Just Beet It!

What’s in a beet? Not a music note guys, the vegetable. It’s all the rage, this red root, but what makes it so trendy? It’s better than kale, I promise.

Beets, or beetroot to the farmer (that may or may not be true), is the root portion of the beet plant. Most commonly known in America as the beet, it’s also called such names as table beet, garden beet, red beet and even gold beet. But yeah, a beet by any name eats the same? :)

It is one of the cultivated varieties of beta vulgaris (LOL) which are grown for their edible taproots and their leaves, which are called beet greens. One of the more common varieties of this vulgaris (super sounds like a game of thrones thing) is the sugar beet.

Beets are more than just a food, folks! They are used in dyes, food coloring and even as a medicinal plant, helping with things from digestion to the blood. Back in the Got days, wine was even dyed using beets. So next month, when you are watching the last season of game of thrones ever, which you should totally be watching, be sure to think of beets when they are chugging their wine.

So what’s the beet deal? LOL They're full of essential nutrients like B vitamins, iron, manganese, copper, magnesium, and potassium. They are also a goldmine of health-boosting nutrients that are hard to find in other foods!

Beets are high in nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide (a compound that relaxes and dilates blood vessels). Basically, this helps with your body’s circulatory system and helps regulate your blood pressure. These nitrates also give you more stamina. Humina humina.

They contain betaine, or folate from the B Vitamin category, and this lowers the levels of homocysteine in your blood. At high levels, homocysteine’s put you at risk of heart disease and artery damage. This betaine also helps your liver out by reducing the amount of fat that winds up there! Your liver will function at a higher rate and more efficiently by tossing in a serving of beets each day guys.

The nitric oxide in beets relaxes and dilates the blood vessels, so the flow to your noggin is increased, therefor increasing your brain function! Is this the same as inhaling balloons so your voice sounds funny? Two birds? No? okay, anyway…

They are rich in fiber, so they also keep you pooping regularly. That’s always good. Don’t want to get clogged up!

Beets tend to give 10-15% of people who consume them a pretty little thing called beeturia. No, I didn’t make that word up. It’s when your pee gets all nice and pink or red. LOL

At the root of it all *punny* it is a ton of nutrients with very few calories! Check this out. Here is an overview of the nutrients found in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked beetroot (1):

· Calories: 44

· Protein: 1.7 grams

· Fat: 0.2 grams

· Fiber: 2 grams

· Vitamin C: 6% of the RDI

· Folate: 20% of the RDI

· Vitamin B6: 3% of the RDI

· Magnesium: 6% of the RDI

· Potassium: 9% of the RDI

· Phosphorous: 4% of the RDI

· Manganese: 16% of the RDI

· Iron: 4% of the RDI

So eat them, even if you don’t want to. Toss them into stews or smoothies and you won’t even notice that you are packing your body full of goodness. Personally, I like them, but I know many people who do not. They are gritty and have that root, dirt-like taste to them, so each at your own disposal.