essential nutrients including B-vitamins, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.One Google search netted over 40 million results, so it's clear that you can do more with the leaves than just chop them up for a salad.Both the red and golden beets have similar nutritional value: Heart-healthy and packed with powerful antioxidants, I have decided that I have to incorporate both of them into my plant-based lifestyle more often.When the weather warms up, I love to make a golden beet and sweet potato salad.The orange color looks amazing on the table and it feels good to know that I'm serving up a powerhouse of nutrients in a yummy plant-based dish.To find more of LA's tips, recipes, and advice visit Black Girls Eat to learn more about going from plant curious to plant-focused. .
