The Health Benefits of Beetroot – Recipes Included

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

Hailed as a superfood, the humble beetroot (also known as beet) is a little treasure trove of health affirming goodness. It seems that a lot of people never venture further than pickled beetroot – not realising that there is a whole culinary beetroot world out there waiting to be discovered. Beets come in different colours (like white and orange), although they are most commonly known for their deep reddish/purple colour. The unique, earthy tap roots are the part that people most often eat, yet it is useful to know that the green leaves are totally edible and filled with beneficial nutrients too. In this article I am going to explore some of the most celebrated health benefits of this wonderful plant food.

Health benefits of beetroot…

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1. Helps to lower blood pressure

Studies suggest that people with high blood pressure (hypertension) show a significant decrease in blood pressure after drinking beetroot juice. Experts report that the nitrates present in beetroot may cause the blood pressure to decrease. The nitrates convert to nitric oxide – which increases oxygen in the blood – and subsequently helps to relax the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow with greater ease.

2. Rich in essential nutrients

Beetroot is high in:

Folate (folic acid/B9) – essential for DNA synthesis and repair
Manganese – for skin & bone health; blood sugar management; protection against free-radicals
Potassium – helpful for blood pressure regulation and kidney health
Vitamin C – powerful anti-oxidant; helpful for wound healing; blood sugar regulator
Beetroot also has good levels of zinc, iron and copper for maintaining general healthy body function.

3. Anti-cancer benefits

Encouraging studies on human tumor cells show that the betanin pigment from beetroot can reduce tumor growth in colon, stomach, nerve, breast and testicular tissues.

4. Supports healthy liver function

Betanin helps to protect the liver by preventing the build up of fatty deposits, encouraging bile stimulation and acting as a powerful anti-oxidant. It is said to help the liver get rid of toxins, supporting its natural function as an organ of detoxification, helping to eliminate harmful substances from the body.

5. Helps energy levels and physical endurance

A fascinating study on the effect of nitrate from beetroot juice found that people who drank the juice showed a significant increase in physical tolerance and stamina.

6. Super anti-oxidant properties

Beetroot is high in glutathione, polyphenols and betalains, which all have excellent anti-oxidant properties. Anti-oxidants play a key role in prevention of most chronic diseases, due to their ability to counteract the effects of free radical damage on human tissue.

How To Use Beetroot

Raw Salad

One of my favourite ways to consume beetroot is raw, in salad.

You can grate it in and mix with other delicious vegetables. Works a real treat with herbs and a healthy salad dressing.

The ‘Look After Yourself Kale Wrap‘ is an excellent example of how you can mix beetroot into a salad for an amazingly healthy lunch time meal.

Fresh Juice

Beetroot juice is the perfect way to get a quick infusion of this super-health-filled-food.

Add in a few other nutritious gems and you have a marriage made in heaven. There are lots of combinations (the limit is your imagination). I enjoy it with greens, celery and ginger.

Here’s a delicious recipe for my ‘Beet-iful Mint Juice‘ version.

Tasty Soup

Red beetroot makes for an impressive, deep, colourful dish, however you make it.

I enjoy it as a blended medley in a soup or a stew.

For a deliciously nurturing cooked dish check out my ‘Beetroot Soup’ recipe.

Article Sources

www.whfoods.com

www.ion.ac.uk

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661447

Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen

Trinitys Conscious Kitchen - book cover

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About the author:

Trinity is an experienced, empathic energy worker and the author of ‘Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen’, a recipe book designed to inspire the soul through conscious vegan, wheat-free cuisine.

Around 18 years ago, during a profound spiritual awakening, the world around her shattered. She became engulfed in a white, universal, timeless, formless light until nothing else existed – other than the nameless truth at the core of all sentient beings. During this life-changing experience Trinity experienced the soul of all other sentient beings, trees, creatures, people as one pulsating energy. Transcending her into a higher realm of unity and oneness, this experience imparted a divine energy that she has been sharing through spiritual work ever since. She has integrated a wide variety of multidimensional gifts, and works hand in hand with the Angelic Realms, guided by a deep compassion for the Earth and environment.

Understanding that the energy of our food directly impacts sentient life on all levels, Trinity founded Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen, a website devoted to inspiring the soul through conscious vegan cuisine. She is the co-founder of the Openhand Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the evolution of humankind. She works as the divine complement to her soul mate Open to help facilitate the global Ascension process and feels incredibly blessed to be of divine service.

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