When your nickname is “blood turnip” you’re obviously something special. That’s beets, those bright purple/red root veggies available year-round.
They divide people: those who love them rant about their detoxification qualities and unique flavor. Many others remember some childhood (scary) memory of trying beets and … never doing it again.
Here are some facts to help you make the most of them.
History and How to Eat a Beet
- Earlier than 2,000 BC, people in Mediterranean states and nations raised the beet. It’s a great fit for the Mediterranean diet, too.
- In ancient times, the root was a medicine for headaches and toothaches.
- Many beets now serve as a sugar source. The red beet and sugar beet are cousins; sugar beets are white and much bigger. Beets also serve as a leafy green source or a root vegetable.
- The entire beet, from greens to the spikey tip, is edible. You get the best nutrition from raw beets, but that’s a tough sell for many. Sautéed beet greens can be a unique salad/side dish idea.
- Beets are the base for borsht, a traditional eastern European soup.
- The United States is the only place that calls them “beets.” They’re called beetroots most other places.
- When you cook the red bulb of the beet, sometimes called its heart or beetroot, steam or roast it (don’t boil or sauté) to keep those good antioxidants, anti-inflammatory components and vitamins in place.
- At more than 156 pounds, the world’s record beet grew in the Netherlands. If you want to plant your own, start seeds indoors, transfer them to the soil when very young and plant them 3 inches apart. Harvest when the root is about 2½-3 inches in diameter. Better too soon than too late – smaller ones have more juice, nutrients and flavor.
Nutrition of Beets
- Studies show beets offer antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents at rates not found in other vegetables. These compounds can reduce cancer risk.
- Beets support detoxification with betalin, the substance that gives them red color, which can capture toxins.
- The beet and its greens offer folate, vitamin B9, a vital cell-health nutrient, along with vitamins A and K, manganese, copper and potassium. Beets have tons of fiber, too.
- Natural antioxidant nitrates from beet juice are widely celebrated. Nitrates naturally dilate blood vessels so circulation improves and give all organs and muscles a boost.
If veggies like beets are not your favorite, you can blend them up and “hide” them in meals or snacks, like this recipe for beet hummus.
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