9 Health Benefits of Beets

We want to highlight one of the most amazing vegetables and a team favorite: Beets! Beet health benefits include that they’re low-calorie, full of vitamins, and are incredibly versatile in recipes.

So why are we so obsessed with this powerful superfood? Not to mention the taste, which we’d describe to be sweet and earthy, the nutritional benefits are incredibly expansive. Oftentimes, the saturation of color in a vegetable means that it’s incredibly nutrient-rich. This holds true for beets. Beets are known for their bright red color (present from their betacyanin pigment), but there are also golden varieties (present from their betaxanthin pigment). Whether eaten whole or juiced, here are 9 of their amazing benefits!

Beet Health Benefits

1. Beets naturally detoxify.

Beets naturally detoxify the body due to a group of phytonutrients called betalains. This allows them to remove unwanted toxins, and purify your blood, skin, kidneys, and liver.

Related: 13 Surprising Benefits of Cinnamon

2. They are nutrient-rich and low-calorie.

Beets are loaded with many nutrients including but not limited to potassium—442 milligrams per cup to be exact— folate (or vitamin B9), manganese, magnesium, and vitamin C while still being low in calories—only 37 per half-cup.

3. Beets lower blood pressure.

Beets naturally contain nitrates which the body turns into a gas known as nitric oxide. Nitric oxide then prevents blood from thickening and clotting as well as relaxing and dilating your blood vessels, thus lowering blood pressure.

4. They fight heart disease.

Beets are also touted to be able to fight heart disease as they are the highest plant-based source of betaine which lowers C-reactive protein levels often linked to heart disease.

5. Beets contain cancer-fighting properties.

The same phytonutrients responsible for the color of beets are also the same ones we can look to for their anti-cancer properties. Beets can increase oxygen in the blood by 400 percent and rid the body of toxins which helps to kill cancer cells.

6. Beets increase exercise endurance.

Beets are rich in dietary nitrates, which your body can convert to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has many important roles in your body one of which is to boost your exercise performance.

So before you head to the gym, think about incorporating beets into your morning meal and you may just be able to push yourself a little harder.

7. They reduce inflammation.

Beets contain several compounds that are shown to reduce inflammation in the body including betaine, obtain, and violaxanthin.

8. They are good for “that time of the month”.

Because beets contain iron, they are particularly good for women as they can help replenish iron lost during their menstrual cycle.

9. Eating beets reduce birth defects.

Beets are a great choice for pregnant women as eating beets can reduce the risk of birth defects in your baby due to the presence of folic acid used in the development of a baby’s spinal column.

Other Tips For Cooking Beets

• One of the simplest and most delicious ways to prepare beets is to roast them. Simply set your washed and scrubbed beets on foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt; then cover with foil and crimp the edges. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
• When we don’t have time for the above method of roasting beets, we love the brand “Love Beets”. Already prepared, just pick them up at the grocery store and toss them into a salad or add to a recipe.
• Want to receive all the health benefits of beets without a lot of fuss? Then juicing might be the way to go! One of our favorite juicing recipes includes beets, carrots, and apples.
• Beets make a great alternative to artificial food dyes! Anyone who has dealt with cooked beets with their fingers knows exactly what I’m talking about. It’s simple too with this boiling method.
• Don’t discard the greens of the beet! Beet greens contain even more nutrients including calcium, iron, and vitamins A, K, and C.