Amazing Health Benefits of Beets You Shouldn’t Ignore
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Beetroots offer way beyond their bright colour and earthy flavour. These amazing root vegetables give your body almost all the vitamins and minerals it needs. Many people skip beets in their daily meals, but these vegetables pack powerful nutrition while staying low in calories, fat, and cholesterol. You only get 37 calories from a half-cup serving that comes with amazing health benefits.
Beetroots improve cardiovascular function, growth, development, and digestion. Research shows that beetroot juice supplements can lower your blood pressure by a lot - both systolic and diastolic levels - which helps fight heart disease.
Athletes can benefit from beets, too. Research proves that beetroot juice helps athletes last longer, breathe better, and perform more efficiently. On top of that, beets are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that might help reduce cancer risks. Beets work wonders for almost every body system, whether you eat them raw, cooked, or drink them as juice.
Nutritional Value of Beets
Beetroot is a nutritional powerhouse loaded with essential nutrients. A 100g serving provides vital vitamins including folate (20% of daily needs), vitamin C, and smaller amounts of vitamin A, B vitamins and vitamin K. The root vegetable also contains potassium, iron, magnesium and manganese.
The betalain pigments are responsible for the deep red colour of beetroots. These natural pigments have strong antioxidant properties. They protect our body by blocking harmful free radicals and lowering oxidative stress.
Beetroot provides more than just vitamins and minerals:
Dietary fibre (2-3g per serving) that supports gut health
Nitrates that your body converts to nitric oxide to widen blood vessels
A low calorie count (43 calories per 100g)
Zero cholesterol with minimal fat
Beetroot's unique mix of nutrients benefits multiple body systems. Beetroot contains natural nitrates, and these have a big role in providing many health benefits. This humble vegetable offers great nutrients and can be a good choice to add to your regular diet.
Benefits of Beetroots
Beetroot offers special health perks like these:
Beets and Blood Pressure: A Natural Remedy – Beets have nitrates, which widen blood vessels. This not only boosts blood circulation but also lowers blood pressure in a natural way.
Better Stamina and Workout Power – Drinking beet juice everyday before exercising can help you last longer during exercise and feel less tired.
Better Stamina and Workout Power – Drinking beet juice can help you last longer during exercise and feel less tired.
Helping the Liver and Cleaning the Body – Betalains and antioxidants found in beetroots help our liver to clean out toxins from the body.
Reduce Inflammation – Compounds in beetroots can lower your whole body inflammation and help with long-term discomfort caused by ongoing ailments.
Support Your Heart – Nutrients found in beets have a role in improving blood flow. They also gradually lower cholesterol levels and help improve heart health.
Keep Skin Glowing and Resist Ageing – Beets have vitamin C and antioxidants, which work to keep your skin glowing and youthful.
Managing Weight – Beets are packed with fibre and are low in calories. They help you stay full for a longer period and assist in managing your weight.
How to Add Beets to Your Diet (Raw, Cooked, or Juiced)
Beetroots are kitchen stars thanks to their versatility and vibrant colour. You can easily add these nutritional gems to your meals.
Raw beets pack maximum nutrients and keep all their vitamin C, folate and antioxidants that cooking may reduce. A quick grate into salads, thin slices for slaws, or spiralised noodles add a crisp texture to your dishes.
Cooking options depend on your taste priorities:
Roasting: Wrap beets in foil with olive oil, salt and pepper, then bake until fork-tender to create a sweet, concentrated flavour
Steaming: Place in a steamer basket over boiling water until soft to achieve a gentler taste
Boiling: Simmer with vinegar, bay leaf, and garlic until tender to get a milder flavour
Juicing beets delivers concentrated nutrients without pre-cooking. Carrots, apples, oranges, or mint balance the earthy taste well. New to beetroot juice? Start with half a small beet.
You can include beetroots in a variety of ways like tasty smoothies, soups, hummus or even chocolate cake.
Risks and Side Effects of Beetroots
Beetroots usually do not cause any side effects. But eating too many might lead to some minor side effects in certain people like:
Change in urine or stools colour to pink or red (beeturia). This colour change is a harmless condition.
Beetroots are healthy, but their high oxalate content can sometimes trigger kidney stones in people who are prone to them. Therefore, people with kidney problems should watch their beetroot intake.
The nitrate content in beets could lower blood pressure too much if you already have low blood pressure or take blood pressure medications. This might cause dizziness or lightheadedness spells.
When consumed in excess amounts, beetroots may also cause:
Gas, bloating or stomach aches
Allergic reactions (in very rare cases)
Problems when combined with some medications like blood thinners
Conclusion
Beets are one of nature's most amazing superfoods. Their nutritional profile packs plenty of health benefits with surprisingly few calories. Their natural nitrate content helps lower blood pressure and improves blood flow by a lot, which leads to better heart health. Athletes who consume beetroot juice every day experience an improvement in their heart endurance and workout performance.
These vibrant root vegetables bring more to the table than just basic nutrition. Laboratory studies show their unique compounds might help fight cancer. Beetroot juice also helps heart failure patients build stronger muscles when added to their diet.
This bright red vegetable should be part of your weekly meals. Beets are a cheap and tasty way to boost your health and keep diseases away. Your body will love the extra nutrients from this root vegetable - just don't be surprised if your urine turns pink!
FAQs
Can beets really help lower blood pressure?
Yes! Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure levels. Beet's nitrates turn into nitric oxide in your body and relax your blood vessels. Daily drinking of 250ml beetroot juice can lower systolic blood pressure by 3-10mm Hg.
Is beetroot juice good for workouts or endurance?
Yes. Beetroot juice raises nitric oxide levels to improve blood flow, gas exchange and muscle contraction. Athletes who drink it show better cardiorespiratory endurance and can exercise longer.
Can eating beets improve your skin?
Yes. Beetroot's vitamin C and antioxidants brighten your skin and fade spots. Keep taking them to firm up skin, bring out natural pink tones and fight ageing signs. These antioxidants also help reduce dark spots and blemishes as you use them.
What's the healthiest way to consume beets?
Raw beets provide maximum nutrition and retain all their vitamins and antioxidants. Juicing them boosts these nutrients without needing to cook them. To detox, raw beetroot or its juice has the most benefits, though cooking them by boiling could be gentler on your stomach.
Is it safe to eat beets every day?
Eating one beetroot is okay for most individuals. Drink beetroot juice only once or twice a week to prevent any unwanted effects. Talk to your doctor first if you have low blood pressure, kidney stones, or take blood pressure medicine.
Are there any side effects to be aware of with beets?
You might notice red-coloured urine or stool (beeturia), but don't worry - it's harmless. Beets have high oxalate levels that could raise kidney stone risk in some people. Some folks might feel bloated or gassy. Allergic reactions happen rarely.
Do beets help with weight loss?
Of course. Beets have few calories (about 43 per 100g) but lots of fibre to control hunger. Natural nitrates make your workouts more effective so you burn more calories. The British Journal of Nutrition published research showing that beetroot juice helps reduce body weight and prevents weight gain.
