Beetroot is a powerful source of benefits for your daily diet, being a potential treatment for a wide range of diseases.
In this sense, the powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vascular protection effects offered by beets have been scientifically proven, making it one of the most popular tubers in the field of health.
Its benefits range from the reduction of blood pressure, inflammation and the preservation of blood vessels, to cerebrovascular health, sports performance and others that we will share with you in the following article.
What is beets?
Beetroot , also known as beetroot or beetroot, is a vegetable native to the Mediterranean, which has been used for years for its culinary and medicinal value. Its strong color and flavor set it apart from other tubers, along with its high content of beta-carotene, antioxidants, fiber, and nitrates.
To highlight: Beetroot produces a type of molecule known as secondary metabolites, used in the pharmaceutical industry for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties for the production of frequently used drugs (1) .
Health benefits of beets
Recent studies confirm the benefits of this wonderful food, confirming its use in a wide range of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease and cancer (2) .
In this sense, beets act on different parts of the body such as the immune system, arteries, heart , brain , kidneys and others; thanks to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that make this tuber a powerful essential food for your daily diet.
Below we detail the most important benefits of this powerful tuber:
1. Boosts the immune system
Beetroot has anti-inflammatory properties that enhance the immune system, inhibiting the inflammatory response of chronic diseases (3) .
To highlight: It serves as an alternative to NSAID drugs, whose side effects can be harmful to your health (4) .
2. Keeps sugar levels balanced
Beet juice is not only rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but also has a high concentration of polyphenols (5) .
Note: Polyphenols have been linked, in a recent study, to delaying the increase in blood sugar concentration after food intake (6) .
3. Lowers cholesterol
In addition to the properties of beets on blood glucose control, in other studies, a decrease in ‘bad cholesterol’ in blood was observed after ingesting beetroot juice (6) .
Important: It is still under discussion if this is due to its high antioxidant content or other factors involved.
4. Prevents cardiovascular diseases
Beetroot helps your cardiovascular system by providing nitrites to the body (7) , whose antioxidant effect is necessary to protect the muscle of your arteries during the passage of blood, it helps the coagulation chain and platelet function .
Note: These antioxidants help vascular balance, preventing hypertension and atherosclerosis.
5. Lowers blood pressure
A study carried out among a hypertensive population demonstrated the hypotensive properties of beetroot juice, linking its high nitrite content with a reduction in blood pressure, improvement in endothelial function, and an increase in plasma antioxidants (8) .
6. Prevents liver diseases
Thanks to the high antioxidant content of beet juice, studies have found a decrease in the velocity of blood flow in the portal vein, the main supply of oxygen to the liver (9) .
Note: This decrease in blood flow prevents liver diseases such as portal hypertension.
7. Reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases
The main cause of most neurodegenerative diseases is loss of blood flow (10) . With age, your arteries lose strength so they carry less blood to the brain.
To highlight: Recent studies indicate the possibility of preventing or delaying this process through long-term consumption of beets, helping to prevent brain damage, dementia and Alzheimer’s (11) .
8. Strengthens the digestive system
The high concentration of antioxidants in beetroot juice has positive effects on the bacterial flora of the digestive tract.
Some studies found that the high bioavailability of antioxidants in beet juice decreased the colonies of specific types of bacteria that can cause diseases if their concentration increases (12) .
Note: This alteration in the mucosal flora could be beneficial for the health of the digestive system, preventing the appearance of diseases.
9. Protects eye health
According to studies carried out in Australia, thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants, long-term consumption of green vegetables and beets reduces the possibility of suffering from degenerative eye diseases by 35%. Such as age-related macular degeneration and other pathologies (13) .
10. Improves the condition of the bones
In a study carried out in mice, it was shown that beets appear to protect bone marrow cells against cell death by radiation and stimulate the proliferation of bone marrow cells (14) .
Note: It is unknown with certainty to which specific component this is due, however, the radioprotective capacity of beets remains under study.
11. Avoid fluid retention
The properties of beets on the health of the liver and kidneys make it a long-term diuretic, capable of helping to reduce fluid retention once it is part of the daily diet.
12. Fights anemia
As in the bone marrow, beets stimulate the proliferation of progenitor hematopoietic cells (14) . These are the cells from which erythrocytes evolve, responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body.
Note: Anemia is the decrease in oxygen transported in the blood, so the proliferation of this type of cell represents an alternative treatment for this condition.
13. Reduces the risk of cancerous tumors
Thanks to the high content of antioxidants, beets help maintain an alkaline state in the blood that protects cells from external radiation that can cause cancer, regulating and stimulating natural enzymatic processes .
14. Helps slow down aging
According to recent studies, drinking beetroot juice before exercising can make the brain of older adults work more efficiently (16) .
This is thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants, which helps blood flow better to the brain, and with it, improving brain oxygenation.
15. Improves skin health
This is another of the benefits of its high concentration of antioxidants, it protects skin cells from external radiation, such as ultraviolet rays from sunlight.
In addition, it promotes the proliferation of new cells, constantly renewing the layers of the skin.
Nutritional properties of beets
Beetroot is a super food rich in antioxidants, protein , fiber, calcium, manganese, potassium , vitamin B9, iron, among other essential nutrients of the daily diet (17) . It is low in calories and affordable, a food that should not be missing from your meals.
vitamins
- Vitamin B9: Of great importance for tissue development and cell function (18) .
- Vitamin C: A recognized antioxidant that participates in immune function and skin health (19) .
minerals
- Manganese: Participates in numerous enzymatic reactions, it also has antioxidant functions (20) .
- Potassium: Essential for heart health, prevents heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases (21) .
- Iron: Participates in fundamental processes such as cellular respiration, enzymatic reactions, and cell integrity (22) .
calories
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 100 grams of beets contain 43 kcal, an excellent option to maintain your weight (23) .
How to consume beets?
Whether raw, cooked, in juices or in salads; Beetroot is a food that you can include in many different preparations, its color and flavor will give a different touch to your meals, filling them with the necessary nutrients for your diet.
Additionally, it is important to remember that we absorb its nutrients better if it is consumed raw, thus obtaining greater benefits.
beet smoothie
With its strong flavor it may not be a very common ingredient in a smoothie, but with the following recipe you will have a refreshing, citrus drink that is easy, fast and very nutritious.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of raw beets
- Juice of 1 orange
- ½ cup pineapple
- ½ cup of green apple
- Water
- sweetener to taste
Preparation:
- Remove the skin of the raw beetroot and cut it into small squares
- Cut the pineapple and green apple into small pieces, keeping the skin of the apple.
- Add the orange juice, the fruits and the beets to a blender, add water, sweetener to taste and blend.
- If it is thick, you can add more water until you get the consistency you want.
- Serve and decorate with some mint leaves, and that’s it!
Beets Salad
This option is ideal for a quick and nutritious lunch, gluten and lactose free. Perfect for any occasion, be it a family afternoon or a quick meal on a weekend.
Ingredients:
- 4 roasted skinless beets
- 4 hearts of lettuce cut
- 1 cup goat cheese
- Olive oil
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
- Previously roast the skinless beets at 200 °C for 45 min or until softened.
- In a large bowl, place the hearts of lettuce cut to your preference, add the roasted beets cut into juliennes or slices, add the goat cheese and mix well.
- Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste and season with thyme, salt and oregano for the finishing touch.
beet chips
A light and crunchy appetizer for all ages that you can prepare with very few ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 beets
- Olive oil
- Rosemary
- Salt
Preparation:
- Remove the skin from the beets and cut into thin julienne strips (the thinner, the crunchier!)
- Place on a tray with non-stick paper and add olive oil, rosemary and salt to taste. You can also add any other herbs you want.
- Bake in the oven at approximately 60°C. All ovens are different, so this process can take up to 3 hours.
- Your chips will be ready once they have dehydrated, you will notice it by the crunchy texture.
- Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite sauce.
Key takeaways
- Beetroot, also known as beets or beets, is a vegetable that has been used for years for its culinary and medicinal value. Its color and flavor differentiate it from other tubers, along with its high content of beta-carotene, antioxidants, fiber, and nitrates.
- Beetroot is scientifically recognized as a food that is used to treat, in a complementary way, some diseases such as: hypertension, diabetes, kidney diseases and cancer.
- It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that allow it to act positively on different parts of the body such as the immune system, arteries, heart, brain, kidneys, and others.
- Its health benefits, in addition to those mentioned above, is that it reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, prevents liver diseases, helps slow aging, fights anemia, improves bone condition, protects eye health, among others.
- It can be consumed in the form of a smoothie (although this is not the most popular), also in salads, being previously cooked and in the form of chips being baked.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.