Beetroot – The Value Behind this Super Food
Among the 5 fruits and vegetables that it is advisable to eat every day, we have the choice between many products. Let’s take a look at the beetroot. There are three species of beet: fodder, sugar, and vegetable. It is above all the latter, the garden beet, which interests us here. Let’s find out more about its nutritional characteristics and especially about its benefits for our health.
All About Beetroot:
Beetroot is a plant of the Amaranthaceae family and the genus Beta. It is, above all, the root of the beet that is used.
As we learned in the introduction, there are three types of beets. The fodder beet is mainly used as feed for farms. Sugar beet is grown mainly for its sugar but also to produce bioethanol, a biofuel. Finally, the garden beet is grown for our food. It is this that we eat mainly as raw vegetables, but also in various recipes.
The garden beet is often called red beet because of its very recognizable burgundy red color. In fact, you will find more than 100 varieties of this species, some of which are commonly called white beets, yellow beets, and pink beets.
Beetroot is also used as a dye and as an ink. More broadly, the garden beet has been consumed since prehistoric times. It is one of those vegetables that are very common in most countries and that are eaten raw or cooked. The beet’s root is mainly spherical, although some varieties have a more elongated shape.
Beatroot Nutritional Properties
It would seem that from the Middle Ages, beetroot was used against certain diseases. Even today, the beet is often presented as a super vegetable.
This qualifier comes mainly from the nutritional qualities of beetroots. It is a vegetable rich in carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fiber and also contains phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin B9.
More specifically, beets contain betalains, antioxidants, and other forms of antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, zeaxanthin, and lutein.
In addition to vitamin B9, there is vitamin K, vitamin B2, vitamin A, and in smaller quantities, vitamins B1, B5, B6, C and E. Similarly, beetroots contain iron, copper, magnesium, and manganese, but also a little calcium.
Health Benefits of Beetroots
As always with superfoods, the advertised benefits are often assumed, as it is challenging to know the actual impacts. These effects are mainly estimated according to the nutritional values of foods and according to what we know about the importance and role of each nutrient in our body.
Beetroot contains several antioxidants, which makes it a very effective product for fighting against free radicals. More broadly, antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. This is particularly the case of betalains, responsible for the pigmentation of beets, which reduce the risk of liver, skin, and lung cancers and are antioxidants.
Among these antioxidants, we also find lutein and zeaxanthin effective against cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, and macular degeneration.
In juice form, beets are high in nitrates. These elements are adequate for sports performance since they reduce oxygen consumption when efforts are produced.
Beetroot: How to Consume it?
Beetroot is most often eaten cooked as an appetizer. It can be boiled, steamed, or baked. It is usually sold cooked on the market.
This super vegetable can also be eaten raw. In this case, the beetroot is very often grated and eaten as raw food.
Beets are also used to make desserts, whether cakes, smoothies or even in the form of sorbet. Similarly, it can also be consumed in the form of soup.
Finally, beets also exist as a juice. Mixed with garlic juice, it is a very popular detox juice to regenerate the blood and the liver while canceling the bad breath caused by garlic. Indeed, already during the Renaissance, beets were mixed with garlic.
It also exists in the form of capsules and very practical tablets when you want to follow a cure.
Tip: Use a Juice Extractor
To get beet juice, the best way is to use a juice extractor. This relatively quick solution is purer and more economical than buying beetroot juice sold in stores at an often high price, which very often contains added sugars or other unnecessary ingredients.
The juicer is a device specially designed to collect juice from fruits and vegetables. There are different models of juice extractors: vertical and horizontal. Similarly, we distinguish the manual juice extractor from the much more practical, fast, and less tiring electric model. In both cases, the fruit or vegetable is pressed using a screw to extract as much liquid as possible without harvesting the pulp.
The New Trendy Slimming Food
Beetroots are high in carbohydrates, which do not help with weight loss at first glance. However, it is also high in fiber. These make it easier to assimilate carbohydrates and promote the proper functioning of the intestine, especially during digestion. In addition, beets also have a laxative effect.
Thanks to these characteristics, the beetroot is a super vegetable that helps to lose weight.
Beets and Diabetes
We know that beets are high in sugars. This is all the more true with sugar beets mainly used to produce sugar.
Only the sugar in the garden beet is assimilated mainly by the fibers in the beet. Also, beetroot is not really a food not recommended for diabetics, who can continue to eat it generally while remaining reasonable on the quantities.
If in doubt, take the time to discuss it with your doctor.
For Whom is the Consumption of Beetroot Recommended?
Beets should be one of those vegetables that we eat regularly alternately. Indeed, the most important thing is to vary your diet and try to have balanced meals. The goal is, therefore, not to eat the same vegetable every day, whether it is beets or another vegetable. The goal is to alternate.
For the various benefits mentioned above but also for people wishing to lose weight, beets have many advantages, including their richness in antioxidants.
On the other hand, raw beets are sometimes not recommended because there are several cases of food poisoning. It is a mild poisoning that takes the form of vomiting and diarrhea. Despite everything, not everyone is affected, and you can very well eat raw beets without feeling any signs of intoxication.
BUY A JUICE EXTRACTOR AT THE BEST PRICE
Other super vegetables you might be interested in:
Cabbage
Garlic
Spinach
Need Help In Content Writing?
Do you want more advice? Do you have good practices to share? Express yourself in the comments.
Moreover, if you want any help in writing content to drive more traffic and boost conversions, get in touch through Contact our team.
Do you want any help writing quality content, driving more traffic to your website, and boosting conversions? You can contact me through my Freelancer.com profile also. I always prefer to work through Freelancer.com for smooth functioning. Here you pay safely and securely.
Read More:
FAMOUS GREEK FOODS TO EAT IN GREECE TRIP
