Thanks to its pretty bright red color, the beet is recognizable among thousands. If its earthy taste is not always unanimous, beetroot is increasingly used in cooking by gourmets. Excellent news when we know that its content of essential nutrients is a real asset for our daily health.
Characteristic of beet
Excellent source of antioxidants;
Rare content of betalains;
Promotes eye health;
Contributes to the health of the cardiovascular system;
Rich in essential micronutrients.
Nutritional and caloric values of beetroot
For 100 g of raw beetroot:
Calories 42,8
Protein 1.44 g
Carbohydrates 7.13 g
Lipids 0,6 %
Dietary fiber 2.5 g
Glycemic load: Low
Antioxidant power: High
Focus on the micronutrients contained in beet
For a long time, beetroot has been accused of being too rich
in sugars to be part of healthy foods. However, in addition to quite
reasonable carbohydrate content, it benefits from a complete and interesting
nutrition profile. Among the micronutrients contained in the flesh of the beet,
we can mention the following:
- Vitamin A: Boiled beet leaf is an excellent source of vitamin A. Raw beet leaf is a good source of vitamin A for women and a source for men;
- Vitamin K: Beet leaf is an excellent source of vitamin K;
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): boiled beet leaf is a good source of vitamin B2, while raw beet leaf is a source;
- Vitamin B9 (folate): beetroot is a good source of vitamin B9;
- Copper: boiled beet leaf is a good source of copper, while beet and its raw leaf are sources;
- Iron: Boiled beet leaf is a good source of iron for men and a source for women. Raw beet leaf is a source of iron. Beetroot is a source of iron for humans only;
- Magnesium: Boiled beet leaf is a good source of magnesium for women and a source for men. Boiled beet and raw beet leaf are sources of magnesium. Raw beetroot is a source of magnesium for women only;
- Manganese: Boiled beet leaf is a good source of manganese. Boiled beet is a good source of manganese for women and a source for men. Raw beet and its raw leaf are sources;
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): boiled beet leaf is a source of vitamin B1;
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): boiled beet leaf is a source of vitamin B5;
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): boiled beet leaf is a source of vitamin B6;
- Vitamin C: beet leaf is a source of vitamin C;
- Vitamin E: beet leaf is a source of vitamin E;
- Calcium: boiled beet leaf is a source of calcium;
- Potassium: Boiled beets and beet leaves are sources of potassium.
The benefits of beetroot
Thanks to its high content of vitamins and minerals,
beetroot is a real ally for our health. Like all fruits and vegetables, and
when consumed as part of a varied and balanced diet, it has a preventive effect
on many chronic pathologies.
Reduced risk of cancer
One study showed that the consumption of betanin, one of the
pigments that give beetroot its characteristic color, decreased the occurrence
of skin, liver, and lung cancers in animals. What's more, research indicates
that carotenoids in beet leaves may help prevent certain cancers, including
breast cancer and lung cancer.
Antioxidant power
Beetroot is one of the vegetables with the best antioxidant
power. Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body's cells from free
radical damage. The latter are highly reactive molecules that would be involved
in the onset of cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, and other chronic
diseases.
Eye Health
According to several studies, regular intake of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids contained in beet leaves, is associated with a lower risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and retinitis pigmentosa. However, larger studies are needed to confirm these effects.
In addition, beet leaves (raw or cooked) contain lutein and
zeaxanthin, 2 antioxidant compounds from the carotenoid family. These compounds
would have beneficial effects on certain cancers and eye health. Indeed, they
are particularly concentrated in the macula and retina, thus protecting the eye
from oxidative stress that could cause damage.
Sports performance
Some studies have shown that beet juice, rich in nitrates,
would have beneficial effects on sports performance by decreasing the cost of
oxygen during continuous efforts. The consumption of a dose of beetroot juice
would also have beneficial effects on cardiovascular performance at altitude.
Other studies have shown no effect, but it seems that some subjects respond
more strongly to beet juice supplementation than others.
One of the few sources of betalains
Beetroot is one of the few plants that contain betalains, a
family of pigments contributing to its pronounced color. These compounds have
been shown to be powerful antioxidants in vitro. In humans, a certain
proportion of betalains would end up in the bloodstream following the
consumption of beet juice. Betalains would remain stable in the
gastrointestinal tract without significant loss of their antioxidant properties
and their bioavailability would be high. Betalains also have anti-inflammatory,
antitumor, and liver-protective properties.
Phenolics
Beetroot contains phenolic compounds, including flavonoids.
These compounds provide beets with an antioxidant power that would remain
constant, even after the beet is cooked. The peel of the beet would contain at
least 3 times more phenolic compounds than the flesh. Its leaves are also very
rich. One study demonstrated that the phenolic content of fresh beet leaf juice
is the highest among several plants, surpassing the content of spinach and
broccoli juice.
A word from the nutritionist
A few hours after eating beets, it may happen that urine or
stool takes on a reddish hue. This phenomenon would occur when the pigments of
the beet (betalains) are absorbed by the intestine instead of being degraded.
Several factors can influence this coloration, such as the acidity of the
stomach, the speed of digestion, the variety of beet consumed, etc. This
feature does not represent a health hazard.
How to choose the right beet?
Beetroot comes in several varieties: red, yellow, and white.
Red beetroot, the best known, has such a pronounced color that it is made into
dyes in industry. White beet is used in particular for the manufacture of
sugar; It is also called "sugar beet".
Beet ID card
- Family: Chenopodiaceae;
- Origin: Mediterranean;
- Season: October to March;
- Color: red;
- Flavor: earthy and sweet.
Keep the beet well
- cellar: from 1 to 3 months at temperatures close to freezing and at 95% humidity;
- · Refrigerator: 1 to 2 weeks in a perforated plastic bag;
- · Freezer: cook, cut into slices or cubes, and put them in a bag to freeze;
- · Dehydrator: During the Second World War, it was discovered that beets were, of all vegetables, the ones that dried best. Cut it into thin slices and put it in a dehydrator or oven set to the minimum temperature, leaving the door slightly open.
How to prepare beet?
Beetroot embellishes any dish. Its leaves, which can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach, are particularly rich in vitamins and minerals.
Regardless of the cooking method used, it is recommended to
cook the beetroot with its skin to minimize the loss of nutrients. It peels
much more easily when cooked.
Enjoy raw beetroot
Peel the beets and grate them. Add them to a lettuce cloth
or eat them as is with a homemade dressing. Or, cut them into thin slices and
season them in the same way.
Some easy recipe ideas with beetroot
- Grated and quickly steamed. Top them with butter with tarragon, mint, or dill;
- The leaves of the beetroot, raw or cooked, are eaten like those of spinach or Swiss chard;
- Cook young beets and their leaves separately and serve them together with aioli (sauce made from crushed garlic, egg yolk, and olive oil);
- Baked. Put whole beets of similar size in a bowl. Pour a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well with hands so that they are well coated with oil. In an oven set at 250°C (475°F), bake for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on their size. After letting them cool for a few minutes, peel them by simply sliding the skin with your hands and serve with the sauce of your choice;
- In chips. Peel the beets and cut them into thin slices. Fry them in oil as one would for potatoes. Drain, salt, and serve.
Travel with beetroot
- I
- · In India, beets are simmered with various spices, including turmeric and black mustard seeds;
- · The Germans prepare them by cooking them with sauerkraut and diced bacon;
- · In Lebanon, they are steamed and topped with yogurt, mint, and garlic sauce;
- · In Russia, they are prepared in salads with potatoes, carrots, pickled cucumbers, and raw onion;
- · In France, an excellent salad is prepared with diced cooked beetroot, lamb's lettuce, and walnut kernels, all drizzled with a walnut oil vinaigrette. If desired, use red, yellow, and white roots, but be careful to cook the reds separately;
- · Amish add whole hard-boiled eggs to pickled beets and peel them for a few hours (even a few days) before serving. The eggs then take on a beautiful red color that contrasts pleasantly with their yolk when cut from the plate.
Borsch, an Eastern European specialty to discover
- · Classic Borsch: This traditional soup from Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, etc.) is prepared in many ways, depending on the country or region. For the basic recipe, cook tomatoes and potatoes in beef broth. In another saucepan, sauté sliced or grated onions, carrots, and green peppers. Add minced white cabbage and cook for about ten minutes. Mix the contents of the 2 pots and add cooked and diced beets and lemon juice. Cook for about ten minutes. Add parsley, garlic, and dill and serve with a little cream and, if desired, the meat that was used to prepare the broth;
- · Cold borsch: Marinate overnight, cooked beets in the refrigerator with diced cucumber, minced onion, sour cream, and crème fraiche, as well as a little sugar and balsamic vinegar. Before serving, pass everything to the blender;
- · Variations: You can also create a more substantial dish by mixing cold borsch with mashed potatoes. Season with ground nutmeg and ginger.
Did you know? Long before it was prepared with beetroot,
borsch was made with a wild herb, hogweed, from which it takes its name. In the
past, beets were first Lacto-fermented, which gave the soup its tangy flavor.
Today, we no longer go to this trouble. We prefer to add vinegar or lemon
juice. But some claim that the final product is of significantly inferior
quality.
Here are some recipe suggestions:
- Verrine red beet and avocado·
- Beet salad
- · Beet soup
Contraindications and allergies
Although excellent for health, beetroot may not be suitable
for everyone. For good reason, the vitamin K it contains in quantity can
interfere with certain drug treatments, especially anticoagulant
treatments.
Vitamin K and anticoagulants
History and anecdotes
The term "beetroot" appeared in the French
language in the seventeenth century. This word derives from "chard",
a plant from which the beet is directly derived, and "rave", which
refers to any vegetable plant that is grown for its root. In Switzerland and
Savoie, red beet is also called "red carrot". All of our modern
beets, including sugar beets, descend from a common ancestor (Beta vulgarise var. Maritima), originally grown for its leaves. This is also the case of Swiss
chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla), which belongs to the same species. The plant
comes from the shores of the Mediterranean, where it still grows wild and from
where it would have spread eastward in very ancient times.
Sugar beet
While Swiss chard was eaten by our prehistoric ancestors,
beetroot did not appear on the table until the turn of our era. At least, as
food, because the ancients used the root for medicinal purposes. It was not
until the mid-nineteenth century that its use became popular and market
gardeners found seeds of improved varieties on the market. Varieties with red,
white, and yellow roots were selected, the latter having long been prized in
Europe for its sweet flavor and because it is particularly suitable for
marinades. As for the leaves, they have long been prepared in the manner of
spinach. In addition, there are varieties with very large roots (fodder beets)
that have always been used as livestock feed. This explains why, even today,
the wealthier classes of Europe show a certain contempt for this extremely
nutritious vegetable, on the pretext that it is only good for the livestock.
Beetroot crossed the Atlantic in the early days of
colonization, perhaps during Jacques Cartier's 3rd voyage. It is said that
during this journey he brought "all kinds of grain and seeds." In
August 1749 botanist Pier Kalm listed in his diary the vegetables he had seen
in a vegetable garden in Quebec City, including red beets "in fairly large
quantities." However, few varieties were then available, as evidenced by a
catalog dating from 1818 which offers only one. On the other hand, in 1878,
10 were offered, and in 1932, a dozen varieties. Today, even though a handful of
hybrids dominate the market, older varieties like toad, Egyptian, yellow, white, and Chioggia are experiencing a resurgence in popularity among home gardeners
and a few daring market gardeners.
Organic gardening
Beet seed is actually a very hard fruit containing a few
seeds. If you have trouble germinating them, you can crush the fruit with a
rolling pin to break their husk.
Beet is not afraid of the cold, so it can be sown very early
in spring, as soon as the land can be worked. Sow in loose, deep, organic
matter soil. In southern Quebec, depending on the year, it is sometimes
possible to sow as early as mid-April, provided that the seedlings are
protected with an agro textile. The latter makes it possible to keep a little
heat in their immediate environment and to limit the problems of damping off
seedlings.
The majority of gardeners are unaware that you can also
start some seedlings in the greenhouse or indoors by giving them light and
moisture. It is enough to transplant them to the garden when the weather
permits. At the time of transplantation, however, care must be taken to place
the root vertically to prevent it from deforming.
For flower bed cultivation, space the seedlings 10 cm to 15
cm in all directions. Row culture requires the same row spacing and rows should
be spaced 30 cm to 45 cm apart.
By planting successively every 2 or 3 weeks, tender young
beets and fresh leaves will be available throughout the season. The last sowing
should be done no later than the end of July.
Irrigate regularly to obtain roots that are tender and not
prone to disease. Beets require little nitrogen for growth and relatively
little phosphate. On the other hand, care must be taken to ensure that the soil
is well provided with potassium. In addition, it is particularly sensitive to
boron deficiency. It will therefore be necessary to provide it if necessary.
The leafminer can cause damage during the hot summer weeks.
Protect with an Agro textile or a tight mesh curtain.
The plant will be able to tolerate some frosts in the fall,
but it will have to be harvested before the very cold. The season can be
extended a little by mulching the plants in October.
Ecology and environment
Wild beet (B. Maritima) populations have very high genetic
variability in insect, disease, and drought resistance (about 10 times more than
crop varieties). An international team of researchers has therefore been set up
to preserve this diversity in order to transmit, by crossing and selection,
these characteristics to cultivated beets29. The aim is to limit the use of
pesticides and chemical fungicides and to promote the cultivation of beet on
land with little or no irrigation. Other Beta species are also being studied
for similar characteristics.