Beetroot is touted as one of the healthiest veggies. It is the taproot portion of the beet plant. It is one of the many varieties of the genus Beta vulgaris, all of which are mostly grown for their edible taproots and leaves. Apart from being used as food, beetroot is also used as a medicinal plant and a food colorant.
Right from the Middle Ages, beetroot has been used not only as food but also as a treatment for numerous conditions. It is popularly known as beet and is called Chukandar in Hindi, Remolachas in Spanish, and Hong cai tou in Chinese. Beets have been used for a long time as a treatment for anemia in Indian households.
Health Benefits of Beetroot are;
May Delay Signs Of Premature Aging
Beet greens contain vitamin A and carotenoids that can benefit you from inside out. They also contain a decent amount of lutein, another potent antioxidant. These fight free radicals and can play a role in human skin photoprotection. However, there is no direct research on beets delaying the signs of aging.
According to a Chinese study, sugar beet molasses has excellent antioxidant properties. The phenolic contents of sugar beet molasses demonstrate anti-aging properties.
Can Improve Skin Health
If you are wondering what are beetroot benefits for the skin, here’s your answer. Beetroot ingestion has been found to prevent skin cancer. Also, beets contain vitamin A that maintains healthy mucous membranes, and improves skin health. Vitamin A also supports the daily replacement of skin cells.
Some believe that beetroot may also help purify the blood. This may promote skin health, though more research is warranted.
Beets are also good sources of vitamin C. Studies show that skin fibroblasts need vitamin C to synthesize collagen. Vitamin C also protects the skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation. Adequate vitamin C levels also minimize the formation of raised scars.
Can Be Beneficial During Pregnancy
A study focused on the possibility of beets being beneficial for pregnant women, especially because of their nitrate content. However, more research is required.
Beets are also rich in folic acid, which is a very good reason for pregnant mothers to include them in their diet. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects in the baby.
May Lower Blood Pressure
In a study conducted at the Queen Mary University of London, beetroot juice was found to lower blood pressure in a matter of four weeks. As per experts, this is because of the presence of nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. In the process, the blood vessels expand.
Also, consuming beetroot juice regularly can prolong these good effects. Consuming as much as 250 ml of beet juice a day can have better blood pressure lowering effects than plain water with nitrates. It is also believed that the juice might have better effects than most antihypertensive drugs, although information is insufficient in this regard. Do talk to your doctor before you use the juice for blood pressure treatment.
Can Be Good For the Heart
The nitrates in beets lower blood pressure. They may reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. As per a study, just one week of regular beetroot juice dosing can improve endurance and blood pressure in older individuals at risk of heart failure.
Another American study has stated that the ingestion of beet juice prevents myocardial infarction (obstruction of blood supply to a tissue in the heart).
In rat studies, beetroot was found to improve the delivery of oxygen to the working skeletal muscles. When the working skeletal muscles don’t get enough oxygen, they are impaired and decrease one’s capacity to move one arm or legs. This results in decreased physical activity, ultimately leading to heart disease.
May Aid Cancer Prevention
Beetroot extract may have the potential to prevent cancers of the breast and prostate. This can be attributed to the presence of betanin (a form of betalain) in beetroot. More studies are needed to substantiate this benefit of beetroot.
In another study conducted at the Howard University of Washington, beetroot ingestion was found to prevent lung and skin cancers.
Beetroot juice, when taken along with carrot extract, was found to aid in the treatment of leukemia. Numerous studies have supported the anticancer and chemopreventive properties of beets. In another French study, betanin was found to decrease cancer cell proliferation significantly.
Can Promote Liver Health
The presence of calcium, betaine, B vitamins, iron, and antioxidants keeps beets among the best liver foods.
Beets contain pectin, a fiber that is known to help eliminate toxins. It can clear the toxins that have been removed from the liver, making sure they don’t re-enter the body.
The liver also contains zinc and copper, both of which can protect the liver cells from oxidative stress. As per a Polish study, beetroot can also protect the liver from oxidative damage.
Some believe that beets may also thin the bile, allowing it to easily flow through the liver and small intestine, which may enhance liver health. Research is limited in this aspect.
May Help Fight Inflammation
As per an Iranian study, beetroot, especially in the juice form, was effective in treating inflammation. Another Egyptian study found that beetroot extract could treat inflammation in the kidneys.
The folate, fiber, and betalains could be responsible for beetroot’s anti-inflammatory properties.
May Promote Brain Health
Beets are known to improve brain neuroplasticity by improving the oxygenation of the somatomotor cortex – the brain area that is usually affected in the early stages of dementia.
When older hypertensive adults were given a beet juice supplement (in addition to exercise), their brain connectivity began to resemble that of younger adults.
The nitrates in beets are converted into nitric oxide within our bodies. This nitric oxide allows the brain cells to communicate with each other, thereby enhancing brain health. Nitrates also improve blood flow to the brain.
Beetroot juice has also been found to prevent Alzheimer’s. As per certain studies, those who drank beetroot juice had healthier brains and improved cognitive functioning.
According to another UK study, dietary nitrate can improve cerebral blood flow, thereby enhancing brain functioning.
May Control Blood Sugar Levels
This has more to do with sugar beets. According to an Iceland study, the fiber from sugar beets can reduce hyperglycemia.
As per a UK study, the consumption of beetroot juice was found to suppress postprandial (after a meal) glycemia.
Aid Digestion
What are the benefits of eating beets regularly? Well, regular consumption of beet or beet products has been found to improve digestion and blood quality. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that white beets can also open the obstructions of the liver and spleen, but research is limited. Red beets may be useful in treating illnesses related to the digestive system and blood.
In fact, red beets have a prominent place in history when it comes to abdominal health. It is believed that Romans used beets to treat constipation and other related ailments.
As they are rich in fiber, beets may help treat diverticulitis. It was found that populations ingesting high amounts of fiber had lower incidences of diverticulitis Fiber also aids bowel movement and enhances the overall health of the digestive system.
May Reduce Bad Cholesterol Levels
In an animal study, rats fed with beet extracts saw a decrease in the total cholesterol levels and an increase in good cholesterol. Though more research is required in this aspect, the study authors believe that the phytonutrients in beets can have these beneficial properties.
Beetroot is also one of those few foods that are low in calories and contain zero cholesterol (1).
May Help Treat Anemia
We know the deficiency of iron causes anemia. It has been found that beets are rich in iron, and the absorption of iron is better from beetroot than a few other vegetables. Beetroot also has better iron content than beet greens. The folate in beets may also help in anemia treatment.
May Improve Sexual Health
It is believed that beetroot has been used as an aphrodisiac since Roman times. Beets contain good amounts of boron. Boron is directly linked to the production of sex hormones. Beets are also relaxing. The betaine in beets relaxes your mind, and tryptophan contributes to happiness – both of which can help you get in the mood.
According to a Saudi Arabian study, beetroot juice can also help treat sexual weakness.
Can Help Prevent Cataracts
Beets (especially beet greens) are rich in beta-carotene that may help reduce the risk of cataracts. They also help prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Increases the Levels of Antioxidants
This can be attributed to the presence of polyphenols and betalains – compounds in beetroot that offer it its antioxidant properties. As per a study, the betalain pigment in beets has potent anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help treat oxidative stress and improve cognition.
The antioxidants that are abundant in beets (and their greens) may improve the body’s antioxidant status.
May Help Prevent Osteoporosis
We have already seen that the nitrates in beets get converted into nitric oxide in the body. A Japanese study states that nitric oxide can help prevent certain lifestyle-related diseases, including osteoporosis.
Another reason beetroot is good for treating osteoporosis is the presence of silica. The mineral is required by the body to utilize calcium efficiently. Having a glass of beetroot juice every day can keep osteoporosis and other related ailments (like a brittle bone disease) at bay.