Beetroot: Its Health & Nutritional Benefits
Beetroot may not be the first vegetable you turn to for your overall health and wellness, but you’ll be missing out if you don’t add this healthy ingredient to your life. Beets are a great source of several vitamins and minerals such as: folate, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B-6, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, glutamine, zinc, copper and selenium, as well as being a great source of fiber and high in dietary nitrate. In this post we’ll take you through several of the benefits of this nutritious vegetable, including digestive health, improved endurance, lower blood pressure, and support brain health. We’ll also share a yummy treat for your 4th of July celebration!
Folic Acid Benefits
Folate, also known as vitamin B-9 or folic acid, is an important building block in the body’s metabolic function and supports healthy skin and hair. This water-soluble vitamin also plays a factor in the synthesis of nucleic acid (DNA & RNA) and because the body does not store folate, it is important to consume some every day from sources like beetroot to make sure we have enough in our system. Many consider folate to be of particular importance for pregnant women, as studies suggest it prevents neural tube defects and can lower the risk of a preterm birth by 50-70 percent if taken for at least 12 months before becoming pregnant.
Cardiovascular Health Benefits
Beetroot is well documented to have positive effects on blood pressure and the entire cardiovascular system thanks to its high dietary nitrate content. A 2016 study published in the Journal of The American College of Cardiology determined that one week of daily consumption of beetroot resulted in an improvement.
Brain Health
In a study partially funded by the National Institute of Health, Wake Forest researchers found beetroot improved oxygenation to the brain, which helps maintain cognitive function in older adults. Study authors believe the effect is due to increased blood flow to the areas of the brain that commonly experience cognitive decline and dementia due to degeneration.
Digestive Health
Beetroot is a great source of two compounds essential to the body’s digestive health. The vegetable’s high fiber content promotes regularity and helps to prevent constipation, while glutamine, an amino acid, is essential to the health and maintenance of the intestinal tract.
How to incorporate beetroot into your diet
Beets can be steamed, boiled, roasted, pickled or eaten raw. For those who may not enjoy the taste of beets, beetroot is available via capsule form or a ready-to-mix powder; Vitamin World carries several options, which you can view here. You can also make your own beetroot juice or ask an associate for help locating products at your nearest Vitamin World shop, such as Dynamic Health’s Certified Organic Beetroot Juice.
*A high-nitrate diet may interact with certain medications, so as with any change in diet, please consult your primary care physician first.
* The statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Ingredients
- 32 oz. Beetroot juice (we used Certified Organic Beetroot Juice by Dynamic Health)
- 1 cup blueberries
- ¾ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon + 1½ teaspoon honey
- 6 - 3.2 oz. ice pop molds or 3 oz. paper cups and popsicle sticks
- Blue food coloring (optional)
Steps
- Puree the blueberries until smooth and add 1½ teaspoon honey. If your blueberry mixture is too purple, you can choose to add a bit of blue food coloring (we did). Pour blueberry mixture into the bottom 1/3 of the mold. Freeze for 2 hours until frozen.
- Mix the yogurt, lemon juice and remaining honey. Pour into molds on top of blueberry layer. Freeze for 2 hours until firm.
- Fill remainder of the mold with beetroot juice. If you prefer a sweeter taste, 1 teaspoon of honey can also be added. Insert the mold handle or a popsicle stick. Freeze for 3 hours until frozen solid. Enjoy!
Additional Info
Vitamin World
Nutrition starts at the source. This has been our philosophy ever since we opened our doors in 1977, and wellness has always been our passion. We are a company of wellness enthusiasts. We’re passionate not just about nutrition, but also about helping others discover their best self.
