Power vegetable beetroot…
…let’s find out why is so good for us.
Beetroot might be without doubt one of the messiest vegetables! Nevertheless, its color, texture and flavor make it a great addition in the kitchen. It enhances many recipes and is a versatile source of energy with many healthy nutrients.
Its striking red and purple hue is due to a presence of a pigment called betanin. The pigment has some great anti-inflammatory qualities. Together with beetroot’s power to lower a blood pressure, it makes it a powerful superfood.
Beetroot is also a source of tyrosine, an enzyme boosting cognitive function and athletic performance. Beetroot might be beneficial as a prevention of a variety of eye diseases such as macular degeneration or cataracts. Is beetroot is the most underrated superfood?
Nutritional value per 100g
- Energy: 43kcal / 180kJ
- Calories: 58
- Fat: 0.2g
- Sodium: 78mg
- Carbohydrates: 9.6g
- Fiber: 2.8g
- Sugars: 6.8g
- Protein: 1.6g
- Potassium: 325mg
- Folate: 109µg
- Beta-carotene: 20µg
Data source: US Department of Agriculture (1)
Beetroot and athletic performance
Beetroot has become very popular with athletes. It has been proven to boost athletic performance in various clinical trials. This increased performance is caused by a presence of a chemical called nitrate. When you eat beets, your mouth bacteria mixes with nitrate and transform it into nitrite. As nitrite reaches stomach, its acidity changes it to nitric oxide. This nitric oxide then helps blood vessels to oxygenated blood to the muscles.
Even though beetroot is the most potent source of nitrate amongst the vegetables, there are also other leafy greens that contain a small amount of nitrates. Such examples are spinach, celery or radishes. All these are beneficial to consume before an athletic performance.
Beetroot and brain function
Nitrates do not only promote athletic performance, but the blood dilution caused by nitic oxide helps with increasing of blood flow to the brain. This improves cognitive function.
Why is nitrate in beets so healthy and helps preventing cancer whilst nitrate in processed meat is highly cancerous?
Despite the nitrate in beets is the same chemical substance as the nitrate that is added to meat to ensure that meat is preserved from bacteria, they have vastly different impact on our body.
You might wonder how come?
It is because nitrate which is added to meat, when exposed to a high temperature, turns into nitrosamine. Nitrosamine is highly cancerous. It is so bad for us that processed meat such as ham or bacon have been included in the Group 1 carcinogens by World Health Organization together with tobacco smoke and asbestos!
Another highly cancerous substances that present in meat are heterocyclic aminos (HCAs) and polycyclic aminos (PAHs). Also these become dangerous when meat is treated with high temperatures.
On the other hand, nitrates in vegetables are accompanied by other chemicals such as vitamin C that stop the chemical reaction leading to creation of nitrosamine.
Beetroot and aging
Beetroot contains folate (vitamin B9). Folate supports repair of our DNA. This happens by enabling the synthesis of nucleotides which are the building blocks of DNA. Other robust sources of folate are dark leafy veggies, broccoli, avocado, beans, peas and lentils.
Would you like to understand the connection between DNA and aging more? Then check out this article.
Beetroot and eye health
Beetroot together with spinach and kale might be helpful for prevention of various eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. This is due to presence of beta-carotene which helps to keep our eyes healthy.
Beetroot as a food coloring
Beetroot is one of the approved food colorants. You might be surprised to read a label of your favorite strawberry yoghurt or cupcake to find out that most of the lovely bright red color does not actually come from strawberry, but beets!
Let’s take advantage of beetroot’s bright color and use it in our recipes to make them look gorgeous and improve their nutritional content. For instance add beetroot to a soup or hummus and achieve that amazing pink instagrammable color that is great for your health!
Try this super easy beetroot salad!
For the salad base you will need:
- Beetroot
- Goat Cheese
- Walnuts
- Salad
- Figs or apricots
- Salt & Pepper
For the dressing:
- Olive Oil
- Honey
- Dijon Mustard
- Cider Vinegar
- Roast a handful of walnuts and sliced goat cheese in a bit of olive oil on a frying pan until slightly golden. Do not overdo.
- Cut beetroot into pieces.
- Use a salad bowl to mix salad leaves, goat cheese, beetroot and roasted walnuts. Add apricots or figs for that bit of sweetness. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper and mix.
- Prepare the sauce by mixing a dash of olive oil with honey, Dijon mustard and cider vinegar.
- Enjoy!
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How do you like to prepare beets? Would you like to share any of your favorite beet recipes with us? What other superfood do you love? We would love to hear from you! Let us know your thoughts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok. Would you like to learn more about nutrition? Check out our article about chocolate! Or join me for a blood pressure lowering workout!
DISCLAIMER: This article and any associated social media is created for entertainment and informational purposes only. They do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.
Resources:
Beets, Raw. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat (who.int)
