Beetroot, Beta vulgaris var. rubra

Here is a vegetable that shows that not all is measured in ORACs and not all is known or measurable about the health properties of various foods. Foods measured by their phenol antioxidant index show another form of antioxidant capacity.

Beetroot contains anthocyanidins, pigments that give the sweet, earthy-tasting vegetable its deep indigo colour. Anthocyanidins have potent antioxidant properties and are known to inhibit oxidation of lipids in the body. Beetroot also provides antioxidant Vitamins A and C.

Beetroot ingestion can be a useful means to prevent development and progression of cancer. Extracts of beetroot also showed some antimicrobial activity on Staphylococcus aureus and on Escherichia coli. An antiviral effect has also been observed.

A Professor Andy Jones recently discovered that the high concentration of nitrate in beetroot was converted to nitric acid within the body. One effect is to dilate blood vessels. Uptake of oxygen during exercise is improved and so stamina increased. Blood pressure is lowered.

Beetroot contains the compounds, betaine and methionine, that support liver detoxification. Without this function, toxins can accumulate both in the liver and the body's fatty tissues, preventing weight loss and contributing to sluggishness, mood swings and more serious illnesses. The high volume of soluble fibre found in beetroot also feeds the good bacteria in our gut, helping to lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels.

Even the leaves are healthy. Useful as a means of combating anaemia, the leaves are high in iron. Steam or eat them raw in salads. High concentration of folate (a B vitamin) helps prevent high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, dementia and birth defects such as Spina Bifida in unborn babies while the presence of magnesium may ease muscle tension, stress and anxiety. Studies on mice have even shown that betacyanin (one of beetroot's key antioxidants and the element behind its deep red colour) may inhibit the formation of cancer-forming compounds called nitrosamines.

Low in fat, low in calories (about 40 per 100g), it's also relatively low on the glycaemic index (the effect its carbohydrates have on blood glucose levels) so helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

Antioxidant compounds of beta vulgaris has similar antioxidant effects as caused by anti-inflammatory cytokines, green and black tea, with extracts of Uncaria tomentosa and with potent antioxidant resveratrol (Winkler et al., 2005). Betalain pigments have specifically been shown to possess various antioxidant functions. Comparing 22 vegetable extracts revealed that beet after beans contains highest total phenol content per fresh weight and is among the 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables.

The increased production of oxidants and free radicals during inflammatory disorders has become widely recognised as integral component of cell and tissue injury. All inflammatory processes include oxygen-activating processes where ROS are produced. Thus, ingredients of beetroot, like phenols and ascorbic acid may detoxify ROS acting as chemical antioxidants and also reduce the formation of ROS (Winkler et al., 2005).

History

The beet has a long history of cultivation stretching back to the second millennium BC (i.e. 4000 years). The plant was probably domesticated somewhere along the Mediterranean, whence it was later spread to Babylonia by the 8th century BC and as far east as China by 850 AD. Early Greeks and Romans used the root for its medicinal properties and the leaves as vegetables. Since Roman, times beetroot juice has also been considered an aphrodisiac.  The scientific explanation for that belief is that the beet is rich in the mineral boron, which plays an important role in the production of human sex hormones.  The Greek doctor Hippocrates (460-377 BC), often called "the Father of Medicine," advocated the use of beet leaves as bindings for wounds. Beetroot held an important place in Renaissance (14th-16th century) medicine and was often used for illnesses relating to digestion and the blood.  In medieval England, beetroot juice or broth was recommended as an easily digested food for the aged, weak, or infirm.  Although the leaves have been eaten since before written history, the beet root was generally used medicinally and did not become a popular food until French chefs recognized their potential in the 1800's. Beetroot leaf tops contain beta carotene, calcium and iron These may be cooked in exactly the same way as spinach. In ancient civilisations only the leaves were eaten, the root being used purely medicinally - to treat ailments such as headaches and toothaches.

Applications

It can be eaten in a variety of ways either raw, steamed, boiled or baked. The part of the beet used medicinally is the root. Beetroot contains anti-tumor, emollient, nutritive, rejuvenative, stimulating, resistance-enhancing properties. Beetroot helps normalize the ph balance of the body and build the blood. It also increases the uptake of oxygen by as much as 400 percent. Beetroot has been used as a supportive therapy in diseases of the liver and fatty liver.  It supports and stimulates the liver, gallbladder, kidney, and spleen and increases the flow of bile. Beets have been used successfully in conditions of acne, anemia, cancer, diverticulitis, dysmenorrhea, hepatitis, jaundice, nausea, hypoglycemia, leukemia, poor circulation, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, and dysentery. Beetroot helps combat acidosis and aids the natural process of elimination and detoxification. The beet juice, being an excellent solvent for inorganic calcium deposits, is valuable in the treatment of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, heart trouble, and varicose veins.

To prepare a great booster after an illness, juice one medium beetroot, one to two apples and two to three medium carrots (no need to cook the beetroot first).

To increases its medicinal value, add a teaspoonful of lime juice to beetroot juice.  It can be used as a liquid food in case of jaundice, hepatitis, nausea and vomiting due to biliousness, diarrhea, dysentery, and other diseases. Fresh beet juice mixed with a tablespoonful of honey and taken every morning before breakfast helps the healing of gastric ulcer.

References

Winkler, C., Wirleitner, B., & Schroecksnadel, K. (2005). In vitro Effects of Beet Root Juice on Stimulated and Unstimulated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. 1 (4), 180-185.

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