As a child, I thought I was being punished anytime my parents served Beets. I'm sure everyone remembers canned beets and how unappetizing they looked, a dark red gelatinous can-shaped blob sitting in the middle of the dinner table. Those days a long gone and now beets are found in more than just salads.
This nutrient-packed root vegetable is the perfect way to help keep you in the best shape and is a tasty addition to your healthy eating lifestyle. With dozens of essential nutrients like B6, magnesium, potassium, and iron, beets are a healthy alternative to getting the much-needed nutrients your body needs.
Here are just some of the benefits you will receive when adding this root to your diet.
Helps your heart to keep beating
Loaded with betaine and B-vitamin folate, eating beets will help lower blood pressure which is good for your heart. These two powerhouse nutrients will help lower levels of homocysteine, which high levels of can cause inflammation in your arteries, which can lead to heart disease. This superfood is quickly gaining popularity with its high levels of nitrates and other vital nutrients.
Spice up your favorite salad with adding roasted beets and goat cheese. You'll love the taste and your heart will thank you.
Digestion is improved
One cup of beets will contain four grams of insoluble fiber which will help with constipation, hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis (digestive tract inflammation).
This fiber-rich superfood is an excellent way to help with digestion. If you eat a lot of beets, don't be alarmed if your pee and stool turn a little crimson. That's just the betacyanin that gives it its distinct color. Some people have a harder time breaking the chemical down, which will turn your pee and stool crimson. This is normal and you are still getting all of the needed nutrients.
Roast some beets with goat cheese and arugula for a delicious sandwich.
Improved stamina
If you're an athlete who needs a boost to your endurance, adding beets to your diet can do just that. Studies have shown that nitrates will lower the amount of oxygen your muscles need while increasing your blood flow capacity and beets are rich in nitrates.
Adding a cup of beet juice before a workout or race will help you perform at your best up to fifteen percent longer.
Try this for a satisfying drink in the morning to start the day right; one beet, one carrot, one apple, and half-cup of lemon juice.
Help with fighting chronic disease
Heart disease, obesity, and cancer are some of the top killers in the US and beets are rich in betalains, a potent antioxidant that helps with anti-inflammatory diseases. Recently, researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered that the inorganic nitrates found in vegetables like beets, can turn unhealthy fat into healthy fat, meaning it turns the fat into calorie-burning fat instead of fat that just sits there and mocks us.
Eating healthy to fight off diseases and live a long life is nothing new. In fact, our ancestors used food to treat the body long ago. They knew the value of eating healthy and did not have all of the preprocessed, chemical-laden foods that dominate our lives today. Sure, advances in technology have helped to improve our lives drastically, but a return to more traditional or natural remedies will be better in the long run than relying on pharmaceutical companies to be healthy. Adding superfoods like beets to your diet will help significantly improve your life.
