Beets & Beet Juice: Health Benefits
Beets are a versatile and nutritious root vegetable with numerous health benefits. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, they are low in calories and can easily be incorporated into your daily diet.
Your body stands to benefit greatly from the nutrients found in beets, such as vitamin C, folate, potassium, iron, and manganese, which are instrumental in supporting a healthy immune system.
Their high content of betalains provides anti-inflammatory properties, combating inflammation linked to diseases like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.
Additionally, the dietary nitrates in beets get converted to nitric oxide, which helps relax and dilate blood vessels, thus lowering your blood pressure.
Incorporating beets into your meals is a smart choice for staying full without feeling weighed down. With around 58 calories and 0.2 grams of fat per cup, this nutrient-dense, vibrant vegetable makes a beneficial addition to your diet.
Everything to Know about Beets
Beets are a nutritious root vegetable with numerous health benefits. They’re low in calories and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.
Benefits
One notable benefit of beets is their ability to lower blood pressure, which can help prevent heart-related issues. They are also high in fiber, which can assist in maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar levels, and promoting digestive regularity.
In addition, beets are a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which can contribute to overall health. They may also improve athletic performance by increasing nitric oxide levels, enhancing blood flow, and reducing oxygen use during exercise.
Downsides
Some potential downsides of eating beets include their high oxalate content, which can contribute to kidney stone formation in susceptible individuals.
However, for most people, incorporating beets into your diet can provide a range of health benefits.
Benefits of Beets
Incorporating beets into a balanced diet can contribute to maintaining good health and preventing disease.
Many Nutrients and Few Calories
Beets are a nutrient-dense food, offering a range of vitamins, minerals, and other essential elements. Despite their high nutrient content, they are low in calories.
A cup of raw red beetroot (136g) contains only around 58 calories, 13g of carbohydrates, 2.2g of protein, and 0.2g of fat.
You’ll also benefit from the excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium in beets. For example, 3/4 cup (100 grams) of raw beets provides around 43 calories, 88% water, and 1.6g of protein.
In addition to essential nutrients, beets are high in antioxidants and plant compounds, offering anti-inflammatory properties. These health benefits can aid in your overall well-being while keeping your calorie intake in check.
Could Help Keep your Blood Pressure in Check
Beets are known for their potential to help regulate your blood pressure. They contain high levels of nitrates, which your body converts to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is important in maintaining the health of your heart and blood vessels.
As a vasodilator, nitric oxide helps relax and dilate the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily. This can lead to lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension risk. Improved blood flow also supports overall cardiovascular health and efficiency.
Including beets in your diet can provide your body with these valuable nitrates. Regular consumption may, therefore, promote the well-being of your arteries.
Can Improve Athletic Performance
Incorporating beets into your diet can be a natural way to boost your athletic prowess. Not only do you reap the cardiovascular advantages, but you also benefit from beets’ fiber content and abundant nutrients.
They contain nitrates, which your body converts to nitric oxide. This substance helps in dilating blood vessels, allowing more oxygen to reach your muscles. As a result, you use less energy during workouts, improving your endurance.
Athletes often consume beet juice to enhance their cardiorespiratory abilities. Improved lung function and stronger muscle contractions are observed benefits. This enables better training and performance.
May Help Fight Inflammation
Beets contain betalains, which are plant compounds known for their anti-inflammatory properties. They work to reduce inflammation in your body, which can help lower the risk of various diseases.
Ongoing inflammation is linked to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, and obesity. Incorporating beets into your diet can provide anti-inflammatory benefits and limit the chances of these illnesses.
Adding beets to your meals can contribute to a much healthier, more balanced diet. They can be enjoyed raw, juiced, or cooked for maximum nutrient absorption.
May Improve Digestive Health
Beets are high in fiber, which can benefit your digestive health. Fiber helps to increase the bulk of your stool, making it easier to pass and promoting regular bowel movements. This can prevent constipation and promote overall digestive health.
Incorporating beets into your diet may also help reduce the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases like colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The fiber in beets also aids in reducing inflammation and promoting healthy gut bacteria.
By consuming beets regularly, you help maintain a healthy balance in your digestive system, which can contribute to more efficient nutrient absorption.
May Support Brain Health
Beets are known to potentially support brain health due to their impressive nutrient content. They contain nitrates, which help widen blood vessels, facilitating blood flow to the brain. This increased blood flow may improve brain function, making you feel more alert and focused.
Folate is another essential nutrient found in beets. It plays a crucial role in brain function and overall cognitive health, as folate aids in the production and maintenance of new cells within the brain.
In addition to enhancing brain function, beets’ high nitrate content may also lower blood pressure. Lower blood pressure reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, which can lead to better overall brain health and function.
May Have Some Anti-Cancer Properties
Beets are rich in antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. These antioxidants include betacyanin, a pigment that gives beets their vibrant red color.
Preliminary research suggests that betacyanin might also help defend cells against harmful carcinogens, potentially reducing the risk of some cancers.
Including beets in your diet may, therefore, provide a holistic means to preventing cancer due to their high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and dietary nitrates.
While more research is needed to establish a definitive connection between beets and cancer prevention, their strong nutritional profile supports their potential role in a healthy diet.
Specifically, beets may be beneficial in the prevention of colon cancer. Their fiber content aids in promoting regular bowel movements and maintaining a healthy gut, which could contribute to reducing the risk of colon cancer.
May Help Balance Energy Intake
Beets can be beneficial for balancing your energy intake. They are low in calories, making them an excellent addition to your diet if you are aiming to maintain a healthy weight or prevent obesity.
The high fiber content in beets can help you feel fuller and more satisfied, reducing the urge to consume excess calories.
May Help Control Cholesterol
Managing cholesterol levels is also essential for your overall health and well-being. Beets contain compounds that may help reduce LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol.
Lower LDL levels can contribute to a decreased risk of heart disease and improved cardiovascular health.
Incorporating beets into your meals can provide the nutrients and benefits your body needs for maintaining energy and regulating a healthy weight. With their low-calorie profile and cholesterol-lowering properties, beets can be a valuable addition to your diet.
Recipe Tips
Incorporating beets into your meals is simple and delicious. When selecting beets, look for ones with fresh, firm roots and vibrant greens.
Roasting beets
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. After peeling the beets, halve or quarter them, then toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes.
This method brings out their natural sweetness and earthy flavor.
Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and bake at 400 F for 40 minutes. Once cooled, peel and cut them into desired shapes.
Season with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, and roast for an additional 10 minutes.
Boiling beets
This method is great for retaining beets’ vibrant color.
Simply peel the beets, cut them into equal-sized pieces, and boil in salted water for 20-30 minutes or until tender. To enhance flavor, add garlic cloves to the water.
Beet hummus
Combine roasted or boiled beets with chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and seasonings in a food processor.
Blend until smooth and serve with crackers or fresh vegetables.
Remember, beets will stain surfaces and fabrics. So, use gloves or paper towels while handling them to avoid discoloration.
Stick to these straightforward techniques, and enjoy the numerous health benefits of beets in your everyday dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary health benefits of consuming beets?
Beets offer a wide variety of health benefits. They are low in calories yet rich in vitamins and minerals. Consuming beets can lead to improved blood flow, arterial health, lower homocysteine levels, and reduced LDL cholesterol.
They are also high in fiber, which aids in digestive health and supports heart health due to their high nitrate content.
How do beets help with weight loss?
Beets are a low-calorie food, making them a helpful addition to weight loss diets. They are also high in fiber, which can keep you feeling full and satisfied.
This may reduce overall calorie intake and make it easier to maintain or achieve weight loss goals.
What role do beets play in supporting female hormonal health?
While there isn’t specific research on beets and female hormonal health, their high nutrient content could contribute to overall well-being.
Nutrients like vitamins and minerals are necessary for proper hormonal balance, and consuming nutrient-rich foods like beets may have a positive impact on hormonal health.
What are the potential side effects of consuming beetroot?
Beetroot is generally safe for consumption, but some people may experience side effects. These can include allergic reactions, gastrointestinal issues, and temporarily pink or red urine, known as beeturia.
If you’re concerned about potential side effects, consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating beetroot into your diet.
How much beetroot should one consume daily?
There isn’t a specific daily recommendation for beetroot consumption.
However, incorporating beets into a balanced diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables may provide the best health benefits.
You can enjoy beets in various forms, like raw, cooked, or even as a juice, to reap their benefits.
What are the essential nutrients found in 100g of beets?
A 100-gram serving of beets contains a variety of essential nutrients. Some of these include vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium, and iron.
Beets also contain dietary nitrates and beneficial antioxidants, further contributing to their impressive nutritional profile.
