John Myers
Beetroot strengthens the immune system and contains many healthy ingredients. It is best not to boil the tuber, but to prepare it in the oven. Then the ingredients are best retained.
Many people only know beetroot from the jar or pre-cooked and shrink-wrapped. However, through cooking and processing with vinegar, sugar, salt, and flavorings, the beet loses its original earthy, slightly sweet taste. If you want to enjoy this real beetroot taste, you should reach for the fresh tubers.
Just like its white, yellow, red, and white ringed sisters, beetroot has many healthy ingredients and properties. In addition, prayers are low in calories: 100 grams have just 40 calories. However, people prone to kidney stone formation should not eat too many of the tubers as they contain high levels of oxalic acid, increasing the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation.
Beetroot contains a lot of folic acids and strengthens the immune system
The beetroot owes its name to the pigment betanin (beetroot red), which gives it its crimson appearance. The pigment betanin is one of the secondary plant substances (flavonoids), which, as antioxidants, intercept free radicals and thus strengthen the immune system. Beetroot is also high in folic acid and iron, both of which are needed for red blood cell formation.
The need for folic acid is particularly high during pregnancy. Just 200 grams of beetroot cover 50 percent of the daily requirement. In order to be able to use plant-based iron, our body needs vitamin C. For this reason, ingredients containing vitamin C, such as apples, oranges, sauerkraut, or a little lemon juice, should always be used with the beetroot. Like all beets, the beetroot also provides protein and plenty of fiber as well as potassium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B and C.
Nitrate as a blood pressure reducer
Like spinach or lettuce, beetroot is high in nitrate. High nitrate levels can be harmful in infants whose intestinal flora is not yet mature. In adults, on the other hand, nitrate has positive effects. The body converts it into nitrite and this relaxes the blood vessels. That is why beetroot can temporarily lower high blood pressure. It has not yet been scientifically proven whether this will also be possible in the long term. In addition, nitrate increases the performance of muscle cells.
Do not boil beets in water
When bought, the tubers should be plump and the skin smooth and undamaged. Lush green leaves are a sign of freshness. Smaller tubers have a finer aroma than large ones. Cumin helps against a musty aftertaste of the large tubers. After removing the leaves, beetroots will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks, wrapped in paper.
If beetroot is boiled in water, it bleeds and many healthy ingredients end up in the boiling water. It is better to cook the tuber in the oven with the skin on and peel it later. This way the natural sweetness comes out better. It is best to wear gloves when cutting the beets. Without gloves, the red color can be removed from the hands with lemon juice.
