French: Betterave; Spanish: Remolacha
Description: The tuberous root of the red beet ('Beta vulgaris' L. ssp. 'vulgaris' var. 'conditiva' Alef.), a herbaceous plant of the botanical family Chenopodiaceae.
THE BLOOD-RED color of beets gives a cheerful note to salads and potato dishes. Could it be that red beets truly contain blood?
Those who have passed blood-red urine or feces a few hours after eating beets might think so. What a fright! But it is not blood, but rather a pigment specific to this plant called betacyanin.
According to a study carried out at the University of Sheffield (UK), red urine or feces after eating beets occurs in 10% to 14% of the population, and it is more frequent in individuals with iron deficiency or difficulty with intestinal absorption of iron. So if one is surprised by red elimination, he or she should be grateful that this plant has warned of a possible lack of iron or digestive problems.
However, one should not worry excessively: Beets not only warn of the problem, but aid in its solution, thanks to their anti-anemic and regulating effects on the digestive system.
PROPERTIES AND INDICATIONS:
Carbohydrates (sugars) such as saccharose and fructose are prominent in beets' composition. These can reach 10% of their weight. This makes the red beet one of the most sugar-rich vegetables, surpassed only by other varieties of beets. These are beets' most notable characteristics:
-Anti-anemic: The anti-anemic action of red beets is well known, and has been described by Doctor Schneider among others. Their iron content (1.80 mg/100 g) and vitamin C (30 mg/100 g) which facilitaties the absortion of that mineral are quite modest and alone do not explain red beets' anti-anemic effect. It is probably some unidentified component that stimulates hematopoiesis (production of blood cells in the bone marrow).
Drinking 50 to 100 ml of raw, freshly prepared beet JUICE before meals twice a day provides the greatest anti-anemic effect. This is particularly indicated when the patient does not respond well to iron treatment, which is the case in anemia caused by low blood production in the bone marrow (hypoplastic anemia).
-Alkalizer: Beet's high levels of mineral salts, particularly potassium, calcium, and magnesium, explain their alkalizing effect on the blood. They are highly recommended in case of gout, increase in uric acid levels in the blood, and a high-fat low vegetable diet.
-Hypolipidemic: The beet root contains considerable vegetable FIBER, which has the property of facilitating intestinal action and, above all, decreasing blood cholesterol level by reducing the amount absorbed in the intestine. It is highly recommended, then, that red beets frequently be included in the diet of individuals wishing to reduce cholesterol levels.
-Mild laxative due to its fiber content.
-Aperitif: Beets increase gastric juice production and tone the stomach.
-Anticarcinogen: Doctor Schneider refers to various experiences that took place in Hungary and Germany in which cancerous tumors were reduced or eliminated by administering a daily dose of 250 g of shredded beets or 300-500 ml of juice. These effects were produced even when the juice was boiled and concentrated to make it more tolerable to the stomach, which suggests that whatever the anticarcinogenic substance is, it is heat resistant.
PREPARATION AND USE
(1)Fresh juice: The flavor of beet juice is unpleasant and may be mixed with other juices or sweetened with honey to make it more palatable. No more than 50 to 100 ml should be drunk at a time to avoid indigestion.
(2)Grated raw: Beets prepared in this way may be dressed with lemon and oil.
(3)Boiled: Cooked beets are more digestible. They should be boiled for at least an hour. They are easier to peel if dipped in cold water while they are still hot.
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