When people think of rebooting their diet and including more vegetables, their mind probably goes straight to the leafy greens like kale, which is a very popular “superfood” but there are plenty of different healthy options like beets. Red beets are very common in North America and the prices aren’t bad at all at the grocery stores. It’s simple to prepare and packed with heart-healthy benefits. What’s not to like?
Outside of being a great source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, and essential minerals like potassium (great for nerves and muscles), beets are packed with something called betaine.
Betaine does wonders for cardiovascular health because it lessens the body’s concentration of homocysteine, which is a substance that is harmful to blood vessels, causing peripheral vascular disease, stroke, and heart disease.
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There is also significant scientific evidence that betaine is beneficial in protecting against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, that it reduces internal organ inflammation, and that it likely protects against numerous chronic diseases.
RELATED: Top Reasons To Include Beets In Your Diet
How To Prepare Them
A popular way to prepare beets is to boil them and serve them as a side dish or in cold salads. In Eastern European countries, adding beets to soup is a very popular cooking method.
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If you are trying to boost your cardiovascular-related health problems, consider juicing.
The juice from red beets has shown signs of reducing high blood pressure, which is particularly beneficial for people with hypertension or who are at risk of developing cardiovascular complications.
Consuming 500 milliliters of beet juice results in an
exceptional reduction in hypertension in just one hour. The high concentration of dietary nitrates that are released once the beets have been juiced is what gets the job done.
You Can Eat The Greens From Beets Too
Don’t just throw away the greens on beets, add them to your meal plan, too. The leafy green tops have a higher nutritional value than the beetroot itself.
Beet greens contain protein, essential minerals like phosphorus and zinc (great for warding off Alzheimer’s), and significant amounts of vitamin A, C, and calcium. On top of this, beet greens contain more iron than spinach.
In general, beet tops help strengthen your immune system by promoting the production of antibodies and white blood cells. Like spinach and swiss chard, these leafy greens are worth saving and sautéing.
READ: 10 Superfoods To Ward Off Heart Disease
Overall, you can’t go wrong with beets. The only issue you can run into with beets is the bitter earthy taste that comes with them.
Fortunately, there are a plethora of juice, smoothie, and salad recipes that make the beets taste delicious. Many people mix beets with things like lemon or lime when juicing to make the taste more palatable.
The first step is investing in a good juicer or blender so you can mix the beets with many different delicious fruits and vegetables.
Make sure to add exercise to your daily schedule to maximize the effect of the beets. Not only will the beets give you energy, but it’s always good to exercise when deciding to eat healthily.
