Why Beetroot Cannot Be Missing From Your Diet
This sweet-tasting tuber hides incredible properties for our health. Among them, beetroot is a great filter for the liver, reduces hypertension, fights constipation and gives us a lot of energy.
Find out in this article why we should consume beets every day and how we can do it to vary the recipes.
the beet
Beetroot, also known as betabel, is a vegetable whose most consumed part is the root although, as we will explain in this article, we can also consume its stems and leaves.
It contains important amounts of vitamin B and C, minerals such as potassium, iron, sodium or magnesium, and fiber.
health benefits
- It fights anemia and states of tiredness and exhaustion, mainly thanks to its magnesium and iron content. It is ideal in cases of recovery and convalescence.
- It naturally reduces high blood pressure.
- It has anti-inflammatory properties.
- It is a very filtering food that helps us to clean the blood and liver. It also favors the elimination of environmental toxins that enter our body and directly damage the liver.
- It reduces the risk of suffering cardiovascular disease.
- It’s a great anticancer, like most purplish colored foods.
- Its high fiber content favors intestinal transit in a natural way.
How do we eat the beets?
- Stew : who doesn’t especially like the sweet taste of beetroot? We recommend adding small pieces to any type of vegetable, vegetable or meat stew. In this way, its flavor will go unnoticed and, in return, we will benefit from its properties.
- Boiled : to cook beetroot, we must wash it very well, so that we don’t have to cut it until it is cooked. We’re also going to leave a part of the stem. If we follow these two pieces of advice, we will keep nutrients, color and flavor much better. We probably have to cook them for about an hour to make them soft.
- Raw: lovers of raw beetroot will love eating it raw in salads or as a garnish. As it is quite hard, we can grate it, which will also give a nice color to our dishes. We can also add it to desserts, cakes or yogurts.
- In juice or smoothie: a delicious and original recipe consists of including beets in our juices and smoothies. That way we benefit from its raw nutrients and we don’t have to chew it. We can also combine it with apples, bananas, berries, strawberries, etc.
don’t throw the leaves away
If we buy natural or ecological beets, it is possible that they come with their leaves. To make the most of the benefits of beets. we can also use these leaves, which are actually the part of this vegetable that was consumed in the past.
Just wash them well to be able to include them in your juices, smoothies, stews, omelets or salads.
Beet leaves are rich in vitamin A, C and K and minerals such as calcium and iron.
cure for woman
Beetroot juice is an ancient remedy that is very effective in treating menstrual irregularities and premature menopause.
In both cases, it is recommended to drink a glass of beetroot juice daily, on an empty stomach, for as long as the malaise lasts.
Discover: 7 Reasons to Include Beet Juice in Your Diet
the russian soup
There is a traditional Russian recipe that is still popular today, ideal for combating the country’s typical cold: Borscht soup or beetroot soup.
- Brown the onion and beets, cut into small pieces.
- When they are already tender, after 7 minutes, add the vegetable stock.
- Cook the sauté over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Add fresh cabbage, cut very finely, parsley, sherry wine, salt and pepper to taste.
According to the traditional recipe, you can also add sour or fresh cream.
A natural and vegetable colorant
As a curiosity: the garnet coloring is extracted from the beet, which is used in many foods. It is also known as the additive E-162 or betatin, which is not harmful to health.
On the other hand, there is another reddish dye, known as E-120, which comes from the extract of an insect, cochineal.
While not dangerous, it can more easily cause some allergic reactions.
