Beetroot, you have to love it. Not everyone is a fan of this sweet cabbage. It is a fact, however, that it is extremely healthy. Beetroot contains an enormous amount of vitamins, minerals, and other healthy substances. In addition, they are not expensive, easily available and also great to use in all kinds of dishes.
Whether you like them or not, there are many benefits to eating beetroot (daily). And of course, there are also ways to keep the taste at bay a bit so that you still benefit from all the healthy substances.
Despite the fact that red beets are full of all kinds of vitamins and minerals, they still contain few calories. The cabbage is particularly high in folate and manganese, but also contains a good amount of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and iron.
As a result, beetroot offers a good number of health benefits. Curious which they are? Then read on, you’ll be amazed.
1. Beetroot keeps blood pressure under control
Among other things, red beets contain – just like spinach, lettuce, celery and endive – nitrate. The human body transforms this into nitrite, which widens the blood vessels slightly. As a result, more blood flows to the brain and muscles. This benefits all kinds of accomplishments and it lowers blood pressure. That is why beetroot among professional athletes is also so popular.
One should eat beets daily to achieve this. The effect of widening the blood vessels lasts only about 6 hours after you have been consuming the beets.
2. Beetroot improves athletic performance
As mentioned before, red beets are a popular food for professional athletes, and for good reason. Because the blood vessels are wider, more blood flows to the muscles and that, in turn, means that the sporting performance will improve. It has been found that it can do so by up to 17% when eating beetroot or drinking beet juice.
An athlete who consumes beetroot every day explains what he notices: “I ask a lot of my body and feel that I have more strength and endurance when I drink a glass of beetroot juice.”
3. Beetroot helps to avoid inflammation
Beetroot contains certain substances that are said to have anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming the cabbage should therefore help to prevent (chronic) inflammation.
Millions of people have inflammation without realizing it. They arise naturally and you often do not feel them. They are needed to restore the body. In principle, inflammation is not so bad because it helps your body to get better. However, chronic inflammation is a different story altogether and often results from eating too many sugary and highly processed products. Chronic inflammations are again associated with diseases and conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and even with cancer.
It is therefore wise to consume beetroot. The red pigments in it (called betalains ) help to reduce inflammation.
4. Beetroot is good for digestion
Beetroot contains a lot of fiber. It is known for helping with digestion. Fiber feeds the good bacteria in the intestines and adds extra mass to the stool. In short: eating beetroot makes it easier for you to go to the toilet.
5. Beetroot is good for the brain
As we grow older, the mental and cognitive functions also decrease very slowly. Because the blood supply (and therefore the supply of oxygen) to the brain works less well, conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s can occur earlier, too.
Here, too, nitrates play an important role . And, as previously described, they are found in beetroot, among other things.
6. Beetroot helps you to lose weight
Beetroot is high in nutrition but very low in calories. The cabbage contains vitamins, minerals, fibers, and proteins. The last two components contribute to a healthy weight in particular, especially because they make you feel full. By eating beetroot or drinking beet juice daily, you are more likely to reach the weight you are aiming for.