Beetroots, the beautiful pink coloured vegetable commonly known as beets, are a popular root vegetable used in several cuisines around the world. Beets are packed with the goodness of essential nutrients and plant compounds which have varied health benefits. Beets are readily available, accessible and can be easily incorporated in your daily diet. Moreover, its delicious taste further cumulates its usage in day today routine.
So here we bring to you ten health benefits of beets according to the best dietitian in India:
Multiple nutrients with fewer calories
Beets boast a tremendous nutritional profile.They are quite low in calories and fat yet very high in nutrients. In fact, they contain almost all the vitamins and minerals which are required by the body. Beetroot contains minerals like folate, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc. Folate is crucial for DNA synthesis, cell formation and for undergoing various catabolic and metabolic reactions within the body.
Magnesium supports heart, brain, immune and nerve health.
Potassium is also required by the body to support brain and heart health. It helps in regulating fluid balance and keeps blood pressure in check. Copper is a mineral which plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones and blood vessels. It also supports immune function. Zinc promotes wound healing, cell differentiation and encourages normal growth. It further helps in building immunity. Beetroots also contain vitamins like B6, Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) which supports metabolism and promotes red blood cell production. Vitamin C is vital for iron absorption and further act as antioxidant.
Contains beneficial compounds
Beetroot contains beneficial compounds such as phytochemicals, betalains and nitrates which supplement overall health.
Phytochemicals- reduce inflammation, stimulate the immune system and minimize oxidative stress.
Betalains- the red colour of beetroot is due the presence of pigment called betalains. These betalains have antioxidant, antitoxic, anti-cancer and anti-toxic properties.
Nitrates – Beetroot contains organic compounds called nitrates which help in improving blood flow and promote heart health.
Keeps blood pressure in check
Cardiovascular diseases are quite common nowadays. Strokes, heart attacks, congestive heart failure are becoming the leading cause of death nationwide. Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for the development of these conditions. It has been proved through researches that beetroots can significantly lower systolic blood pressure by 4-10 mmHg. The reduction in blood pressure is due to high concentration of nitrate compounds in beets. Nitrates are converted into nitric oxide which helps in dilating blood vessels which ultimately results in lowering blood pressure.
Enhances athlete performance – It has been believed that the dietary nitrates present in the beetroots may improve athlete performance. They do so by improving the efficiency of mitochondria which supply energy to the cells of our body.Therefore, consuming beets may enhance athletic performance by improving oxygen use and time to exhaustion.
Helps to combat inflammation
Nowadays inflammation is very common. Chronic inflammation is linked with various diseases, such as obesity, heart disease and liver disease. Beets contain pigments called betalains, which exhibit anti-inflammatory properties.
Promotes digestive health
Consumption of beetroot is associated with promotion of digestive health. The best dietitian in India says that it eases the process of digestion as it contains fibre which heads down to colon where it feeds the gut bacteria and adds bulk to the stool thereby eliminating health conditions like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.
Supports Brain health
Mental and cognitive function generally-slows down with age. This decline of cognitive function may result in conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is caused due to the lack of blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain. Beetroots contain nitrates which might help in improving mental and cognitive function thereby causing dilation of blood vessels which further increases the blood flow towards the brain.
Possess anticancer properties
Cancer can be a dangerous disease if left untreated. It has been believed that beetroot has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which are helpful in the treatment of cancer. Researchers suggest that beetroot extract which is high in beta-lain content reduce the division and growth of malignant or tumour cells thereby reducing the growth of prostate and breast cancer cells.
Helps prevent anaemia
Anaemia occurs when there is lack of haemoglobin or red blood cells in the body. It possesses symptoms like loss of appetite, lack of-interest, pale skin and fatigue. To treat this, we need iron which is an important component of RBC’s without which the cells do not get enough oxygen supply. Beetroot extracts are a fair source of iron and should be incorporated in the diet to manage anaemia.
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Protects liver
Beetroot extracts have potential effects on the liver as it contains Vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A, B6 and iron. These nutrients help in safeguarding the liver from various unwanted diseases and further improve its ability to remove toxins from the body.
After knowing the health benefits of beetroots lets also know different ways of how you can inculcate beetroots in your daily life:
Salad: You can make a beetroot salad by using grated beets to make a flavourful and colourful addition to coleslaw.
Dip: Beets can be blended with greek yogurt to make a delicious, appealing and healthy dip.
Juice: Fresh beetroots with other vegetables can be juiced up and should be taken with its fibre to maximise health benefits.
Leaves: Leaves of beetrootscan be cooked and relished like spinach, so do not throw them in the waste.
Over to you:
Beetroot possess potential benefits on health. All what is required is to add it on to your diet and enjoy.
