Beetroot Saga

About

Beetroot is a deep red wonder food. This sweet, earthy and tender vegetable, also simply known as beet is gaining in popularity as a new super food. Beetroot, an excellent source of natural source of iron and folate is known for its goodness and strength it provides to the body. Being naturally organic, beetroot is one of the most environmentally friendly crops, rarely needing treatment with pesticides.

Beet contains the antioxidant betacyanin and is a natural source of nitrate which calls for its consumption more often.

Below mentioned are its health benefits on various functions and organs of the human body.

Liver:

It is a boon for people with liver ailments. It helps clear and detoxify the body. People overcoming alcoholism or suffering cirrhosis, jaundice, fatty liver greatly benefit from this beetroot consumption.

Heart:

It helps in reducing the levels of homocysteine in the body. Homocysteine is an independent risk factor for heart disease. It is postulated that high homocysteine levels in the blood are a greater risk factor for heart problems than cholesterol.

Advertisement

Cancer:

Beet contains the antioxidant betacyanin which contributes to the vegetable’s red colour and may help protect against cancer. The high antioxidant content also builds the body’s immunity to fight against free radicals and protect the body from infections and disease.

Skin:

Beetroot due to its high antioxidant levels renders one with a glowing and clear skin.

Blood pressure:

Multiple researches show that drinking a glass of beetroot juice daily could help beat high blood as it widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and allowing more blood flow.

Physical activity and Exercise:

Beetroot juice is a natural source of nitrate, which is thought to be the active ingredient in affecting athlete''s performance. The nitrate has two physiological effects. Firstly, it widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and allowing more blood flow. Secondly, it affects muscle tissue, reducing the amount of oxygen needed by muscles during activity. The combined effects of increase in blood flow along with reduction in oxygen requirement have a significant impact on tasks with requiring either low or high intensity efforts. Indeed, the new research into the health benefits of beetroot juice suggests that it is not only athletes who can benefit from its performance enhancing properties but its physiological effects could also help the elderly or people with heart or lung-conditions enjoy more active lives.

Advertisement

Sports performance

Researchers at the University of Exeter, United States have found that beetroot juice enables people to exercise for up to 16 percent longer.

Research by the University of Exeter, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, has shown that drinking the juice enables competitive-level cyclists to cut down the time it takes to ride a given distance. Results of the study also prove that the cyclists on consuming ordinary beetroot juice have a higher power output (measured in watts) for the same level of effort, suggesting their muscles and cardio-vascular system being more efficient.