benefits of beetroot

How in the world does that work? Glad you asked. If you are eating a lot of beets or beet juice, and your pee turns pink, guess what? You have low stomach acid. Pee still clear? Ratchet it up and get juicing (use the greens too)! Nutritionists use beets and beet juice to test stomach acid levels, so stay ahead of the curve by adding beets to your diet now.

At the same time they are low in calories and high in sugar (although the sugar is released into your system gradually, as opposed to chocolate). Very few foods found in the natural world are as beneficial as beets in this regard. Beets are a wonderful addition to any dietary need. With their high volume of nutrients, delicious taste, and multitude of uses, anyone can jump right into beets without missing a beat.

Beets were served in space when the astronauts of Apollo 18 met up with their brethren in Soyuz 19. They served borscht. Further, the root compose of moderate levels of potassium. 100 g fresh root hold 325 mg or 7% of daily requirements. Potassium lowers heart rate and regulates metabolism inside the cells by countering detrimental effects of sodium.

If you are juicing, but havent gotten to veggies yet, give beets a try. Use a small amount at first to supplement your already yummy fruit smoothies. In the store, choose fresh, bright, firm textured beets with rich flavor and uniform size. Avoid those with slump looking or soft in consistency, over mature and large. Whenever possible, go for organic to get maximum health benefits.

Research has shown that beetroot can help reduce blood pressure as well as its associated risks such as heart attacks and strokes. This is because the high content of nitrates in beetroot produce a gas called nitric oxide in the blood which widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. A daily dose of 250ml of beetroot juice or 1 to 2 cooked beetroot (approx. 100g) can help dramatically reduce blood pressure and its associated risks. For more information on heart health, help, facts and lifestyle advice, visit the British Heart Foundation.

Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beetroot its colour, is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants are believed to help reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, in turn protecting artery walls and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. In the farmer markets, oftentimes the roots with intact top greens put for sale. If you are buying whole vegetable, severe tops from its root as soon as possible since, they rob moisture and nutrition from the roots.

Beetroot contains folic acid which is essential for normal tissue growth. Folic acid is crucial to the development of a babys spinal cord during the first three months of pregnancy and can help prevent spinal cord defects such as spina bifida. Beetroot also contains iron so is a fab pick me up for mums to be suffering from fatigue during pregnancy. Expectant mums must remember though that cooked beetroot has lower levels of folic acid than raw beetroot. For more information on the importance of folic acid during pregnancy, visit the NHS website. For more information on foods containing folic acid see Bountys Folic Acid Factfile.

Beetroot contains the mineral silica. This helps the body to utilise calcium, which is important for musculo skeletal health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Beet greens, just like other greens, should be washed thoroughly in clean running water and rinsed in saline water for about 30 minutes in order to remove soil, sand, dirt, and any insecticide residues before use.

Beetroot contains soluble fibre, which has also been shown to have cholesterol lowering capabilities. It also contains carotenoids and flavonoids, which help prevent LDL or

Beetroot is virtually fat free and low in calories. Although it has a medium GI (Glycaemic Index) of 64, It has an extremely low GL (Glycaemic Load) of 2.9 which means its converted into sugars very slowly and therefore helps to keep blood sugar levels stable.