John Myers
Like other beets, beetroot is not particularly popular. A reason for the general rejection of beets can hardly be identified because beetroot is not only one of the healthiest vegetables on this planet. It also tastes great and is on the table in no time at all. Read here how well beetroot can lower your blood pressure, how beneficial it is for the skin, and how delicious it can be prepared.
Beetroot is a visual and culinary enrichment
In many ways, beetroot is an almost priceless food. It can also be easily cultivated in unfavorable locations, makes no special demands on the soil, and can be stored over the winter months without any problems.
Nut-sized turnips can be harvested as soon as they are separated (these are available in spring at farmers’ markets or in some farm shops) and enrich every meal with their deliciously buttery taste in the form of fiery red balls of vital substances both visually and culinary – not to mention their health value.
Beetroot protects the liver and bile
Beetroot is high in betaine, a phytochemical that stimulates liver cell function strengthens the gallbladder, and helps keep the bile ducts healthy and clear.
This in turn ensures smooth digestion on the one hand and enables the body to excrete metabolic end products and toxins completely and quickly on the other.
Beetroot protects the heart and blood vessels
Betaine also has the ability to lower homocysteine levels and thus protects against heart and vascular diseases. Homocysteine is a toxic amino acid that is produced during protein metabolism in the organism and is normally defused again immediately by further processing into the amino acid cysteine.
However, if this does not succeed (e.g. due to a vitamin B and/or folic acid deficiency), the increased homocysteine level can lead to vascular damage and thus to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Since beetroot not only contains betaine, but also large amounts of folic acid, regular consumption of beetroot dishes and beetroot juice can be regarded as a real preventive measure against heart attacks and, in particular, strokes.
It is now even suspected that a high homocysteine level can contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease – so the beetroot also acts protectively here.
Beetroot puts you in a good mood
Beetroot does not have such a drastic and sudden effect as, for example, a pharmaceutical stimulant or antidepressant. Nevertheless, betaine is also known as trimethylglycine (TMG) and this is considered a “mood enhancer” of the moderate kind, as it can increase the level of our happiness hormone serotonin and thus puts you in a good mood.
Beetroot regulates blood pressure
According to a 2008 study, drinking just over two glasses of beetroot juice a day is enough to keep blood pressure in check. Within three hours after drinking 500 milliliters of beetroot juice, volunteers saw a remarkable reduction in their blood pressure. In addition, this reduction in blood pressure remained stable for up to 24 hours after consumption of the juice.
This result was confirmed in another study published in April 2013 in the journal Hypertension.
Here, the study participants included eight women and seven men who suffered from high blood pressure but were not taking any antihypertensive medication.
They only drank either a glass of beetroot juice containing 0.2 g nitrate or water (placebo group). The same level of nitrates can be found, for example, in two beetroots or in a large bowl of leafy green vegetables.
In the body, nitrate is converted into nitrite, which stimulates the production of nitric oxide in the blood, which sometimes causes the blood vessels to dilate and, as a result, lowers blood pressure.
The research team around Dr. Amrita Ahluwalia then checked the subjects’ blood pressure over the course of 24 hours and found that it had dropped in all those who drank the beetroot juice.
dr Ahluwalia expressed surprise at how little juice or nitrate was required to achieve blood pressure reduction.
She also emphasized what a simple and healthy way it is to regulate blood pressure with the help of nitrate-rich vegetables.
Beets protect against cancer
Beetroot is also part of the so-called “beet therapy”. Physicians skilled in naturopathic medicine use these (among other things) in tumor therapy as a preventive measure against colon cancer, blood disorders, and also leukemia. Not only are the beets themselves used, but also their raw leaves (as juice or in green smoothies).
Beetroot leaves – too good for the compost
The wealth of vital substances in the beetroot leaves even surpasses that of the turnips many times over. For example, beetroot leaves contain seven times the calcium of beets, three times the magnesium, six times the vitamin C, more than two hundred times the vitamin A, and two thousand times the amount of vitamin K. Think about it So you better decide twice whether you want to compost the beetroot leaves or rather eat them.
Beetroot for fresh breath and quick wound healing
Beetroot leaves are also known to be effective against garlic breath, and in Roman times Hippocrates recommended beet leaves for dressing slow-healing wounds.
Beetroot for a clean body
Beetroot is an excellent support for any kind of detoxification and internal cleansing of the body. Colon cleansing, for example, can be immensely accelerated if fresh juice from beets and beetroot leaves is drunk every day. At the same time, the resistance of the organism increases, after which some complaints disappear completely into thin air.
Skin problems such as boils, abscesses, and acne react particularly well to the regular consumption of beetroot.
Beetroot – folic acid for pregnant women
As already mentioned, beetroot is extremely rich in folic acid (around 80 micrograms per 100 grams). As is well known, this vital substance is not only, but especially important for pregnant women, as it is required for the production of new cells. If there is enough folic acid, the unborn baby is spared from cleft lip and palate and the so-called open back (spina bifida).
People who are in a healing process also benefit from folic acid (and all other ingredients in beetroot) and react with an accelerated healing process.
Beets are best eaten fresh and raw
Since folic acid – and many other vital substances – are sensitive to heat and are also degraded during storage, you should produce your own beetroot juice if possible (purchased juices are pasteurized and have been on store shelves under the influence of light for some time) and preferably raw beetroot eat.
Beetroot Juice – Quality and Manufacturing
Pure beetroot juice takes some getting used to and not everyone likes it on its own. Mixed with carrots, apples, and especially some lemon, it becomes an incomparable delicacy. There are also studies showing that beetroot juice rejuvenates the brain.
If you don’t have a juicer yet when buying one, make sure that it is NOT a centrifugal juicer, but a juicer with press-auger or press-roller technology that rotates at a relatively low speed (80 to 110). works and also juices leafy greens without any problems.
