Beetroot juice is considered a superfood, it is easier to consume & it could be an excellent addition to a healthy diet. You can modify your dishes with beetroot & make your meal tasty & healthy. Nowadays, beetroots are the favorite health drink of most people due to their proven health benefits.
Beetroot is earthy and slight sweet in taste that you may not like at first, its leaves part is green in color, and roots are bright red. The betanin compound present in beetroot gives a red color that makes it a natural food colorant. Beetroot also has numerous health benefits like lowering blood pressure, increasing iron, improving blood flow in the brain, etc.
Edible parts of beetroot
• Beetroot leaves
Edible, sweet, and earthy flavor leaves are packed with vitamin K, iron, and calcium. Including it in diet daily Improves eyesight, immunity and strengthens bones.
• Beetroot roots
Beetroots are of earthy flavor but have high nutritional value than leaves. Its consumption is good during pregnancy and low Hb condition.
Nutrients and their level
The nutritional value of beetroot is exceptionally high it provides 60 calories per one bowl beetroot contains 90%water, 2%protien, 1% fat, & 10% carbs, which is enough for providing whole nutrition for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Other important nutritional contents present in beetroots are:
- Folate- also known as vitamin b9 is extremely important for the growth of RBC. Its demand increases during pregnancy, blood loss, lactation phase. Beetroot contains a sufficient amount of folate to meet the daily requirement.
- Phosphorous– beetroot contain phosphorous which is an essential mineral that is needed for proper heart functioning, healthy bone health, removing waste, proper cell growth, facilitating muscle functioning.
- Vitamin C- beetroot is an important source of vitamin C, it is found that having beetroot juice in diet daily makes skin glow, reduces eczema, and increases immunity.
- Iron– beetroot is a wonderful source of iron, a diet rich in iron increases blood flow and oxygen requirement in the body. Vitamin C is required for effective absorption of iron, so you can add lemon in beetroot juice for its whole benefit
- Vitamin A– eating beetroot daily can increase vitamin A in the body which is important for reproduction, immune system, and skin cells regeneration.
- Magnesium– Magnesium is important for maintaining nerve function, heart health, muscle function & blood flow in the body
- Calcium– Beetroot is one of the best sources of calcium, plant-based calcium is comparatively easily absorbed in the body than a dairy product
How to incorporate beetroot in diet?
Beetroot can be the perfect food choice for a balanced diet, its variety of health benefits make it every health-conscious favorite you can steam, roast, boil & mash to modify your dishes in a healthier version. Here are some beetroot meals ideas:
- Beetroot carrot sandwich
- Potato beetroot cutlet
- Pulao, beetroot raita,
- Beetroot halwa
- paratha or roti kneaded with beetroot
- Beetroot korma
- Beetroot chickpea salad
How much is good for health (per day/per diet) ?
3 to 4 medium-size beetroot are enough for a day; you can also have 200ml of beetroot juice per day to get the desired health benefit.
Beetroot health benefit
It could be a miracle food for your health as beetroot has a variety of essential nutrients that are helpful in the prevention & treatment of various diseases. Initially, you may not like its taste Beetroot has proven health benefits that make it a superfood.
- Superfood during pregnancy– During pregnancy, beetroot is a must-have food. It increases hemoglobin level and increases oxygen transport effectively. In some cases, our body’s nutritional demand increases for proper cell growth to fulfill this demand body requires iron and folate. Beetroot can fulfill this nutritional requirement.
- Improves athletic performance– Beetroot can increase athletic performance as it is a natural source of nitric oxide that increases muscle function by improving blood flow and oxygen demand to muscle cells.
- Prevent hypertension– for hypertensive patients it is beneficial to include beetroot in their diet daily. Beetroot is a good source of potassium, helps to lower blood pressure. High levels of nitrates are present in it that possibly reduces blood pressure.
- Diabetic patient– Studies indicate that beetroot contains antioxidant that helps to reduce the risk of diabetes.
- Detoxify skin & body– Diets rich in beetroot give significant results to the body. It is rich in vitamin A, antioxidants, and vitamin C that helps in the rejuvenation of skin cells and flushing out impurities present in the blood.
- Boost brain health– Our unhealthy eating habits not only affect the body but also deteriorate cognitive and mental health. Beetroot can significantly improve brain health, as it contains nitrates that improve blood circulation in the brain. Studies show that beetroot improves memory in elderly patients.
- Treat anemia– Beetroot juice is rich in iron and folate & they are beneficial for the treatment of megaloblastic anemia. It can increase RBC formation very quickly and effectively.
Is eating too much beetroot is bad for you?
Beetroot is considered a safe and healthy food for some health issues it should be eaten in moderation.
Beetroot leaves are high in oxalates which may cause kidney stone formation.
A person suffering from irritable bowel syndrome should take beetroot leaves moderately as Fructans present in beetroot may cause stomach upset.
Beetroot is safe to eat as it can make stool and urine appear red people often get misunderstood it with hematuria(blood in urine).