All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

Soy

Spinach

Squash

Sugar

Sweet Potatoes

BEETS

Typical serving size:

1 cup (85 g)

HOW THEY HARM

Kidney stones

Gout

Discolored urine and stools

WHAT THEY HEAL

Cancer

Heart disease

Dementia

High blood pressure

Constipation

Eyes and nerves

BEET FACTS

Beets have one of the highest sugar content of any vegetable, yet are low in calories

Drain the juice from a can of beets to use as a natural food coloring
Beets are a highly versatile vegetable
They can be cooked and served as a side dish, pickled and eaten as a salad or condiment, or used as the main ingredient in borscht, a popular Eastern European soup
Beet greens, the most nutritious part of the vegetable, can be cooked and served like spinach or Swiss chard
What’s even better: Beets contain lots of important nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K as well as protein, folate, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, and potassium, among others

Health Benefits

Fights cancer
Beets contain betacyanin, a type of plant pigment, which some preliminary research indicates might be helpful in defending cells against harmful carcinogens
Studies have shown that beets contain high levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that may help to reduce the risk of some cancers
High levels of unique beet fiber may be linked to a lower colon-cancer risk
Lowers risk of heart disease
Beets are a wonderful source of folate and betaine, nutrients that together help to lower blood levels of homocysteine, which causes inflammation that can damage your arteries and boost your risk of heart disease
Reduces dementia risk
Beets produce nitric acid in your body, which helps to increase blood flow throughout your body—including to your brain
MRIs done on older adults showed that after eating a high-nitrate diet (including beet juice), these adults had more blood flow to the white matter of their frontal lobes
Lowers blood pressure
Several studies have found that drinking beet juice can lower blood pressure
Combats constipation
Beets are high in fiber, which is well known for helping to keep your digestive system running smoothly
Boosts eye and nerve-tissue health
Beets contain a wide variety of phytochemicals that may help improve the health of your eyes and nerve tissues
And beet greens are a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that helps protect the eyes from age-related macular degeneration and cataracts

Health Risks

Kidney stones and gout
If you are prone to kidney stones or gout, avoid beet greens, because they are high in oxalates, which can form small crystals and contribute to the development of kidney stones

QUICK TIP:

Serving suggestions The best way to cook beet roots is to boil them unpeeled, which retains most of the nutrients, as well as the deep red color
After the beets have cooled, the skins slip off easily; the root can be sliced, chopped, or pureed, depending upon the method of serving
Beets may also be canned and pickled with vinegar; some nutrients are lost in the processing, but the sweet flavor remains
Discolored urine and stool
This isn’t really a health risk, but it may seem like one if it happens to you
Actually, it’s a harmless condition that can scare you if you mistake the red color for blood

Allergies

Mix chopped cooked beets with plain Greek yogurt, dill, and scallions

Stir-fry chopped beet tops with roasted garlic and a dash of sesame oil

Wrap beets in foil and grill over indirect heat until tender

Buying Tips

The most flavorful beets are small, with greens still attached

Beets are available year-round, but the best time to buy them is June through October, which is when they are most tender

Choose beets with unblemished skin and sturdy, unwilted greens

Beets are available canned and precooked so you can more readily include this incredibly healthy vegetable in your menu planning

Storing Tips

Trim each beet, but leave about 1 in (2
5 cm) of the stem

Chill them for up to 2 weeks

The greens (which are rich in nutrients) wilt quickly, so use them within a day or two