Benefits Of Beets
The Benefits Of Beets And Their Greens
There are many reasons to enjoy the benefits of beets, and the pure nutritional value within them is the most pressing and prominent one. The benefits of beets in your diet will include such nutrients as iron, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and iodine, amongst countless others. The next most important benefit of beets is the taste, both the root and the leaves carrying their very own traits for flavor and texture. It is important to note, however, that the greens are much more nutritious than the roots are, and that the iron content in beet greens exceeds that found in spinach or kale. What’s more is that the perfect amount of soluble copper accompanies this potent iron, causing the body to more readily absorb and hold onto it.
In order to enjoy the full benefits of beets that you purchase or harvest fresh, you will want to remove the greens from the root before storing them in the fridge. This will ensure that the leaves do not continue to absorb nutrients from the root. Also, you will not want to wash or rinse the beets before storing them, but merely wipe the excess dirt off of them until you are prepared to use them. The greens should be consumed within hours of cutting them from the roots, so a good rule of thumb is to eat the beet greens with your meal that evening and save the roots for the next day, or even the next week.
The benefits of beets extend into, and actually are more presents in the greens. They have chlorophyll, which is an element that we need for absorbing certain nutrients into the blood and organs. The greens are also much higher in iron than the roots are, and actually higher in iron than the more kale, collard, and spinach greens. When soaking up the benefits of beets in our diets, we are also gaining a good amount of potassium, which supports the circulatory system and the healthy clotting of blood, magnesium, protein, fiber, zinc, and vitamin C.
There are always the culinary benefits of beets, as long as we understand that they have the tendency to stain our other foods when mixed in or placed to close to our other foods. Add your roasted, cubed to salads and vegetables at the very last moment before serving, or allow your dinner party to help themselves. If you decide to serve your beet roots as a separate side dish, you might try infusing them with a touch of ginger, a bit of orange juice, and some grated orange zest. This presentation will be healthful, flavorful, and will give all of the benefits of beets in one easy step.