Just Beet It! 18 of Our Favorite Root Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to eat beets everyday? ›

Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.

Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water. Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.

Juice a small beet and add to fresh apple or orange juice. Serve roasted beets with a mint yogurt sauce. Microwave beets in a bowl with a little water for 10 minutes.

Cooking Beets

You can use cooked beets in salads, to make hummus or to blend into smoothies. They can be diced for slaw, quartered for a grain bowl or mashed to make a dip or spread. Their thick and chewy texture is even great in a galette or quesadilla.

Beetroot offers many health benefits because of the large number of phytochemical and nutritional components present in them. Beetroot can help prevent many heart diseases as well as cancer. It can also reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Beetroot is good for brain functioning.

Anyone who has low blood pressure or is currently taking blood pressure medication should speak with a healthcare professional before adding beets or beetroot juice to their diet. Beets contain high levels of oxalates, which can cause kidney stones in people with a high risk of this condition.

People may have red or black colored stools and pink or red urine when eating more beets or beet products. These are usual side effects and are not harmful. While side effects are typically mild, the proposed benefits of beetroot powder are not guaranteed.

In addition to liver protection, beetroot also has a protective effect on the kidney.

Moreover, beets are low in calories with zero cholesterol and a small amount of fat. However, the root is high in sugar and carbohydrates, so while you can consume the greens on top of the root in unlimited quantities, you should only have the root a few times a week. Beets are best from early spring to late fall.

Beetroot juice: Beetroot juice is a great way to detox your liver and improve its function. They are high in antioxidants and help to cleanse the blood. They also promote healthy liver function by helping to break down toxins. Try adding some beet juice to your diet for better liver health.

Do beets clean the gut? ›

How Beets Cleanse Your Colon. Beets are rich in antioxidants and high in fiber that can help pull toxins into the colon where they can be evacuated. Because fiber isn't digested by your body like other food components, such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates, it feeds friendly gut bacteria.

Beets are naturally sweet and earthy, making them a versatile vegetable to incorporate into your meals. By adding vinegar to the boiling process, you can elevate the flavors of beets and give them a delightful tangy kick.

Beetroot contains oxalic acid, which, in combination with calcium, can lead to the formation of kidney stones. This also weakens the kidneys in the long run. Oxalic acid is also found in other plants and occurs in combination with magnesium, sodium and potassium.

To get the most health benefits from beets, you should actually eat them raw or juice them, since cooking them depletes their phytonutrient value. Watch naturopathic specialist Pina LoGiudice, ND, explain why it's best to drink beets in juice form. Video Player is loading. This is a modal window.

Risks of Beets

While it may seem like a good idea to have beets daily because of their benefits, you may need to exercise caution when eating them. Eating beets or drinking beet juice may lead to kidney stones, a potential food allergy, or stool or urine color changes.

The oxalates found in beets can increase your uric acid level, meaning that too many beets can lead to gout. To avoid this, stick to no more than a single half-cup serving of beets per day.

Beet is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. Beet can make urine or stools appear pink or red. But this is not harmful. There is concern that beets might cause low calcium levels and kidney damage.

Moreover, beets are low in calories with zero cholesterol and a small amount of fat. However, the root is high in sugar and carbohydrates, so while you can consume the greens on top of the root in unlimited quantities, you should only have the root a few times a week. Beets are best from early spring to late fall.