Table of Contents
Benefits of BeetRoot
Beets are herbaceous plants with wide dark-green leaves and with crimson-red fruit. The crimson red colour in the red beet s is due to betalain pigments like betacyanin and betanin.
However, there are other varieties of beets such as white and orange-yellow. Both the roots and the top greens of the beets are edible and nutritious. 15 health benefits of beets are:
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Source of betalains
Beets are an excellent source of phytonutrients commonly known as betalains. These phytonutrients are known for providing anti-inflammatory, detoxification and antioxidant support.
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Low-calorie content
Beets only supply 45kcal/100 g of calories. They have no cholesterol and very scanty traces of fat. Most of its nutritional benefits come from fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants derived from plants.
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Glycine betaine
This is a phytochemical compound found in beets that helps in lowering the levels of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is a highly toxic metabolite that also promotes platelet clotting as well as atherosclerotic plaque.
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Source of folates
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Raw beets are rich in folates and contain about 109 g/100 g of this essential vitamin. Folate is essential for the synthesis of DNA in the cells. During the period of peri-conception, folate can prevent the defects of the neural tubes in the baby.
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Small Vitamin C amounts
The fresh tubers of beets have a small bit of vitamin C. However, the top greens have a lot of this vitamin to an extent that only 100 g of the greens provide 30 mg of vitamins. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps your body to scavenge free radicals.
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Vitamin B complex
Beetroots are as well rich in vitamin B-complex. These include B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6 (pyridixine). Also, the roots have minerals like manganese, copper, iron and magnesium.
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Potassium
There are very good levels of potassium. 100 g of fresh beetroots contains 325 mg of this mineral. This is 7% of your daily requirements. Potassium is known to lower your heart rate as well as regulating metabolism in the body. This is achieved by reducing the harmful effects of sodium.
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Source of antioxidants
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The top greens are a great source of flavonoids and carotenoids compared to the roots. Also, they have high levels of vitamin A for healthy skin, mucus membranes as well as improved vision.
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Cancer prevention
Though still in progress, studies have indicated that beets can help in preventing some forms of cancer and particularly colon cancer.
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Rich in carbohydrates
Beets are highly nutritious and have high amounts of carbohydrates. This means that they are able to energize your body fast.
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No saturated fats
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Not only do beets lack trans-fats but also saturated fats. Thus, they can fill you up especially with their slightly sweet taste. This way, they reduce your sugar craving and benefit you health-wise in many ways.
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Canned beets
Canned beets are very affordable. They are highly nutritious too and are available in sliced as well as whole forms yet still inexpensive!
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Consumed in various forms
Beets are eaten raw or can be boiled. What is more, they can be roasted or sauteed. Have you tasted juice from raw beets? It is extremely strong and powerful especially for cleansing your blood and colon naturally.
14. Preventing heart problems
Research has also shown that a daily intake of beets helps you have a healthy heart. Beets have properties that help protect the body against various problems related to the heart.
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Traditional uses
The leaves from beets are also highly nutritious in that for a long time they have been used to counter the garlic breath. In fact, they are excellent at garnishing meals. In Roman times, these leaves were used by the Hippocrates to bind and heal wounds.
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