Nutritional Contents of Beets

Low on calories, beets are rich in folate (vitamin b9), magnesium, sodium, potassium and betaine. They also contain vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.

In addition, the green leafy tops of most beets can be cooked as well and taste similar to spinach. These contain fair amounts of vitamins A, C and K.

Health Benefits of Beets

1. Fighting heart disease: Beets are rich in folic acid (folate) which reduces the incidence of heart diseases by keeping homocysteine in check.

2. Healthy Pregnancy: Folic acid in beets also helps during pregnancy by reducing the possibilities of birth defects, especially neural tube defects.

3. Lowers death from Alzheimers: The folate content of beets proves to be a very beneficial vitamin. It has been studied that Alzheimer’s patients have little or no folate in their body, indicating that beets are a dietary necessity.

4. Detox: A number of health magazines expound on the healing properties of beet juice. These claims are undoubtedly substantiated considering the contents of beets. Historically, beets have been used by various cultures for their cleansing properties.

5. Cell Regeneration: Beets, especially beetroot, can help increase cell regeneration.

6. Liver protection: Betaine, whose presence in beetroot, protects the liver from the buildup of fatty deposits. Beets (beetroots) in particular are recommended for alcoholics, people with low protein intake and diabetics.

7. Lowering blood pressure: Beets are rich in nitrates which aid in vasodilation (widening of blood vessels) which results in decreasing the blood pressure and increasing blood circulation.

8. Exercise: Studies indicate that consuming beetroot juice a few hours before exercise increases performance significantly.