Beetroot Health Benefits

Red beets are known by a whole host of names, including the garden beet, the table beet, and just the plain old beet. One of the most popularly encountered types of beet in all of the continent of North America as well as Britain, red beets are just one of the many cultivated types of beets. Most of the time, the roots of red beets are boiled and then consumed as a cooked vegetable or eaten cold as part of a salad, after you have cooked them and added vinegar and oil.

Beetroot great for boosting stamina and making muscles work harder, it also contains potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C, and folic acid. Beets also contain carbohydrates, protein, powerful antioxidants and soluble fibre.

Helps reduce blood pressure

Beetroot is a great source of nitrates, which when consumed, is converted to nitrites and a gas called nitric oxides. Both these components help to widen the arteries and lower blood pressure. Researchers also found that having just about 500 grams of beetroot every day reduces a person’s blood pressure in about six hours. Another important effect of beetroot was that on consumption, the higher the person’s blood pressure the greater the drop.

Good in Pregnancy

Another amazing quality of the root is that it has an abundant supply of folic acid which is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells. Folic acid is important because it is an essential component for the proper formation of the unborn child’s spinal cord, and can protect the child from conditions such as spina bifida (is a congenital disorder where the child’s spinal cord does not form completely and in most cases looks like it has been divided into two at the base). Beetroot also gives extra energy boost required during pregnancy.

Powerful antioxidant properties

Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beetroot its colour, is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants are believed to help reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, in turn protecting artery walls and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Reduces risk of osteoporosis

Beetroot contains the mineral silica. This helps the body to utilise calcium, which is important for musculo-skeletal health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Beetroot is packed with mineral silica, an important component for the body to use calcium efficiently. Since calcium makes up our bones and teeth, having a glass of beetroot juice a day could help keep conditions such as osteoporosis and brittle bone disease at bay.

Treats anaemia

It is a common myth that because beetroot is reddish in colour, it replaces lost blood and is therefore good to treat anaemia. While this may sound a bit outrageous to many, there is a partial truth hidden in the myth. Beetroot contains a lot of iron. Iron helps in the formation of haemagglutinin, which is a part of the blood that helps transport oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body. It is the iron content and not the colour that helps treat anaemia.

Helps relieve fatigue

A study presented at the American Diabetics association’s conference stated that beetroot helps boost a person’s energy. They said that due to its nitrate content it helped dilate the arteries thereby helping in the proper transportation of oxygen to various parts of the body, increasing a person’s energy. Another theory was that because the root is a rich source of iron, it helps in improving a person’s stamina. Whatever the source, a pick-me-up at the end of a tiring day can be just what one needs.

Improves sexual health and stamina

Beetroot has been commonly used in a number of ancient customs to boost one’s sexual health.  Since the vegetable is a rich source of nitrates it helps release nitric oxide into the body, widening the blood vessels, and increasing blood flow to the genitals. Another factor is that beetroot contains a lot of boron, a chemical compound that is important for the production of the human sex hormone.

Protects you from cancer

The betacyanin content in beetroot has another very important function. In a study done at the Howard University, Washington DC, it was found that betacyanin helped slow the growth of tumours by 12.5 percent in patients with breast and prostate cancer. 

Beats constipation and keeps the stomach healthy

Because of its high soluble fibre content beetroot is a great laxative. It cleanses the colon and clears out the stomach helping in regularising one’s bowel movements.

Boosts brain power and may treat dementia

Drinking beetroot juice could increase a person’s stamina by 16 percent, because of its nitrate content. It could also help in the proper functioning of the brain and beat the onset of dementia. It has also been seen that nitrate when converted to nitrite helps in the better transmission of neural impulses, making the brain work better. 

Stabilises blood sugar

Beetroot is virtually fat free and low in calories. Although it has a 'medium' GI (Glycaemic Index) of 64, It has an extremely low GL (Glycaemic Load) of 2.9 which means it’s converted into sugars very slowly and therefore helps to keep blood sugar levels stable.