8 Amazing Reasons To Eat A Beetroot

Introduction

It is always great to eat fruits and vegetables that help to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They provide you with all the essential nutrients that will have a positive effect on your body.  

Beetroot or beet is one of the popular root vegetables that you must include in your diet. Its incredibly shocking pink colour with an earthy flavor and a lot of crunchiness make a beetroot unique. This vibrant hue of beetroot makes this vegetable bossy that can completely take over your dish. This colour of the beetroot comes from the plant compound betanin. 

Originally beet was first cultivated by Romans. By the 19th century say beet contains a high amount of sugar than other vegetables. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, the same as chard and spinach. Both the leaves and roots of the beet can are edible. Typically beetroot is rich in vibrant colour and taste with crunchiness. It can be consumed by roasting, steaming, pickling, and juicing the beetroots. Various types of beetroots are present such as white, pink, yellow, and dark purple. Many dieticians and doctors promote beetroot due to its richness of vitamins and minerals.

Nutritional Facts of Beetroot:

The beautiful ruby red-colored beet is rich in numerous nutrients that would be beneficial for our overall health. Beetroot is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, fibres, iron, folate, and contain low calories. They are also rich in potassium, manganese, and antioxidants. Beetroot got a very charming colour. It is due to a plant pigment named Betanin. Betanin is an antioxidant that belongs to polyphenols. 

Health Benefits of Beetroot:

Here are some possible health benefits of beetroot –

1. Helps to Regulate Blood Pressure

Beetroot is rich in nitric oxide which works as a vessel dilator that relaxes your blood vessels and improves blood flow. Therefore, it helps in lowering blood pressure. Many studies have proven this benefit of a beetroot due to the presence of nitric oxide. Consumption of 200-250 ml glass of beetroot juice or adding 80-100 grams of beet to salads may help to low hypertension. However, the effect of beetroot will last for about six hours only. Therefore, beetroots only help temporarily to balance blood pressure, and regular consumption may be beneficial. 

2. May Improve Digestive Health

Beetroot is one of the richest sources of dietary fibres and amino acids that are essential to help indigestion. It helps to regulate your bowel movements and may give relief from constipation. Beet is gut-friendly, which adds bulk to stool and helps reduce the risk of several chronic diseases.  

3. May Control the Blood Sugar

Beetroot contains an antioxidant called alpha-lipoic acid that may help to balance blood sugar levels. In 2019, review studies showed that alpha-lipoic acid helps reduce blood sugar levels when given orally or intravenously. 

4. Help to Prevent Anemia

The colour of beetroot itself explains its importance in correcting the level of your haemoglobin. Beetroot contains a high amount of iron and folic acid. It helps produce normal red blood cells. Regular drinking of beetroot juice helps to improve the range of haemoglobin and prevents menstrual disorders. 

In my experience, beetroots’ high betalain concentration may aid in a variety of anti-inflammatory disorders, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, and obesity. As is well-known, these are associated with persistent inflammation in the body. I recommend the regulated consumption of beetroot with regular consultations from the doctor for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and keeping diseases at bay.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

5. May Improve Athletic Performance

Beet juice can help your body by allowing your blood to flow faster and your muscles to get more oxygen during a workout. Nitrates present in beet helps to improve the efficiency of mitochondria that increase energy production in the body. It is important to note that the beet juice effect will rich to a peak within 2-3 hours. Hence, to achieve the best results, you have to consume beets 2–3 hours before training or competing.  

6. Help to Fight Against Inflammation

Beetroot contains a pigment-Betanin which is responsible for its colour. Betanin has anti-inflammatory properties. Some animal studies suggest that beetroot juice effectively reduces kidney inflammation. However, further research in humans is required to confirm this theory.

7. May Improve Brainpower

Beetroot helps to enhance the blood supply to the brain. It helps to improve cognitive functions and concentration. Nitric oxide present in beetroot helps maintain a normal blood flow to the brain.

8. Help in Detoxification

Beetroot is a natural detoxifier that helps to make your body clean and toxin-free. Betalains from beet help purify the blood, skin, and liver. It boosts the normal function of the body. Hence to increase your metabolism, beetroot is a great option. 

According to research studies, certain chemicals such as betalain contained in beetroots may aid in malignant cell mutations. Betalain is well known for its antioxidant property and it is also a pigment that gives beetroots their red or yellow colour.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Read more about: Best Health Benefits Of Kamalam (Dragon Fruit)

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