The taste of beets has always been debated on our plates, especially when raw. What is certain is that this food is full of nutrients and benefits of beetroot that help the body stay in shape.
Its bright red color, which has already stained the clothes of many of us, comes from betalains. Plant pigments that benefit from beets are one of the few vegetables to possess.
These pigments also contain many antioxidants, such as flavonoids. Even after cooking, these antioxidants are preserved.
Cooked or raw, in salads accompanied by nuts, but also in soups, smoothies, or desserts, it has several alternatives to taste and includes it in your nutrition!
The Health Benefits of Beetroot
Vitamins, tangy, and sweet benefits of beetroot are beginning to be popular and recognized for their benefits on blood circulation and sports performance.
Their boosting effects on the immune system make them a perfect companion to face the winter, and that's not all!
Consume beets as a dish or as a juice (discover the best benefits of beetroot juice recipes here), and your body will thank you.
We tell you right away why, by listing below all the benefits of beetroot vegetables with multiple virtues:
1. An Immune Ally
In general, consuming beets will help you strengthen your immune defenses and allow you to prevent diseases such as colds, flu, and other infections common to the season during the winter.
Beets will also help your immune system ward off bacteria. It is also a good remedy for headaches or skin problems. Consuming beets will therefore save you a course of medication and ensure your iron health!
2. Natural Energizer
The carbohydrates, vitamins (vitamin A and vitamin C), and minerals contained in beets have an energizing effect, as do iron and nitrate, which contribute to cell oxygenation and prevent fatigue.
3. A Detox Cure
Beets are rich in betacyanin, a substance that helps eliminate bad toxins in the body and prevent weight gain. Consuming beets therefore helps cleanse your liver, take care of it, and facilitate digestion.
4. Full of Vitamins
Since it has a high content of iron and folic acid, you will find in the benefits of beetroot something to revitalize you. In the middle of winter, its beta-carotene level will help you look good.
5. The Health of Pregnant Women
For pregnant women, beets are a real treasure. Folic acid is a key element for the proper development of the fetus during the first 3 months of pregnancy, and its deficiency can also lead to the malformation of the fetus called spina bifida.
The iron, which is strongly present in the fruit, also helps to increase the production of red blood cells in the mother and her child.
6. Skin and Hair Care
Beta-carotene, vitamins, and minerals also help to care for skin and hair cells. Beetroot is therefore an excellent ally for your beauty as well.
7. Beets are an Excellent Remedy for Anemia
Menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding can lower iron levels in women, who are therefore at greater risk of anemia than men.
Beetroot, being part of the foods containing a lot of iron, essential for forming red blood cells, hemoglobin, and blood oxygenation, can therefore protect against anemia.
8. And Osteoporosis
Its high silicone content allows the body to properly integrate calcium, which is important for the health of bones, muscles, and teeth, and to prevent the risk of osteoporosis, a disease that causes the weakening of bones.
9. Blood Red Color, Blood Purifier
The blood color of beets is a good indicator because they regenerate our blood cells. It cleans it by dissolving inorganic calcium deposits and helping oxygen enter the body.
In general, it therefore promotes blood circulation and prevents the appearance of varicose veins or heart problems.
10. Anti-cholesterol and Cardiovascular Diseases
Beetroot helps to prevent the formation of plaques and, therefore, to balance cholesterol levels in the blood by reducing the levels of bad cholesterol responsible for cardiovascular problems.
By increasing the good cholesterol that protects the arteries. Beets also prevent the formation of triglycerides.
If you consume dishes rich in salts and saturated fats, integrating beets into your diet will allow you to limit the damage. This therefore helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis, among others.
11. Beetroot to Heal the Heart
Potassium deficiency is a common cause of heart disease. Beetroot is excellent for preventing them because it contains large quantities.
It allows the dilation of blood vessels and therefore prevents the formation of clots and the accumulation of plaques that can cause a heart attack.
Nitrate and nitrite regulate blood pressure and prevent the clogging of vessels. Consuming this tuber daily therefore reduces blood pressure and related risks.
12. Beets, an Anti-cancer Drug
Like many fruits and vegetables (such as spinach, prunes, and pineapple), beets generally help to preserve the body from the development of cancerous cells and therefore prevent cancer, particularly colon cancer.
To take advantage of these benefits of beetroot, it is recommended to consume it regularly in juice.
13. Virtues Against Hypertension
The tuber is rich in nitrates, which are transformed into nitric oxide in the body, an oxide that has the power to lower blood pressure.
A recent study tested this function on patients by having them consume a glass of beetroot juice. Their blood pressure would have dropped by 10 points in 4 hours.
14. Increase in Physical Performance
This same nitrate content promotes blood flow in the body and therefore increases physical performance by up to 20% and promotes recovery after exercise. If you love sports, beetroot should be your best friend!
15. Is red beet juice an anti-stress drink?
Rich in magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins, beets help preserve the nervous system. If you are prone to stress or are anxious, integrating beets (and carrots) into your diet will help you relax.
Its high concentration of antioxidants and amino acids, such as tryptophan, allows you to find serenity and well-being. The betaine contained helps calm depression.
16. Consuming Beets to Take Care of the Brain
Beets promote oxygenation in the body. Consuming it would improve brain functions, and this is explained by the presence of nitrate, which facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses. When the brain works properly, it helps prevent certain diseases called dementia.
17. Beets, your Slimming Partner
Better than any "miracle" pill on the market, eating beets will help you eliminate the few unwanted pounds you have accumulated.
Rich in fiber, water, and other nutrients, consuming it will give you a feeling of satiety that will prevent you from craving snacks.
Moreover, with 20 calories per 100 grams, there is nothing to deprive yourself of. It is therefore possible to lose weight by eating, provided you choose the right foods.
18. Diabetics, Eat Beets!
The vegetable, although it contains sugar, does not contain fat. Its average glycemic index is 64; it releases the necessary amount of sugar and no more, thus stabilizing the blood sugar level.
19. Elixir of the Senses and Aphrodisiac
The legend would therefore be proven: The beet has aphrodisiac virtues and awakens the senses. During antiquity, the Romans used to consume it for this purpose.
It would improve sexual performance. This “natural Viagra” boosts sexual activity because it releases nitric oxide, which is responsible for good blood circulation in the penis.
Beets also contain a chemical compound called “boron,” which increases libido, boosts sperm motility, and combats frigidity.
It would also help to increase, it seems, fertility. So don't hesitate to invite the benefits of beetroot to the table during a date.
Side Effects of the Consumption of Beets
Like all foods, consuming beets excessively can cause some adverse health effects.
1. Red Urine
Consumption of beets gives the urine a red color. If this symptom is benign in the majority of cases and also occurs without excessive consumption of the tuber, it can still be a symptom of iron-related pathologies. Individuals with iron deficiencies may be affected.
2. Beware of Excess Iron
On the contrary, the excess of iron or copper can also result in the contraindication of this vegetable. People are suffering from hemochromatosis. Wilson's disease should avoid the consumption of beets, which contain high levels of iron and copper.
3. Kidney Diseases
If you are prone to kidney-related complications, consuming beets excessively may promote the formation of kidney stones by reducing calcium absorption. The oxalate present in the benefits of beetroot is contraindicated for people with kidney problems.
4. Interaction of Betaine with Folic Acid and B Vitamins
Betaine is beneficial for health, but its level of toxicity is not determined. It is advisable to consume beets in moderation, especially for pregnant women.
When betaine interacts with folic acid and certain B vitamins (B6 and B12), it is said to increase cholesterol levels, which is not good for obese people. This phenomenon is also responsible for certain effects, such as diarrhea or stomach aches.
Additional Tips
As a bonus, here are two relatively unknown tips on beets, their consumption, and their conservation:
Red Beet Stalks and Leaves are Your Friend
Don't throw away the beet leaves! Edible, they are just as interesting in terms of health because they have many antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which are beneficial for eye health. The stems are prepared like spinach leaves.
How can We Optimally Preserve this Vegetable?
To preserve raw beets for a long time, it is recommended not to remove the stems to avoid dehydration. Thus, it can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, preferably in a paper bag.
If they are cooked, you can store them in vinegar or oil for several weeks. You can also cut them up to store them in the freezer.
Cutting them will prevent them from dehydrating or becoming porous. If you buy vacuum-packed beets, you should eat them within 3 days of opening.
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