Beets are red-root vegetables. They are edible and used in several cuisines around the world. Beets belong to the family of plants called Amaranthaceae; that is, they have edible leaves and roots.
The taproot of the Beets plant is known as the Beetroot, which is edible and contains vital vitamins and minerals.
Like many other vegetables, beets are highly nutritious. They also have incredible health benefits when consumed in the healthiest way possible.
Beets can be prepared in different ways and served in various forms. The most common means of eating beets are cooking, grilling, roasting, extracting its juice, and fermenting.
Beets contain essential nutrients such as calories, protein, fats, fiber, folate, magnesium, vitamin B6&C, Iron, Manganese, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, etc.
The healthiest way to eat your beets is to prepare in such a way that the nutrient will be well preserved and optimally utilized.
In this piece, we shall share some of the recipes involving the healthiest way to eat beets. We hope you will pick them up to enjoy your beets to the fullest.
To get the most out of beets, let’s check out the healthiest ways to eat beets.
The healthiest way to eat beets
- Raw beets and extracted raw beet juice
These are usually recommended to get the most nutrients from beets. However, due to the high sugar content of this recipe, it is recommended in limited quantities. It is an excellent source of energy for athletes and high energy consumers.
- Fermented beets and extracted fermented beets juice
The high sugar content of beets is consumed by the anaerobic bacterial during the fermentation processes. Fermented beets give the best nutrients in beets and come with limited sugar content making this recipe one of the healthiest ways to eat beets.
- Beets used in cooking soups
This is another healthier way to eat your beets. Beets forms the main ingredient for cooking traditional soup among some people. Here, the beets are known to be highly nutritious and healthy. They are usually cooked lightly or steamed like most vegetables.
- Grilled or roast beets
If you can’t get used to the taste of fermented beets, grilled or roasted beets can do the trick. They become crisp after losing their water to the heat. They are delicious and can be eaten as a side dish.
- Beets used in sauces, salad, and dips
Beet leaves can be used to prepare delicious and healthy sauces that accompany your meal. Salads and dips can be made from beetroots and other beneficial ingredients.
Incredible health benefits of beets when eaten in the healthiest way possible.
The healthy ways to eat beets cannot be overemphasized. But that is not all that makes beets a select species of vegetables. Beets also come with incredible nutritional and health benefits. You will not make the most of the health benefits that come with eating the beets except that you healthily consume them. The health benefits of eating beets are:
1. Beets add the necessary and required body nutrients in balanced foods
When beets are cooked, grilled, or made into recipes of mouthwatering eats, they add nutrients that are vital for the body to the food. These nutrients include vitamins, calories, water, proteins, fats, fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and all sorts of essential minerals.
These vitamins and essential minerals help the body to grow and develop properly. The vitamins also help to repair and replace worn-out tissues, and to protect the body against diseases. Beets are low in calories and fats and help maintain good body weight. For weight loss, meals low in calories and fats such as beets salad and dips or beets soup are highly recommended.
2. Beets aid digestion
Digestion is necessary to utilize all the nutrients we can get from the foods we consume. Impaired digestion can lead to constipation and loss of essential nutrients from the foods that we consume.
Beets contain water and fiber, which are crucial for digestion. As such, adequate consumption of beets helps to improve bowel movement and prevent conditions like constipation, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, diverticulitis, etc.
3. Beets may have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties
Beets contain pigments known as betalains which have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that these anti-inflammatory properties can reduce the inflammation associated with chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, kidney inflammation, etc.
The anti-oxidative properties in beets also help to reduce the spread of some cancerous cells while preventing the development of others.
Cancers such as colon cancer, stomach cancer, brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, and so on, maybe prevented by consistent consumption of beets.
Further studies are ongoing to investigate the extent to which humans in his search for a cure for cancer can explore the anti-oxidative properties of beets.
4. Beets help to manage blood pressure
A lot of chronic heart diseases stem from increased blood pressure. However, beets contain iron and nitrates that help to regulate blood production and blood pressure. Consistent consumption of cooked beets and extracted beets juice, for example, helps the body to regulate its blood pressure in the long run.
Heart diseases such as heart attacks, heart failures, and stroke can be prevented when the blood pressure is controlled.
5. Beets can improve energetic performances
Athletic activities like sports require that an athlete consumes food that is not only rich in energy but also keeps the production of glucose within the body cells at the high. In this regard, beet is one food that comes to mind because it contains high sugar content that can supply high energy to the body when they are consumed.
It also contains nitrates necessary to boost the activities of the powerhouse of the body (mitochondria).
Athletes involved in cycling, running, and such other sports where stamina is required will benefit from extracted raw beets juice and raw beets. The sugar content in beets will give them the energy they need to keep up their stamina, while the water contents keep them hydrated.
It has an adequate proportion of nitrates that helps to keep the powerhouses running, therefore, generating the necessary energy needed for their activities.
6. Beets help to improve brain health
With cases of dementia on the increase, many people around the globe continue to experience diminished cognitive and mental abilities as they age. It, therefore, becomes necessary to boost the brain with nutrients that keep it working well.
Beets contain nitrates, which are responsible for improving cognitive and mental abilities. Continuous blood flow to the brain aids the nourishment of the brain cells, putting them in an excellent position to work correctly.
The nitrates in beets help to promote the production of blood and its circulation across the body. This includes the brain, thereby providing a good boost in the cognitive and mental abilities of the mind.
Older and middle-aged people will benefit a lot from eating cooked beets, grilled beets, and beets made in forms of salads, sauces, and dips. The beet will not only improve their cognitive and mental capacity, but it will also prevent diseases from declining cognitive and mental functions.
Beets have many health benefits, and the most incredible ones are gained when beets are eaten most healthily. Check out recipes that promote the healthiest way to eat beets, and treat yourself to some delicious and balanced diet with lots of health benefits.
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