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Nothing goes to waste when it comes to the Beetroot. Both the leaves and the roots (the red and sweet part) are eaten and have great advantages to our health.
Native to Asia, North Africa and Europe, beets have been eaten for thousands of years. In the beginning though only the leaves were eaten, however, later on its deep roots were also consumed as they are large, fleshy and also beneficial.
Beets have been used for many more purposes other than food. Its strong magenta or crimson color is used as a natural dye for fabrics, hair and even makeup. What’s more, much of the refined sugar produced in Europe comes from beets.
Despite its high sugar content compared to other vegetables and greens, beets are still suitable for diabetics (unless there is a particular medical contraindication). Beets have many important health benefits for proper body function and can help improve and fight some diseases.
Lowers and Helps Regulate Blood Pressure
Eating beets or drinking its juice helps to lower systolic blood pressure gradually without creating an imbalance which can cause blood pressure drops, dizziness or fainting. This may be due to the naturally occurring nitrate content of the beets. Nitrates are converted into nitric oxide inside our body, which helps to dilate blood vessels consequently improving blood flow thus lowering blood pressure.
Improves Physical Performance
Our body requires less oxygen when doing low intensity workouts precisely due to the nitric oxide that beets generate in our body. This also allows us to tolerate more high intensity workout routines as well. There are studies confirming that if you drink beet juice before doing any kind of physical activity that your performance increases by 16%.
Fights Inflammation
Beets contain high amounts of betaine, a very important nutrient that is responsible for helping and protecting cells, in addition to proteins and enzymes from environmental stress. This same nutrient helps to reduce inflammation of the organs, muscles, arteries and veins as well as reduces the risk of chronic diseases caused by inflammation.
Prevents Cancer
What distinguishes this incredible root is its magenta or crimson color. It has this notable color thanks to the presence of phytonutrients. Its effects on tumor formations have been researched with different animals and phytonutrients have been shown to help reduce them. It is still being studied as a treatment for some cancers like pancreatic, prostate and breast cancers.
Detox Your Body
Immune stimulation occurs when eating beets because of their high content of vitamins B and C, essential minerals such as potassium and manganese, and especially fiber. On top of all that, the betalain pigments present in beets helps our body detox, since it causes the body to excrete them naturally. They also help the liver and cleanse the blood.
As you can see there are so many health benefits to eating beets. It’s a versatile vegetable that can be easily incorporated into many different dishes like purees, gazpacho, oven roasted vegetables and even Paleo meatballs (recipe is coming out soon on our blog).
How do you guys eat beets? Let us know below!
