by Taetske | 3:36 pm
(Last Updated On: July 30, 2021)

Beetroot, the health benefits of having it in your diet

 

Beets are not just for pickling

Do you eat beetroot regularly? If not, I would like to tell you about this old and rarely appreciated vegetable. Its uses are many. The Russians make a great soup out of beetroot called borscht. It is made with sour cream and known in different countries like Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Romania, Armenia, and Russia.

Perhaps you would like to cook this soup yourself:
Russian Borscht Recipe

 

Vitamins and minerals from beetroot

This well-known vegetable is a must add to your menu as it is full of vitamins A, many B’s, and also C. It also contains a lot of different minerals: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, and Zinc.

It was first cultivated by the Romans, and by the 19th century, it became valuable when it was discovered that it was one source of sugar.

 

Sugar beet on field

Sugar beet on field image aixklusiv

 

This vegetable is eatable, be it the root which is sweet, or also the leaves which are bitter. Whenever I had beetroot growing in the vegetable garden, I would cut a few leaves to add to mixed salads. Also, the root can be eaten raw, and it tastes great, but people often prefer cooked or pickled.

 

Battling infections

The fiber of this vegetable will increase your white blood cells, which we have to fight infections. They find abnormal cells and will eliminate them. White cells are our soldiers. Another important fact is that red beetroot is the vegetable with one of the highest sources of Glutamine.

 

Beet root harvest

Beet root harvest image Alexey Hulsov

 

Additional reasons for consuming Beetroot

There are many more reasons why to eat beetroot regularly.

A study in the Hypertension Journal shows us that beet juice seems to be an effective means to lower blood pressure but not, as most medication has, with any negative side effects.
It is rich in fiber and we all know how important that is for gut health.

If you drink beet juice before you do your workout it increases your endurance by a good 16%. It reduces any inflammation you might have in your body as the nutrient betaine in the beets protects proteins, enzymes, and our cells from environmental stress. Modern life is full of stress, be it stress in our personal life or caused by our surroundings.

In the following YouTube video, they instruct you on how to grow beetroot.

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Beetroot aids blood flow

Due to its nitric oxide content, it can relax and dilate the blood vessels, which improves the blood flow and lowers the pressure.

Another very positive aspect of eating more beetroot is that it has detoxification properties and cleans out the blood and liver.

It also lowers triglycerides and LDL and increases HDL. When your arteries are clean, there is less chance of getting a stroke and other heart ailments.

Vegetables with a deep color have a lot of antioxidants and cancer-fighting abilities. They have proven that beetroot extract is beneficial in a variety of cancer types as it inhibits the growth of tumor formations.

 

Beet root soup

Beetroot soup image RitaE

 

Beetroot also has an elevated vitamin C content and therefore is effective in combating respiratory issues like asthma and even other lung ailments, including cancer.

Our eyes will also show improvement as beetroot fights, macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye problems.

 

Are you stressed and feeling down?

We live a stressful life, always on the run. Our food is often not the right type of food. We need something to help our immune system. We need to be protected from free radicals. With all the problems we have, we might not feel our best.

Organixx is a company where you will find great supplements. This product helps you with the above-mentioned issues.

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Essential Oils and so much more

 

Juicing can help with a lot of ailments

Try making this fresh juice at home.
Carrots, beetroot, celery, 1 apple, cucumber, and a little parsley. Besides tasting great, you will soon feel and see the benefits of this healthy drink.

If you are a beginner, then this book will be of great help. I consider it a real reference book and a bestseller on top.

Designed for anyone who wants to explore nutrition and natural foods, this edition addresses over 80 common health conditions, presents health tips, preparation techniques, sidebars, and 400 recipes—100 of which are new.

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The Juicing Bible

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Conclusion

There you see, once again nature is here to help us. The more natural you live and eat, the healthier you will be for sure. Time is passing and studies on beetroot continue. They discover more health benefits. Who would have thought that of the humble beetroot? Anyhow, it is a clever idea to include this vegetable in your diet.

Before you leave, please have a look at a special page I made for you. It is a collection of things you might find interesting. Click on Recommendations.

 

Source: NaturalHealth365. Roxanne Fisher, Health editor of BBC Good Food.

Photo Source: Pixabay

 

There are more vegetables that are worth a second look. Perhaps you also like to read the following post on another healthy vegetable.

All the Surprising Facts about the Cucumber

Comments

Melissa

Hello.
Great post. I used to eat beets often I am not sure what happened there. Haven’t given them much thought I guess. But you have really made me think of this again I didn’t realize that beetroot has so many different vitamins and minerals in.
I also want to thank you for letting us know that the vegetables with the deeper color are even better for us. Great information thank you

Apr 07.2018 | 10:41 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Melissa.

    Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment. 

    I like beets in a salad and I also use it for mixing into a fresh vegetable juice. Nature provides with a lot of healthy things, healthy in their natural state. Humans always want to improve on things but with all this man-made foods you see nowadays I do not think it has been an improvement, rather the contrary.

    Regards, Taetske 

    Apr 08.2018 | 02:13 pm

Ann

Hi there informative post on beetroot which I eat regularly. I love it cooked as a side vegetable and also use the bitter leaves in salad. As well as the health benefits you mention I like it for its liver supporting benefits.  I enjoy small amounts of fresh beetroot juice mixed with others to give a slightly sweet taste.

Nov 04.2018 | 04:38 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Ann,

    Thank you for reading my post and leaving a comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?

    I remember one year there was a huge harvest of beetroot from the vegetable garden. I cooked them, then peeled them and put them in plastic bags in the deep freezer. They are not as good as raw or freshly cooked but still eatable.

    Better not eat so many man-made foods, nature provides for most of our needs, that at least, is my opinion.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 05.2018 | 07:50 am

Dale

Its great to know how healthy beets are for us.  Being Ukrainian I eat a lot of beets.  I eat beet soup, pickled beets, and beet rolls made from the leaves.  It was great stumbling on your article.  I am also diabetic so am always struggling with foods that are good for me.  It seems beets fit the good category.  Thanks for taking the time to put together this article.

Nov 04.2018 | 04:39 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Dale,

    Being diabetic is not funny but nature has many foods which will be good for you. The question is if you are willing to take a serious look at your lifestyle, make a list of what you eat and drink and see where you could make changes to improve your health. I know it is not easy but I also know it is possible. Wishing you the best.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 05.2018 | 07:50 am

Kim

Hi Taetske,

It’s a shame that doctors don’t recommend using plants like this for health benefits instead of prescribing drugs. I think this would be more preferable to use for my blood pressure, I really hate having to take medications for things because of all the different side effects associated with them. They seem to help with one thing but cause problems with other things so it’s a no win win.

I’m glad I came across your article here, I remember eating this plant as a youngster  and enjoyed it, so I think it’s time to head to the store to get some, who knows I might be able to go off some of my meds. 🙂

Kim

Nov 04.2018 | 04:48 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Kim,

    Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?

    When people study medicine they will hardly get a few hours on nutrition. Later, when they practice as doctors they will prescribe pills instead of natural things. They miss the knowledge on all that nature has to offer. 

    I think you would do well in eating more beetroot, just imagine you can stop taking these pills so you do not have to suffer the side effects anymore.

    Regards, Taetske

    Nov 05.2018 | 07:50 am

Theresa

What do you think about the beet powders that you mix with water? They’re supposed to provide all the benefits of beets in a simple drink form, including increasing energy and improving circulation. I’m just wondering if they’re as effective as juicing actual beets or buying a different beet juice, and I thought you might know. Thanks for helpful information on the health benefits. I’m going to try some type of beet product in the near future.

Apr 01.2019 | 08:33 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Theresa,

    Thank you for your visit and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?

    My Mother had cancer in 1973. She was treated with radiation and survived. She started to read about alternative treatments. She made up her own diet which consisted of Speise Quark = cottage cheese and Beetroot Powder. You could not buy this powder in Holland so she got it from Germany. These were the only things she ate for 1 year. Afterward, she never ate man-made foods anymore. She died in 1997 after happy and healthy years. 

    Giving herself this diet she gave her body the rest needed after the harsh treatment.

    I think that beetroot powder can be good but I personally always prefer fresh produce, of course, it must be organic. 

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 02.2019 | 07:12 am

Bob

Wow, I did not know that beets or beetroot had so many health benefits. My wife and I have been playing with the idea of starting to eat healthier and this would be a good start. I also watched your video for Borscht and it looked great. I may have to bookmark your site so that I can try to prepare it for my family. I just wonder if my wife and daughter would like it.

You mentioned that shredding it into smaller strings makes the texture easier or more palatable for kids. I know my daughter has issues with certain textures of food and you may be onto something here with shredding it smaller. Oh and she is not a fan of cabbage either. So, like you, I would also have to leave it out if I ever made Borscht.

I am very interested in more soup recipes as that is another area that my daughter loves. Thanks for this…I definitely may have to subscribe to your channel. Take care and I will be watching for more. 🙂

Apr 01.2019 | 08:55 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Bob,

    Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?

    Good to hear that you found the link I provided for Borscht soup helpful. I agree as when things are shredded into smaller pieces it makes it more palatable. To make changes in our diet and start eating healthier things is always a good idea. The closer we eat to nature the healthier we will be.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 02.2019 | 07:02 am

Paul

Hi Taetski,

Paul Mindra here from Ontario, Canada.

Thank you for providing this valuable information on a vegetable that I incorporate into my diet daily. And yes, it has many health benefits.

I have been eating beets it seems forever. Being a former professional chef I have served them to hundreds of thousands in many different preparations from raw to steamed, to sud vide, to baked, grilled and so on.

I am an avid ‘Juicer’ and I make a batch every couple of days using a blend of Carrots, Celery, Gignger root, Bok Choy and Beets with some parsley for the final touch. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.

It has helped my eyesight in a very positive way. Up until about nine months ago (I started Juicing back in late 2017) I was prescribed Lumigan and Combigan drops to prevent the onset of Glaucoma. I no longer require these medications and the pressure on my eyes has dropped from 17,18 to 15,16 respectively.

Is it the carrots and beets? I think so. Juicing has also had positive results in the increase of good cholesterol and reduction of the bad. It also helps with the inflammation related to Arthritis for which I take a Biologic bi-weekly. I only have good things to say on your topic of beets.

Let me share a funny story with you.

It was harvest time in wine country where I was running a Vineyard Restaurant back in 1996. We had all these beets to process and preserve. One of my cooks started eating beets all day long.

Long story short…he shared with all of us the next day that he went to the emergency room of the Hospital because he thought that he was urinating blood.

We all had a good laugh.

So continue to eat those beets but not too many. Lol.

Kindest regards from Canada.

Paul.

P.S. Thank you also for referencing Natasha’s website. She has some great recipes.

Apr 01.2019 | 09:10 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Paul,

    Thank you for your visit and your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?

    I have just now done a 9 day fast and that means lots of juice. I have always been a juice fan and make it often. Nice to hear you like my post. I know that eating a lot of beetroots has that effect and actually, your cook should have known that. 

    My eyes are not too good either so I take Zeaxanthin 4mg and Lutein 12mg every day. I have written a post on eye problems, I will give you the link.https://healthyantiagingalternatives.com/how-to-improve-macular-degeneration-with-nitrates

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 02.2019 | 06:48 am

      Paul Mindra

      Hi, Taetski.
      What are your thoughts on astaxanthin. I heard about it about 10 years ago, but never followed up on it. I will definitely read your article on macular degeneration. Thank you for the link.
      Paul.

      Apr 02.2019 | 01:12 pm

        Taetske

        Good afternoon Paul,

        Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.
        I do not have any personal experience with Astaxanthin but I understand it is very beneficial. Here comes a link: https://draxe.com/astaxanthin-benefits/ There are so many good things in nature that it is not always easy to find the right things as everybody is different. Anyhow, I wish you success with your investigation.

        Regards, Taetske

        Apr 02.2019 | 02:12 pm

          Paul Mindra

          Thank you Teatski.
          Sorry I did not get back to you sooner.
          Somehow, my response previous was buried in the email.
          Lots to still think about.
          Your form here is a bit too sophisticated and does not allow friendly interaction.
          Asta – Zeo are all new areas. Time will tell.

          Kindest regards.
          Paul.

          Apr 15.2019 | 08:37 pm

          Taetske

          Good Morning Paul,

          I am a bit at a loss and do not really understand what you mean with that my form here is too sophisticated and does not allow friendly interactions?
          I would appreciate if you can explain this.

          Regards, Taetske

          Apr 16.2019 | 06:32 am

Paul Mindra

Hi, Taetski.
There must have been a glitch with your ‘Leave a Reply.’ It fragmented my comment when I clicked on submit. Seems to be working fine now. I started taking astaxanthin in very slow doses just yesterday after consulting with my family physician. He has seen some positive results in regard to high Cholesterol Levels. I’ll let you know how I make out.
Sorry for any inconvenience or confusion that may have been caused.

Kindest regards,
Paul.

Apr 16.2019 | 02:08 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Paul,

    Thank you for your explanation. Websites sometimes show they have a life of their own. Anything technical is anyhow above me most of the time. Good to hear my website behaves again. I am keeping my fingers crossed that astaxanthin will help you.

    All the best, Taetske

    Apr 16.2019 | 03:00 pm

Trevor

I am a huge fan of beetroots or “betarraga” as it is known where I live. I always choose beetroot whenever I can from the salad bar. I also love “Borscht”.  I had lots whenever I visited Ukraine a few years ago.  Delicious.  And now I am feeling a little smug having read your post learning that it is so good for me!  Fights infections, full of vitamins, and it helps to lower my blood pressure.  I`m definitely putting it on the shopping list for next month’s shop. I have a question that I would really appreciate an answer to.  Does a beet lose its vitamin and mineral content the longer it is out of the ground?  Or does that fact that it is quite bulky mean it retains its health benefits? 

Oct 27.2020 | 07:52 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Trevor,

    Thank you for your visit and comment. Remember, you can download a PDF of your choice for free? See Tulip widget.

    Your question made me investigate, and I found different answers. You wash the beetroots, keep the leaves and roots, but dry very well before putting it in the fridge in a plastic bag. Some say up to 10 days and others even longer, but the main thing is the beetroot should not be soft, if you better throw it out. In case you cut off the leaves and the roots, it keeps like 2 days only.

    In old times people had no fridge so beetroots, apples and potatoes were kept in a cellar. Just above freezing level it keeps long but needs to be checked if spots appear. 

    Personally, I prefer organic and to eat things soon after harvest like that one does not have to worry about vitamin and mineral loss.

    I worked 7 months on a Russian cruise ship fully chartered by a German company. I ate quite a lot of Borscht and Blinis during that time.

    Regards, Taetske

    Oct 28.2020 | 07:45 am

Jude

Hi Taetske, however we don’t eat it enough, we love beetroot. I love to make a salad of beetroot with goat cheese mustard and spinach or beetroot with mashed potatoes boiled egg and crispy bacon is our favorite. Thanks you for sharing this great information with us. I appreciate it, and we will cook some beetroot this week for sure?

Cheers,
Jude

Jan 16.2021 | 10:41 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Jude,

    Nice to see you again. Thank you for your visit and for your comment. Do not forget to upload a free PDF of your choice at the Tulip widget.
    Your recipes all sound yummy and on top it is healthy. I also like to put it in fresh made juice.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 16.2021 | 05:55 pm

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