Why Should You Beet It?
No beeting around the bush, beets are good for you. They are chock full of healthy nutrients – they include almost all the vitamins and minerals you need! Did you know you can even eat the leaves? They are full of iron, calcium and vitamin A and C. You can use them as you would spinach.
If you want to prevent your heart skipping a beet make sure you include beets in your diet. Research shows they have a high concentration of nitrates. These compounds convert to nitric oxide in the body and open up your blood vessels. This can help lower blood pressure and heart rate and may lead to a reduced risk of heart problems, such as heart failure, heart attacks and strokes.
Beets have also been linked to improved athletic performance. The nitrates and pigments found in the root of the vegetable may help lower blood pressure and improve oxygen use and time to exhaustion in the body. We use grated beetroot in our raw energy salad and even if you’re not an athlete you will benefit from the energy boost!
Beets are high in vitamin C and copper which are both great for maintaining a healthy immune system.
They are also high in fiber which is great for your gut and helps to keep your digestive health happy.
Their red colouring comes from the plant pigment betacyanin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This vibrant red pigment can stain and beetroot was actually used for cosmetic purposes in the 1800s for this reason. Unless you’re looking for a new blush be careful when handling beets!
