At the end of the article you’ll find an easy recipe of fermented beets with many health benefits.
The Nutritional Value of Beets
Beets are a rich source of nutrients that are needed for a healthy body. For example, beetroot contains vitamins A, C and B-group vitamins. They are also a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and manganese, as well as fiber.
It’s not just the roots of beets that are good for you. The tops, or greens, of beets are also full of fiber, minerals, and vitamins and are one of its healthiest parts. In fact, according to NutritionalData.com, just 1/2 cup of raw beet greens gives you almost all of your recommended daily amount of vitamin K, which is essential for healthy blood, strong bones, and in preventing heart disease. Beet greens also contain a high amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, as well as nutrients like potassium, manganese, iron, and fiber, all of which are necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The main health benefits of beets come from the pigment betalains, which give them the dark rich color. According to a study, betalains have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can improve your health in a number of ways.
Let’s look at the many ways that beetroot can help boost your health and help keep you feeling great and full of energy.
The Health Benefits of Beets
Beets help to detox your entire body
The powerful antioxidants in beets can help to detoxify your whole body and prevent disease. Beetroot contains compounds that support detoxification in the body and can help to strengthen the immune system.
The journal Nutrients published extensive research into the antioxidant properties of beets and found that as well as betalains, there are many other antioxidants in beetroot. These can help to break down toxins in your body so that they can be easily flushed out. The research also found that beetroot extracts help to get rid of free radicals from your body cells.
In fact, studies have shown that juiced beetroot is one of the most potent antioxidant drinks from all vegetable and fruit juices.
So, to help your body get rid of harmful toxins and prevent developing chronic diseases, make sure and regularly consume beets as part of a healthy diet.
Beet juice lowers blood pressure
Beets also have the potential to lower your blood pressure naturally. The reason that beetroot is good for hypertension is due to its content of inorganic nitrate. When you consume beets, the nitrate content is converted into nitric oxide which helps to improve blood flow. This has a beneficial effect on your cardiovascular system and helps to reduce blood pressure.
The blood pressure-lowering effect of beets was proved in a study published in the Nutrition Journal. The researchers found that adding beetroot to your regular diet can help to lower blood pressure and also reduce the risk of heart-related medical conditions. The participants in the study found that within 6 hours after drinking beetroot juice their blood pressure levels were significantly lowered.
Beets to lower cholesterol
Beetroot and beet greens can help to lower cholesterol naturally and prevent the health complications that high cholesterol cause. The antioxidants, flavonoids, and folic acid in beets help to reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol, which the American Heart Association term as “bad cholesterol”).
The journal Nutrition Research and Practice found that in clinical trials, red beet leaf extracts helped to reduce dangerous levels of LDL cholesterol in mice. They also found that that the beet greens extract had a beneficial effect on weight loss because it helped to reduce body fat.
