Beet | Description, Root, Leaf, Nutrition, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Beet | Description, Root, Leaf, Nutrition, & Facts? ›

The leaves of garden beets can be cooked like spinach or eaten fresh if picked young. Beetroots are a good source of riboflavin as well as folate, manganese, and the antioxidant betaine. Beet greens are a source of riboflavin, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K. For related cultivated forms of B.

Nutritional benefits of beetroot leaves

Beetroot leaves are a fantastic source of: Vitamin C, which gives your immune system a well-deserved kick up the backside, while also keeping your skin glowing and healthy. Vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes nice and healthy. That's right, carrots aren't the only one!

The leaves and roots of beets are packed with nutrition, including antioxidants that fight cell damage and reduce the risk of heart disease. They're one of the few vegetables that contain betalains, a powerful antioxidant that gives beets their vibrant color.

Beet greens have a similar colorful look as swiss chard and can be consumed in much of the same way. They also are very high in iron with a higher iron count than spinach as well as vitamin K, B6, magnesium and potassium. They are also a great source of fiber.

Add them to a smoothie.

Since beet greens have a mild and sweet flavor, adding them to a smoothie is an easy way to disguise them while still consuming their nutritional density. Adding a handful of these greens will boost the vitamin and mineral count in your favorite smoothies without altering the flavor.

They're far more delicious than those of kale and collards. They're also more nutritious. Beet greens are some of the most nutrient-rich greens around, containing more antioxidants and other phytonutrients than the bulbous roots themselves, according to Jo Robinson, author of Eating On The Wild Side.

Both eating beets and drinking beet juice will give you anti-inflammatory betalains and other phytonutrients. If you're looking to enhance athletic performance, drink up. Juicing beets delivers a concentrated dose of nitrates, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. However, you lose the fiber when you juice the beets.

Beet greens have oodles of nutritional value, from fiber and protein to vitamins C, K, and B9. You can eat beet greens raw or cooked. No matter how you choose to chow down, you could enjoy health perks like a stronger immune system, healthier teeth, and a healthier digestive tract.

Beets are also rich in nitrates, which reduce inflammation by removing harmful compounds from your bloodstream. This combination of betalains and nitrates makes beets a great choice for people with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia.

Are beets better for you raw or cooked? ›

Cooking beets decreases the bioavailability of dietary nitrate from the food, meaning raw beets deliver more dietary nitrate.

Rich in Nutrients: These greens are a nutrient powerhouse, providing essential vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like potassium, iron, and calcium. Antioxidant-Rich: Beet greens are packed with antioxidants that support overall health, protect against oxidative stress, and help reduce inflammation in the body.

Greens are also low in calories, but high in nutrients and volume, which can be helpful if you're trying to manage your weight," Moore points out. Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers").

Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.

Leafy greens such as spinach, Swiss chard, kale, beet greens, and collards pack a punch when it comes to lowering high blood pressure. They're sources of magnesium, as well as potassium, an essential nutrient for preventing or lowering high blood pressure.

Raw or Cooked? Cooked. Low in calories and high in nutrients, cooked beets reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Benefits: Naturally occurring compounds in beets improve blood flow, help keep arteries healthy and reduce LDL cholesterol (the 'bad' kind).