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Not everyone likes beetroot, but this vegetable is very healthy and unique, and we should definitely include it in our diet. It contains many beneficial substances that your body needs to function properly.
Beetroot
The nutritional values of beetroot are more or less the same whether you eat it raw or cooked (except for some vitamins such as vitamin C).
Hippocrates even often used this vegetable to treat illnesses.
For many years, beetroot has been used to treat blood disorders such as anemia or iron deficiency, because beetroot contains a very large amount of it.
It is the second-highest vegetable in iron content after garlic. Considering the quantities in which garlic and beetroot are consumed, we can comfortably rank it first.
In addition, beetroot also contains a large amount of iodine. Among common vegetables, only kale has more. It is also known to stimulate the metabolism and provide the body with necessary nutrients, mainly antioxidants.
Why include beetroot in your diet?
- Beetroot fights oxidative stress and damage caused by free radicals. This is mainly due to compounds such as betalains and polyphenols.
- It strengthens the walls of blood vessels and capillaries, thanks to its high content of B-group vitamins.
- Beetroot is rich in folic acid and potassium – which protect the heart; moreover magnesium that strengthens bones, phosphorus and iron – which increase energy production; and finally iodine, which ensures the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones.
- Vitamin B12 and folic acid support the formation of red blood cells.
- Folic acid also regenerates and rejuvenates the body by stimulating the production of new cells.
- Betacyanins in beetroot have a strong anti-cancer effect by suppressing the proliferation of cancer cells.
- High fiber content supports good digestion and nutrient absorption.
- Beetroot accelerates metabolism. This is especially helpful for people trying to lose weight, but also for athletes who need a lot of available energy.
- The absorption of vitamin D from food is much more efficient in the presence of compounds from beetroot.
- Beetroot has been shown to be an effective food for preventing dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
- Beetroot contains more pectin than an apple or a carrot. Pectin is responsible in the body for binding and removing heavy metals and radioactive substances.
- Pectin also prevents the development of other diseases, prevents the spread of harmful bacteria in the intestines, and also has strong anti-cancer effects, especially in leukemia.
Conclusion
As you can see, the healing properties of beetroot are truly versatile.
So, have we convinced you of the benefits of consuming beetroot? If not yet, we’ll list a few more of its properties.
For example, it lowers blood cholesterol levels, reduces high blood pressure, cleanses and regenerates the liver, improves brain function, has anti-sclerotic effects and makes fat metabolism more efficient.
