You are here: > Blog > Boost Your Nutrition with Beetroot

Boost Your Nutrition with Beetroot

Posted by Lynda on September 28th, 2012 (Diet, Good Foods, Health, Nutrition)

Beetroot in the diet will lower high blood pressure, protect against heart attacks, improve cognitive function and boost overall health with its powerful antioxidants.

Beetroot should be an essential part of everyone’s diet whatever your age, and here’s why.

Beat High Blood Pressure with Beets
A study published in 2010 in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension found that 250 mls of beetroot juice significantly lowered blood pressure in patients because of the nitrate content naturally found in beets.  Nitrates are essential for heart health because they increase levels of the gas nitric oxide in the blood which lowers high blood pressure.  Interestingly, the study found that a glass of beetroot juice had exactly the same effect as the other group taking nitrate tablets.  You can read about this fantastic piece of research for yourself at Science Daily.

Protect Artery Walls
The beautiful rich red colour of beets is caused by the antioxidant Betacyanin which has been shown to have a protective effect on the artery walls.  The heart health benefits of beetroot cannot be underestimated.

Improve Cognitive Function
Another study in the same year found that the nitrate content of beetroot improved the cognitive function of older adults and could be effective in preventing dementia.  You can read more about this study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20951824

Low GI – Good for Type 2 Diabetes
Beetroot has a low GI which means its sugars are released slowly into the blood stream, keeping blood sugar levels stable.  This means it is a good food for anyone with type 2 diabetes or pre-onset diabetes.

Beets for Pregnancy
Beetroot contains high levels of folic acid which is essential during pregnancy, particularly during the first three months when the baby’s spine is forming.   Folic acid is a water soluble vitamin which means you need to obtain it every day from a healthy diet packed with fresh veg and fruit.

As with any vegetable, some of the nutrients in beetroot are destroyed during the cooking process, so wherever possible try and eat beets raw.  They are delicious grated into salads or try juicing them with carrots and pineapple.

« Teaching Children About Good Nutrition & Diet

The Benefits of Exercise »