Hate them or love them, beets are being hailed as one of the newest popular superfoods. Gone are the days of the humble roasted beetroot, nowadays people are putting them in anything from salads and smoothies to desserts! But why the sudden attraction to beets? As it turns out, people not only love them for their versatility, but they are discovering the health benefits that beets have to offer.
Health Benefits of Beets
One of the most notable thing about beets is their bright, vibrant color. Beets come in a variety of colors, but people most associate beets with a deep red color. This bright red color is due to pigments called betalains which come in two basic types, betacyanins and betaxanthins. The betacyanins are red-violet pigments and these are the ones found in red beets. Many betalains function as both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules [1].
There are many health benefits associated with consuming fruit and vegetables ranging from helping with diabetes and obesity, to heart disease and weight loss. Here’s how including beets can have a positive impact on your overall health.
Dementia
Researchers from Wake Forest University discovered just how beneficial beets are for your brain. They discovered that drinking beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults. As we age, parts of our brain don’t get as much blood as they should, which some believe to be associated to dementia and poor cognition [2].
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Beets contain a high level of nitrates, and when we eat high-nitrate foomusclds, the good bacteria in our mouth turn it into nitrite. Research shows that nitrites can help open up blood vessels in our body, increasing blood flow and oxygen specifically to places that are lacking oxygen [2].