The beautiful and bright colour of beetroots can make anyone fall in love with it yet it is often ignored, perhaps because of its distinctive taste. If you’re not a fan, you should know that beetroot has been gaining amazing popularity as the new superfood around the world. It’s low in fat, full of powerful antioxidants, rich in Vitamin C, and helps in the absorption of iron. Both the leaves and the roots can be eaten.
While the pink root is sweet, the dark green leaves are bitter but very rich in calcium, iron and Vitamin A. Beetroots are best enjoyed raw and uncooked as cooking may destroy most of its nutrients. You can add them in salads or easier to just juice them up. Beetroots are one of the healthiest vegetables you can juice, undoubtedly. A glass of beetroot juice helps in giving you all the vitamins and minerals in a concentrated form. If your mixture is too thick you can add some water to balance the consistency. Don’t remove the pulp that’s where all your fiber is. Also, remember that plain beetroot juice may contain oxalic acid and therefore it is good to blend it with other fruits or vegetables. This will also help in adding additional flavour and nutrition. For instance, beetroots and carrots make a lovely pair.
“A combination beetroot juice with carrots and amla is very healthy especially for those who have anaemia. It helps in raising your iron levels naturally,” says Delhi-based Nutritionist, Dr. Simran Saini. Other fruits that go well with beetroot could be oranges and pineapple that add a nice tang while complementing the sweet flavour of beets or perhaps some papaya for depth and to add body to your drink. Dr Saini also suggests that it is best to have beetroot juice early morning or one hour before your breakfast.
“Drink a 200 ml glass of beetroot juice every day to reap all its benefits. But drink it fresh else the nutritional value of the juice diminishes,” she adds. According to the USDA, 100 grams of beetroot has about 43 calories with about 0.2 grams of fat. It has about 325 grams of potassium, 78 grams of sodium, 1.6 grams of protein and total carbohydrate is around 10 grams.
Manages your blood pressure: One of the benefits of beetroot juice can help in temporarily lowering high blood pressure. Researchers have attributed this to the presence of nitrates in beets. The naturally occurring nitrates increase nitric oxide found in the blood vessels which allow more oxygen to flow to your brain, heart and muscles and thus, lowering high blood pressure. It can also be used as a face for glowing skin.
