Natural Health Benefits of Beets: How Beets Can Fight Cancer and Help Prevent Disease

Natural Health Benefits of Beets:  How Beets Can Fight Cancer and Help Prevent Disease
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How to Choose

When choosing beets look for small or medium beets as large ones can be tough and less sweet. The beets with the best flavor will be smooth, firm and deep red in color. Avoid ones that are soft, spongy, shriveled or bruised. The tops should be fresh and bright green color. Beets are available all year but peak season is from June to October.

How to Cook

To cook beets, scrub them thoroughly and cut off all but 1 inch of the stems. Do not peel or cut until after cooking. Boil covered for about 35 to 45 minutes. To keep the color bright, do not add salt while cooking, but instead an acidic ingredient such as vinegar or lemon juice. Keep in mind beet juice can stain your skin so be wary when handling. They can also be eaten raw to retain maximum nutritional value.

Health Benefits

The many health benefits of beets can be attibuted to the high content betaine amino acids. They are also a good source of manganese, potassium, folic acid and fiber. Beets have been used as a traditional treatment for leukemia. They can also treat liver disorders because they stimulate the liver’s detoxification process. Drinking beet juice can actually help lower blood pressure within an hour. It has also been considered an aphrodisiac.

Diseases Beets Can Help Prevent

Beets can play a key role in dropping your total cholesterol level and raising your good HDL levels.They prevent constipation and treat fevers. The high level of folic acid can help prevent spina bifida and other neural tube defects in newborn infants. The unique combination of betacyanin and fiber in beets can help prevent colon cancer, and betaine is also a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Health Benefits of Beet Greens

Beet greens are an additional health benefit of beets. The have a lively, bitter taste similar to chard. The greens are a very nutritious part that contains beta-carotene, folic acid, chlorophyll, potassium, Vitamin C and iron. Choose greens that appear fresh, have a bright green color and a leafy top. Beet greens are normally prepared by either boiling or sautéing.

Disclaimer

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Photo Credit: producepedia.org

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