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Try Iron-Rich Beets to Boost Your Family's Health
Filed under: Nutrition: Health, Mealtime
The most commonly known beet is the garden beet, or beetroot, very rich in red colour. This colourful vegetable is in the same species as chard (commonly Swiss chard), where the leaves are eaten more often than the root. A great addition to any table, beets have amazing health benefits that your whole family can enjoy.In North America, beets are eaten primarily as a vegetable, but they have many different uses in other countries.
- Europe uses beets for wine and ale.
- Russia uses them as a foundation for the traditional 'borscht' soup.
- Australia and New Zealand pickle beets to serve on burgers.
- The Dutch prepare Red Beet Eggs, where hard boiled eggs are marinated in leftover beet liquid.
- Betanins (the pigment) is used industrially as a red food colourant to intensify the colour of tomato pastes, sauces and ice cream, which is a healthier alternative to red-coloured food dyes.
This red root vegetable is loaded with an easily absorbed form of iron (versus other non-heme sources), that helps to produce healthy blood. Beets have been looked at in the past as a great vegetable to consume during a detoxification process to help support liver function. Beets are also packed with potassium, which helps the body regulate water balance and the acidity-alkalinity balance within our body tissues and blood. Looking at their nutrition profile further, they are an excellent source of many B-vitamins, vitamin C, phosphorus and fibre.
Beets have a sweet taste due to their natural sugar content and are quite crunchy when eaten raw. When cooked, the root vegetable becomes very soft and buttery in texture. Their flavour allows beets to be eaten alone and the less heat used in cooking preserves more of their nutritional content, as well as their antioxidant power. Tip: The leaves of the beets do not have to be discarded with the root tail, as they are also quite tasty and can be eaten as a salad green, similar to spinach or Swiss chard.
A Word of Warning
The deep red or purple colour of beets comes from betalain pigments. When cut or heated, beets leak out their pigment, which can stain your hands or clothes quite easily, so be careful when cooking with them. Many people also experience a slight change in the colour of their urine or bowel movements after eating beets. This is referred to as "beeturia" and is more common in individuals with more oxalic acid in their intestines, which preserves the pigment from being broken down. It is understandable that children may become confused and concerned upon noticing this kind of discolouration, but you can reassure them that it is nothing to be alarmed of and is perfectly safe.
How to Add Beets to Your Diet:
- In a roaster, add root vegetables (including beets) and bake.
- Marinate steamed beets in lemon juice, olive oil and herbs.
- Add even just 1/4 cup of chopped beets to any green smoothie and enjoy some great health benefits and natural sweetness.
- My favourite is to slice the beets thin (with the skin), drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, then bake in the oven like a potato chip.
- For parents, you can also try beets as part of a liver detox. For example, as a salad or roasted with some garlic.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-06-2010 @ 9:42AM
The Healthy Apple said...This is a fabulous article; I love using beets and as a Culinary Nutrition Consultant, I always recommend beets to boost iron for my clients and their children. Thank you for this great post!
Best,
The Healthy Apple
www.thehealthyapple.com
Reply