BEETROOT SUPER POWERS
Eat and Bloom Wednesday!
Colorful, widely available, nourishing, affordable. Perfect in savory dishes and sweet treats. Some people love them and others are happy to avoid them. Are you in the beet team or…?
Beets are low in calories, and high in wide variety of wonderful vitamins and minerals. A pretty great little veg to add to your diet, if you ask me! They are great eaten raw, boiled, baked or roasted and even added to smoothie bowls! A powdered form is also great to keep in your pantry: concentrated beet in form of powder is a fantastic addition to your smoothies or in baking.
WHY DO BEETS HELP YOU BLOOM?
- protect against cell damage, which can lead to healthier life and aging- thanks to antioxidants
- help with inflammation – there’re phytonutrients and antioxidants present not only in the root but also the greens (yes, eat them also!). Inflammation tends to be higher when your diet contains a lot of processed foods or sugars, so if this is your case- adding beets to your daily meals can be very beneficial.
- may help with supporting liver functions- liver is a very important organ responsible for many functions in the body, one of them being daily detoxification. Phytonutrients, especially betaine, widely available in beetroot, seem to have a positive effect and help with enzymes activity needed for that process.
- healthier digestive system and staying regular – 1 cup of beets has around 3.5g of fiber, which mighty little indigestible carbohydrate that we need in our diet daily. it also helps us to feel fullers for longer.
- they provide you with more energy, help with tiredness and to perform better at the gym- beets contain a substance called nitrates, which has positive effect on the part of the cell responsible for energy production.
Some of the great ways to eat beets are homemade beet chips (my favorite solo or in a summer salad!), beetroot hummus, fermented, in pasta sauce or as a juice. A simple salad of grated beet, carrot and apple with some lemon juice is delicious and goes with many meals!
Plus, beetroot is a great ingredient when it coms to baked goods- especially in chocolate cakes, brownies or energy balls. It may sound strange, but do give it a go and reap the benefits! I have a couple of delicious recipes for you: this this amazing snack energy balls and this vibrant Super Berry Smoothie.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20466802
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27278926
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705355