The Beet Benefit
Did you know…
In British Columbia, a wide variety of different beets are grown and available year-round with varietals such as the Ruby Red, King Red, Detroit Red Ace and Golden appearing in many produce sections.
Beets (part of the root vegetable family) are at their best when grown to a nice, medium size, fully shaped and clean. The outer skin of beets should be smooth and hard, with a suede-like feel.
A mere 1/2 a cup of beets contains only 37 calories, is a source of folate, vitamin A, B & C, as well as potassium and dietary fibre.
Don’t forget the greens!
The leafy tops of beets are comparable to spinach in terms of iron content and are loaded with the same goodness as beet root as well as calcium and beta carotene.
The sweet flavor of a beet is due to its high sugar content. Despite this, they are low in calories, offer plenty nutritional benefits and are very protective against fighting cancer, heart disease, blood pressure and birth defects. Beet juice is often a popular choice by people wishing to cleanse their system as it acts as a good detoxification agent.
Easy ways to incorporate beets into your diet:
Bought fresh (preferably) or even canned, incorporate beets into your meals by adding them to salads, grilling them drizzled in olive oil and seasonings, in soups, or even as an additional topping for hamburgers (as is the custom in Australia!)
Nutritional Information (1/2 cup diced) = 1 vegetable serving
Nutritional Facts
|
| Calories | 37 |
| Total fat (g) | 0.15 |
| Dietary fiber (g) | 1.7 |
| Protein (g) | 1.5 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 8.5 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 |
| Sodium (mg) | 65 |
| Folate (mcg) | 66 |
| Manganese (mg) | 0.3 |
| Potassium (mg) | 260 |