Beetroot has had a great PR job over recent years, being hailed as a ‘super food’ by numerous experts.
Find out about the top 5 health benefits of beetroot (beets) and how you can make sure you’re getting your daily dose – without resorting to pickled beetroot from a jar!
- Beetroot Is Your Liver’s Friend
The beta cyanin in beetroot can help detox your liver, having a knock-on effect for your bloodstream, by helping the body to eliminate toxins and potentially preventing the build-up of fatty deposits.
So if you have found yourself ‘over-indulging’, adding some raw beetroot or beetroot juice to your diet can help you recover.
Then again, why save it just for the ‘morning after’?!
. - Beetroot Juice Can Prevent Strokes & Heart Attacks
Beetroot juice has been shown to reduce high blood pressure. It affects an estimated 25% of the world’s adult population and is a significant factor in coronary heart disease and strokes.
Researchers at Barts’ Hospital (London) and the London School Of Medicine found that drinking 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce high blood pressure, for over 24 hours after drinking.
Whilst most of us wouldn’t fancy a pint of red stuff every morning, the research gives us a very big hint that including at least some beetroot in our diet on a daily basis will be good for us.
. - Beetroot Is Packed With Nutrients
Beetroot leaves can be eaten raw when young Beetroot is a super-storehouse of both vitamin C and iron, which is great news for your body. Both are essential elements for health, but many of us struggle to absorb enough iron. Luckily, good old Mother Nature included extra vitamin C in her beetroots and this vitamin helps increase iron absorbtion!
Vitamin C is water soluble, which means it leaches out of veggies when you cook them in water. So the easiest way to get your combo-fix is to eat raw beetroot.
Incidentally, young beetroot leaves are a better source of iron than spinach!
The roots are a good source of many other vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, phosphorous, magnesium and B6.
Here are some super-scrummy beetroot recipes to tempt your taste buds.
. - Beetroot Can Cheer You Up
Beetroot has been shown to contain the compound betaine, which enhances the production of the body’s natural mood-lifter seratonin. So it would seem that munching fresh beetroot can literally make you smile.
Betaine is also really useful for cardiovascular health.
. - Immune System Booster
Beetroot’s amazing range of vitamins and nutrients have been shown to boost your immune system, helping you better fight off infection. These nutrients help stimulate the reoxygenation of cells and the production of new blood cells. Pretty important stuff!
So there you have them: 5 of the top health benefits of beetroot. Of course, there are many more.
There’s more to eating beetroot than boiling it to a pulp or pickling it. You can enjoy beetroot in dips, juices, salads, soups, crisps and even cakes.
If you have a garden or enough space for a container, you could even grow your own beetroot.
What are your favourite beetroot recipes?
Have you noticed beetroot making a difference to your health?
I’d love to hear from you via the comments box.
And if you’re interested in discovering more about raw, living food, as well as other ways you can change your life, how about signing up for my free, monthly Soul-Sized Living Newsletter – you can register using the form, below!
By the way, eating lots of beetroot can turn your pee pink. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! 😉
With love, Namaste,
P.S. If you enjoyed this article, please make sure you’re getting my free fortnightly Soul-Sized Living newsletter – it brings you the latest in ‘eating to feed your soul’ with raw food recipes and superfood ingredient advice, plus bite-sized inspiration on how to change your life. And you even get free membership of our gorgeous Soul-Sized Living private Facebook group. Here’s where to join:
