Liven up with Amazing Health Benefits of Red Vegetable Beet
The common red beetroot has a wide range of health benefits. It has been traditionally recommended by doctors to stabilize anemia because of its high iron content.
Recent studies find that beet is helpful in boosting immunity, improve stamina, fight inflammation and cancer. However, it is significantly calorie high. You will need to maintain a balanced nutrition of beet. Check out its nutritional stats and health benefits below so that you can plan a balanced diet with the vegetable.
Health stats
One standard cup of beet has 58 calories. It has 12 gm carbohydrate, including 4 gm of fiber and 9 gm sugar. In addition, beet is 2% plant protein. One cup of beet supplies 1% vitamin A, 2% Calcium, 6 % vitamin C, and 11% iron. In addition, it is a rich source of folate and manganese.
Other nutrients supplied by beet include selenium, copper, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, betaine, choline, vitamin B 6, thiamine, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. They are also one of the best sources of dietary nitrate.
Benefits of eating beet
1. Miraculous relaxation for high blood pressure
A glass of beet juice can lower systolic blood pressure by 4 to 5 points in an hour! Even the best drugs sometimes cannot achieve this much relief! The probable mechanism can be attributed to nitrate content in beet. It converts to nitric oxide with blood oxygen and dilates blood vessels.
2. Stamina booster
The same nitric oxide pathway mentioned above also serves to boost stamina by reducing oxygen cost for low-intensity training. It also enhances tolerance for high-intensity exercises. Experiments show people who drank beet juice prior to their training session were able to exercise up to 16% more.
3. Super active against inflammation
The betaine in beets is very effective in fighting inflammation of internal organs. It has been categorized in World’s Healthiest Foods. It can protect cells and body enzymes from environmental stress factors, enhances metabolic performance, and serves against various chronic diseases.
Betaine is also vital in detoxifying the body. Essentially, it is most useful in phase 2 detoxification when the toxins attach to blood molecules for excretion and need an extra push.
4. Cancer fighting property
The deep crimson color of beets develops due to a natural combination of several powerful phytonutrients. Modern studies show that this natural concoction can reduce multi-organ tumors. Beetroot extract is under research for finding treatment for breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer.
5. Rich source of nutrients
The health stats mentioned above clearly show the amazing nutritional benefits of beet.
6. Leaves are healthy, too
The usual conception of edible beet is the red part. However, its green leafy part is also rich in nutrition. Most people just throw it away! However, you can eat them raw or slightly sauteed. The greens are rich sources phosphorus, zinc, fiber, vitamins, calcium, and iron among other things.
They strengthen immunity, fight Alzheimer’s, and help with treating osteoporosis. Beets are edible raw or lightly steamed. You can juice them as well. Some homemakers prefer to marinate them with lemon juice, olive oil, and herb to balance the sweetness with some sourness. Beet soup is a famous traditional Russian dish you may like to try.