The sight of Beetroot gives you a very unassuming lazy vegetable. The colour is so unattractive and dull. But within it is a world of nourishment that can excite and nourish your whole body to fullness of life. It is indeed a miracle plant. In addition, beets are a good source of folate, manganese, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium. The remarkable benefits of beets are most effective when they are enjoyed raw in a fresh juice. Beets are one of the healthiest foods you can juice, hands down. If you have not ever tried beet juice, now is the time to start. Beet were regarded by many ancient cultures not as food but as medicine, a testimony to their potency.
What is beetroot?
Beetroot is a part of the beet plant that is consumed all over the world. It is also known as red beet, golden beet, table beet or garden beet. It is one of the varieties of Beta vulgaris, which is cultivated. Apart from its use as a food it is used as medicinal plant and also for food coloring.
At first, beets were valued specifically for their leaves, which are loaded with nutritional and therapeutic value. However, now it is well known that beetroots themselves have much to offer. In the same family as spinach and chard, beets contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. They are also high in vitamins C and B6, folate, manganese, betaine and potassium. Beets are rich in a very unique source of phytonutrients called betalains. Both betanin and vulgaxanthin, two highly researched betalains found in beets, have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification properties.
Nutritional Profile of Raw Beets:
Here is a breakdown of what one cup of raw beets contain:
58 calories
13 grams of carbohydrates
2 grams of protein
provides 15 of vitamin A,
provides 2% of calcium
provides 11% of vitamin C
provides 6% of iron
In addition, beets are a good source of folate, manganese, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium. The remarkable benefits of beets are most effective when they are enjoyed raw in a fresh juice. Beets Help Lower Blood Pressure.
Great benefits include :
In one study, researchers found that drinking just one glass of beet juice lowered systolic pressure by 4 to 5 points. In another study, participants who consumed beet juice for a month had a reduction in blood pressure, improvements in endothelial function, and reduced arterial stiffness.
• Beet Juice is Detoxifying
Beet juice is a super effective detox drink that can help your liver dump damaging toxins and stimulate liver cells. This is due to methionine and glycine betaine that help to keep fatty acids from building up.
• Beets Protect from Premature Aging
Although there are many products on the market that promise to protect your skin from the damage that free radicals cause, beetroot juice does an amazing job protecting from the inside out. The antioxidants in bets protect the skin by neutralizing free radicals. The lycopene in the juice helps to keep the skin elastic while protecting it from the sun.
• Beets May Help Protect You from Cancer
Research using raw beets found positive results. Researchers concluded that beets can help fight against both cancerous tumors and leukemia. In another more recent clinical trial, 22 patients with advanced inoperable cancers were given 10 ozs. of beet juice for 3-4 months and showed dramatic improvements. Studies have revealed that beets are good at preventing skin, lung, and colon cancer, since they contain the pigment betacyaninis, which counteracts cancerous cell growth. Nitrates used in meats as preservatives can stimulate the production of nitrosamine compounds in the body which can also result in cancer. Studies have now shown that beet juice inhibits the cell mutations caused by these compounds. Researchers in Hungary have also discovered that beet juice and its powdered form slows down tumor development. Adding a healthy weekly amount of beets to your diet can keep your body cancer-free for a very long time.
• Beetroot juice can lower blood pressure: In fact, when you consume the juice, you will find your blood pressure drop instantly and stay lowered for up to twenty-four hours. Researchers believe that this impact on blood pressure is due to naturally occurring nitrates found in beets. All vegetables contain nitrates, but an average-sized beet contains 20 times more dietary nitrates than any others. In fact, beets are top-rated for Nitric Oxide production. Keep in mind naturally occurring nitrates are healthy but the ones found in processed food like hot dogs and lunch meet are not.
• Drinking Beet root Juice Can Help Improve Digestion
Drinking beet juice helps to stimulate your intestines and breakdown food. Drink ½ cup of beet juice prior to meals or anytime you have an upset stomach.
• Beet Juice Fights Inflammation
The betaine in beets is a powerful nutrient that protects cells, proteins and enzymes from environmental stress. It also reduces inflammation, protects internal organs, reduces vascular risk factors .
• Energy Boost: If you find yourself dragging through your workouts, you may want to give beet juice a try. In one study, people who drank beet juice just prior to working out were able to push their workouts 16% longer. This valuable benefit of beet juice is most likely due to those naturally occurring nitrates which turn into nitric oxide and reduce the oxygen cost of low intensity exercise while increasing tolerance to high-intensity exercise.
• Beet Juice Can Lower Blood Sugar:
Good news for people who struggle with blood sugar issues, beet juice can actually lower the amount of glucose in the blood. This benefit is due to the soluble fibers found in beets.
• Strokes: A deficiency of potassium in the body increases the risk of stroke. Therefore, the potassium-rich beetroot is recommended to boost heart health for that reason as well. Potassium is called a vasodilator, meaning that it relaxes the blood vessels and reduces blood pressure throughout the body. When blood pressure is reduced and the vessels and arteries are no longer contracted, blood clots are far less likely to form, or get stuck, and the plaque that may have built up along the walls of your blood vessels will not accumulate more detritus to form additional clots. Clots are what eventually lead to heart attacks and strokes, so beets and their potassium content are quite a health booster! What is more impressive is that studies have shown the effect to be ongoing. Blood pressure will continue to drop over the course of 24 hours, as though beets are naturally delaying their effects so the body can adjust, rather than plummeting the blood pressure at a dangerous speed.
• Beet Juice Can Improve Sexual Performance
At one time in history beets were used as a primitive Viagra. Ancient Romans regarded beets as medicine and drank juice and ate whole beets when they wanted to boost their libido. Research has indicated that beets are a rich source of a mineral called boron that is directly linked to the production of sex hormones. In addition, the nitric oxide that is produced in the body when you eat beets increases blood flow and give your sex drive a kick start.
• Prevents Respiratory Problems: Beetroot is a source of vitamin C that helps to prevent asthma symptoms. The natural beta carotene in beetroot also helps to prevent lungs cancer. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system in a number of ways. Besides acting as an antioxidant itself and defending against the effects of free radicals in the body, vitamin C also stimulates the activity of white blood cells, which is the body’s main line of defense against foreign bodies, as well as viral, bacterial, fungal, and protozoan toxins that can result in a multitude of infections and illnesses. Vitamin C’s range goes from fighting the sniffles to reducing the chances of cancer, and beets has plenty of vitamin C!
• Prevents Cataracts: The presence of beta-carotene, which is a form of vitamin A, helps to prevent age-related blindness called cataracts as well as a reduction in macular degeneration that commonly occurs as we get older. Vitamin A is considered a powerful antioxidant substance that is involved in many essential activities in the body.
Some other known benefits of beet juice include
• May help reduce the pain of arthritis
• May help cognitive function
• May help eyesight (especially if you juice the greens)
Caution : Side Effects of Drinking Beet Juice
Beet juice is very powerful so a little goes a long way. Start off with a small amount until your body adjusts. You may notice that drinking beet juice turns your urine and bowel movements a pinky-red. This condition is harmless.
Juice storage tips
Fresh juice, such as beetroot juice are not meant to be stored for long periods of time. It is best to prepare the juice daily and consume it within 24 hours for best results. Over time, and because of oxidation, the potency of the juice diminished. If you must store the juice longer than 24 hours, be sure that you put it in the fridge and add some lemon to it to help it stay fresh. Always use an airtight glass container for storage.
Other great uses
Beet juice works equally well when used topically as it does to ingest internally. Beet juice, when applied topically can do the following:
Beet juice helps remove dead skin cells and keeps the skin supple and glowing
Beet juice can lighten skin and help even out complexion
Beet juice can helps remove dark spots and blemishes
Beet juice can help reduce the irritation of a dry and itchy scalp
Beet juice draws impurities from the skin and scalp
Applying beet juice to your face daily can help reduce dark circles
If you would like a nice natural tint to your lips but don’t want to use lipstick, try beet juice. It will also keep your lips soft and supple
Beet juice can help to moisturize your skin when applied daily
Using beet juice can help improve the strength, shine and manageability of hair.
