Benefits of Beet root

Beet root, commonly known red beet or chukandar (Indian name) is a juicy root vegetable, having lots of medicinal benefits. Having a distinctive flavor and more colorful than other root vegetables, they are very nutritious and a healthy food. It contains carbohydrates, a little protein and fat and contains sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, iron, copper, vitamin B1, B2.

Beet can be taken raw as salad or as a vegetable and as juice. It is most commonly taken as juice. It tastes salty and sweet at the same time. The color of red/purple beetroot is due to a variety of betalain pigments in it. The roots and leaves have medicinal uses. 

Beetroot (also known as table beet, red beet or simply as beet) contain carbohydrates, folate, nitrates, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, vitamin C, and phytonutrients like betalain’s (betanin and vulgaxanthin - antioxidant which provides beet its deep red color).

·         Beetroot can strengthen the nerves of our body. It can be had raw or cooked.

·         Beetroots juices a day can help reduce blood pressure levels. This is a good way of keeping your blood pressure level in check.

A study conducted at Queen Mary University of London and published online in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension found that people who drank beetroot juice or took nitrate tablets had their blood pressure lowered within 24 hours. According to researchers, the nitrate content of beetroot juice is the underlying cause of its blood pressure lowering benefits. The nitrates are converted into nitrites by the action of saliva, and these nitrites help in lowering the blood pressure. The researchers also found that only a small amount of the beetroot juice (250 ml) is needed to have this effect.

·         It is a rich source of the mineral boron, which plays an important role. One more good reason to cash in beetroots.

·         Beetroot is a very good laxative which helps with the roughage. Have a small piece of beetroot every day as a salad or soup what ever suits your palette for maximum benefits. The cellulose content of the beet acts as a bulk residue, and eases the passage of stool. Its regular use thus prevents habitual constipation. A decoction of the beet root is highly valuable in chronic constipation and hemorrhoids i.e. piles.

·        Beetroot is very good as a breath freshener especially if we have a garlic or onion breath to abolish.

·       One of the essential home remedy for anemia is red beet juice. Since it has higher content of iron, it regenerates and reactivates the red blood cells, leading to adequate supply of fresh oxygen to the body and helps the normal functioning of breathing. It is thus extremely useful in the treatment of anemia.

·        Beet juice is beneficial in the treatment of hepatitis, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dysentery. To increase the medicinal value, you can add teaspoonful of lime juice to this juice. Fresh beet juice mixed with a tablespoonful of honey taken every morning in an empty stomach helps the healing of gastric ulcer. The juice should be taken once daily.

·        The beet juice in combination with the juice of cucumber and carrot is one of the effective cleansing materials for kidneys and gall bladder.

·       The water in which the beet root is boiled is excellent for boils, skin inflammation and pimples. In case of measles, eruptive fevers, irritable skin, take the juice of three parts of white beet water to one part of white vinegar and sponge the body occasionally.

·        The decoction of beets mixed with little vinegar can be used externally to cleanse scurf or dandruff from the head. For dandruff, the beet water should also be massaged into the scalp with the ginger tip every night.

·        Beet fiber has been shown to have cholesterol lowering capabilities.

·        Beetroot contains the bioactive agent betaine, which supports healthy liver function. When the liver is functioning properly, fats are broken down efficiently, aiding weight loss, and preventing fatigue and nausea.

·       A study conducted at the University of Exeter suggests that drinking beetroot juice can boost stamina, allowing people to exercise for up to 16 percent longer. The researchers found that the nitrate content of the beetroot leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake, thereby making exercise less tiring. Although the researchers are not sure of the exact mechanism, but they suspect that it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing how much oxygen is burned up by exercise. The findings could be of interest to people with cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic diseases, and endurance athletes.

·         Beetroot contains betaine, which lowers the homocysteine levels and protects against various cardiovascular diseases. Excessive homocysteine is associated to inflammation of the blood vessels. Betaine is basically choline, which helps in lowering the homocysteine level, thereby protecting against cardiovascular diseases. Betaine is also associated with lower levels of other inflammatory factors like C-reactive protein (CRP - causes artery-damaging inflammation), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-A).

·         Magnesium is required for the appropriate utilization of calcium for the proper maintenance of bones. Beetroot contains magnesium, and hence, it can help in the prevention of osteoporosis. But beet greens should be avoided as they are high in oxalic acid and interfere in the absorption of calcium.

·         Beetroot has betacyanin, an antioxidant, which helps in cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia. The antioxidant removes the free radicals that damage the brain cells or the cells of other organs. The colon cancer research also states that the antioxidant property of beetroot helps in treating colon cancer by promoting the growth of CD8 cells which can detect and remove the abnormal cells.

·         Beetroots are a good source that helps in curing birth defects from a fetus of a pregnant mother. This favor is done to the child in the womb because of the presence of vitamin B folate in beets which helps in the development of an infant's spinal column. A deficiency of folate can lead to many neural tube defects. So, the supplementation of beetroots proves very healthy for the ladies who have conceived and are in the early or later stages of their pregnancy.

·         The betalin pigments present in beets have repeatedly been shown to support activity in our body's Phase 2 detoxification process. Phase 2 is the metabolic step that our cells use to hook activated, unwanted toxic substances up with small nutrient groups.

Side Effects of Beetroot

·         While the beetroot benefits are plentiful, individuals with certain health conditions should be cautioned against the consumption of beetroot. The levels of oxalates in beetroots are extremely high, which is why they are best avoided by anyone suffering from kidney stones of the oxalate variety.

·         Consumption of beets can cause urine to become red or pink in color. This condition called “beeturia" is not considered harmful. About 5-15% of U.S. adults are estimated to experience beeturia following consumption of beets in everyday amounts. One area in which beeturia may be a potential concern involves problems with iron metabolism. Persons with iron deficiency, iron excess or known problems with the metabolism of iron are more likely to experience beeturia. If you experience beeturia and also suspect iron deficiency, iron excess, or iron metabolism to be a problem affecting your health, we recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider to determine your best dietary and health steps.

·         It's possible for beet consumption to bring a red color into your bowel movements as well, although this outcome tends to be more common in children than adults. Once again, the production of a reddish color in the stool due to beets is not considered harmful. It's important, however, to be confident that the reddening of the stool is caused by the pigments found in beets and not by the presence of fresh or dried blood. If you experience reddening of the stool and have not recently (with the past 24-48 hours) consumed beets, we recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider to determine the reason for this change in your stool color.

·         Beetroot contains nitrates and when they are cooked and left standing at room temperature, microorganisms that convert nitrates to nitrites begin to multiply, and the amount of nitrites in the beetroot rises. The nitrites combine with amines in the stomach to form nitrosamines, some of which are known carcinogens.