Make the most of beetroot now while it is in season and reap the rewards of eating this highly nutritious delicious super food.

BEETROOT BENEFITS

Beetroot contains a whole heap of vitamins and minerals, plus it has extra phytonutrients that are great for building fitness and for specific health conditions.

WHAT’S IN A BEETROOT
Manganese	Potassium
Folate	Copper
Betaine	Iron

Beetroot has highly significant health benefits. Here are some of the main advantages of eating this superfood on a regular basis:

HEALTHY HEART PROMOTER

Beetroot naturally contains high levels of nitrate. Nitrate is converted into nitric oxide in the body, which acts to relax muscle in blood vessel walls, thus acting as a vasodilator and decreasing blood pressure.

The best way to make the most of this plant’s nitrate content is to make beetroot juice.

This versatile plant also contains a substance called betaine, which lowers homocysteine levels. Build up of homocysteine in the body is a significant risk factor in heart disease, strokes and Alzheimer’s disease .

SPORTS PERFORMANCE

Because of nitrate’s mechanism of action as a vasodilator, extra oxygen and nutrients can be delivered through the bloodstream to muscle.

These extra oxygen and nutrients are great for improving sports performance, particularly endurance  aerobic-type activities, such as running, swimming and cycling.

Research also shows that betaine can improve performance  in anaerobic high-intensity activities, such as sprinting.

BEETROOT DETOX

Betalains, which give beetroot its beautiful purple, red colour, do a great job of promoting the liver’s detoxification’s processes.

One of the liver’s main functions is to deactivate toxins and excess hormones and prepare them for elimination from the body. Beetroot helps to enhance the enzyme activity involved in this detoxification function.

BEETROOT LIVER CLEANSE

Beetroot’s high antioxidant content has a protective effect on liver cells.

In particular, betaine helps to prevent fat accumulation  in the liver and is a very useful functional food for those suffering from fatty liver disease.

Beetroot acts as a very effective cholagogue, which means that it stimulates the flow of bile from the gall bladder. This helps you digest fats properly and prevents painful gall stones from forming.

PREVENTION OF CANCER

Like many phytochemicals, both betaine and betalains have been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells . Research has been done to show that they can suppress the growth of tumours and protect against sex-hormone related cancers, such as prostate and breast cancers.

INCREASE METHYLATION

Betaine plays a crucial role in methylation. Methylation is an important biochemical process that influences hormone production, neurotransmitter balance, heart health, gene expression and many other functions in the body.

6 WAYS TO USE BEETROOT

Beetroot is a versatile vegetable that can be eaten both raw and cooked.

1. Grate raw into a smoothie

2. Added grated beetroot to a coleslaw or salad

3. Wrap in foil and throw on the barbie

4. Add cooked, pureed beetroot to chocolate cake mix to give a red velvet look

5. Try cooking it and blending with cream cheese and chives to make a healthy beautifully coloured pink beetroot dip

6. Make your own pickled beetroot or add to homemade sauerkraut

BEETROOT HUMMUS

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 small beetroots or one large
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/4 lemon
4 tsp tahini
1 small clove garlic
200 g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

METHOD

1. Boil beetroot for around 30 minutes, until tender.
2. Drain and leave to cool.
3. Blend beetroot with other ingredients.
4. Chill in the fridge before serving.