One of the foods I have recently reconnected with are beets. My mother used to use beets as a side for many of our meals. I have been looking for ways to change up my meals so that I don't get bored eating the same healthy foods over and over again and that is when I remembered beets. This pretty awesome stem vegetable can be prepared in a variety of ways. You can buy it canned or raw, and it's super easy to prepare. (Personally I like to boil them and sprinkle a tiny bit of lime juice).
Beets are full of vitamins and minerals. They are beneficial for liver detoxification, DNA synthesis, cardiovascular and anti-cancer health. They are also good to help lower cholesterol, protect against coronary artery disease and stroke. They are an anti-inflammatory, detoxifier, and antioxidant... and they have anti-aging effects.
There are many more benefits of beets and I suggest reading up on them. In the coming weeks, I will be looking for a few new recipes to incorporate this delicious and nutritious vegetable into your daily diet. However, today I just wanted to give you a little insight as to the health benefits of this multifaceted vegetable.
| Beets 1.00 cup, raw 136.00 grams 58.48 calories | ||||
| Nutrient | Amount | DV (%) | Nutrient Density | World's Healthiest Foods Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| folate | 148.24 mcg | 37.1 | 11.4 | excellent |
| manganese | 0.45 mg | 22.5 | 6.9 | very good |
| fiber | 3.81 g | 15.2 | 4.7 | very good |
| potassium | 442.00 mg | 12.6 | 3.9 | very good |
| vitamin C | 6.66 mg | 11.1 | 3.4 | very good |
| tryptophan | 0.03 g | 9.4 | 2.9 | good |
| magnesium | 31.28 mg | 7.8 | 2.4 | good |
| iron | 1.09 mg | 6.1 | 1.9 | good |
| phosphorus | 54.40 mg | 5.4 | 1.7 | good |
| copper | 0.10 mg | 5.0 | 1.5 | good |
| World's Healthiest Foods Rating | Rule |
|---|---|
| excellent | DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10% |
| very good | DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5% |
| good | DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5% |
References: WHFoods, Nutrition and You
