Beetroot is a common vegetable. It is actually the root of a plant that has a sweet taste and is blood-red in color from the peel to the inner pulp. It is a favorite food of vegetarians. It has many benefits. It is an effective source of energy for athletes, protects against cancer and lowers high blood pressure levels.
The thing that is most beneficial in beetroot is the unusual amount of nitrates. You can imagine that each gram of beetroot contains almost the same amount of nitrates. Beetroot contains twenty times more nitrates than other vegetables. Recent research has shown that the nitrates in beetroot lower blood pressure.
A review was conducted in 2010 at Queen Mary University of London, which showed that if 250 ml of beetroot juice is drunk daily, blood pressure can remain low for several hours.
It was also observed that the higher the blood pressure, the more beetroot juice reduces it. Researchers have said that if the consumption of beetroot juice becomes common, it is very possible that deaths from cardiovascular diseases will be reduced by up to ten percent. The blood pressure-lowering property of nitrates is due to the fact that beneficial bacteria in the mouth and intestines convert nitrates into nitric oxide.
This gas relaxes the blood vessels and dilates them, allowing blood to circulate more freely in the body.
Studies conducted by the University of Exeter have shown that nitrates not only lower blood pressure but also increase physical energy and endurance. In one study, it was found that adults who drank 520 ml of beetroot juice exercised for 16 percent longer than other young people who were given another drink without nitrates.
Experts working on this review said that nitrates work together with other antioxidants in beets, due to which the muscles need less oxygen. They are able to work longer and tire later.
Increase mental capacity:
A 2011 review by Wake Forest University in North Carolina reported that consuming beetroot juice may delay the onset of dementia.
The reason for this is probably because nitric oxide increases blood flow to the brain. The amount of folic acid in beets is also noteworthy. 75 percent of the daily recommended intake of this nutrient can be obtained from two or three small beets. Folic acid also plays a role in protecting against Alzheimer’s disease.
Beets contain a coloring substance called betacyanin, which gives beets their red color.
It is a powerful antioxidant that has cancer-fighting properties. A study by Harvard University in Washington found that “betacyanin” slowed the growth of prostate and breast cancer cells by 12.5%. German doctors advise cancer patients to eat at least one kilogram of beetroot daily.
In addition, nutritionists also recommend using beetroot to treat digestive disorders.
They say that beets are very high in dietary fiber. If two or three small beets are eaten, about 100 grams, it can provide ten percent of the daily recommended amount and this activates the intestines and makes it easier to expel waste. Another thing found in beets is Betaine, which keeps the acidic substance in the stomach normal. Various antioxidants in beets such as Betalain, Vulgaxanthin and Betanin together produce another thing called Glutathione, which helps the liver in eliminating toxins.
According to nutritionists, if beets are eaten in large quantities or their juice is drunk, the color of the urine may turn pink, which is not a cause for concern.
