I just love this bright reddish-pink root! It’s beautiful. The humble beetroot certainly doesn’t get the fame and praise that it deserves. It is so AMAZING for our health and healing that it should be an MS diet staple. I have come to the conclusion that beetroot is as essential as supplements such as vitamin D and flaxseed oil and I eat it religiously – every day. It’s cheap, easily obtainable and delicious. I have been juicing it and adding the juice to my morning smoothie for a few months now and I really feel the boost it gives me. I like to say that I’m ‘supercharged’ after my beetroot smoothie because I certainly feel that way. I feel like I have been spring-boarded into my day with a go-go-go mentality!
In this post, I’d like to focus on some of the outstanding benefits of beetroot and explore some ways of using it.
In Praise of Beets
There are many phenomenal benefits of eating this vegetable. It contains some truly miracle working compounds that will definitely contribute to your healing. I’ve tried to summarise these far reaching benefits into five main categories.
1. Reduces Inflammation
Well now, this is probably the most important benefit for those with MS. We should be constantly trying too find ways to lower the inflammation levels in our body. Our symptoms are caused by inflammation and luckily there are certain foods – namely beetroot – that can really help to improve them. How does beetroot reduce inflammation? Beets are full of phytonutrients which should be dubbed ‘the little miracle workers’. In beets, the phytonutrients are specifically called betalaines. These are also the pigments that give beets their rich colours. Betalaines are nutrients that help protect cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress. They calm areas of inflammation and help them return to normal as quickly as possible.
2. Nitrates for Healthy Blood Pressure
Beets are a fantastic source of nitrates which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. Nitrates are naturally occurring salts in soil which are easily absorbed because beetroot is a root. Nitric oxide helps to relax and dilate your blood vessels – improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure. One study found that drinking one glass of beet juice lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 4-5 points. Ok, so why are we spending hundreds on blood pressure lowering meds when a juicer and a bunch of beetroot will do?
3. Provides Strength & Stamina
The nitrates in beetroot will also help you to exercise more effectively and for longer. An Exeter study has shown that people who drank beet juice, before starting a workout, were able to exercise for up to 16 percent longer. A second Exeter study in 2011 found that cyclists could shave seconds off their time by doing the same. Professor Andy Jones, from the sport and health sciences department at Exeter, explains that it is the nitric oxide, from nitrates in beets, which widens blood vessels, increases blood flow and reduces the oxygen needed by muscles thus enabling them to work more efficiently. It seems like a glass of fresh beetroot juice is a must before exercising if you want to feel at your best. I challenge you to give it a go!
4. Full of Antioxidants
Beets contain a unique mix of antioxidants that is unlike any other antioxidant rich vegetable. They contain a good amount of vitamin C, manganese and beta-carotene (Vitamin A). This combo of antioxidants actually seems to have promising benefits for overall nerve tissue health. Studies in this area are still in their infancy but beets may may actually contain little soldiers dedicated to the protection of our nerves. This could be very good news for those with MS. However, we don’t need to wait for the results of this study. Let’s do our own daily research by actually juicing and eating them and then noting the results.
5. Promotes Healthy Digestion
Beetroots can also really help to keep your gut healthy. Remember that a healthy, intact gut is essential for recovery from MS. Digestion is improved because of Betaine – an all important phytonutrient. Betaine has been reported to help improve digestion by increasing stomach acid levels, which could help reduce bloating, prevent food intolerances, and control yeast and bacterial growth. So, it also seems to have a protective effect on the gut – helping it to heal and reducing leaky gut syndrome. Keeping digestion healthy is incredibly important for preventing MS symptoms and beets can help with this!
Ideas for Eating Beets
Juicing
Juicing is an effective way to receive a quick shot of the goodness contained in beetroot. In this form, the body can absorb the nutrients quickly and easily. Your body gets a potent dose which it responds to very quickly. Drinking pure beetroot juice is very useful if you are about to exercise as your body will receive the energy without your stomach having to digest anything which can slow you down. I juice one beetroot every morning and add it to my smoothie. The pigment is so intense that it turns the whole smoothie into a beautiful pink colour. It doesn’t matter what else I add (spinach, carrot juice, cacao) the smoothie stays the same colour. This is great if you want to disguise green vegetables in your child’s smoothie. Somehow berry red is a far more attractive colour than browny green!
Grating
Peel the skin off your beets using a carrot peeler and then simply grate them into your salad or stir fry. Be warned that it may turn the whole dish pink!
Slicing
This is also a great way to add beetroot to your dishes. Again, peel off the skin and then you can actually use the same peeler to shave very thin slices off the beetroot. This is lovely and crunchy when it’s raw but if you find this difficult to stomach, you can even bake the whole beetroot for 30-40 minutes. Bake it in it’s skin and then peel it off by hand once it’s cooked. When baked the beetroot slices actually resemble carpaccio. Absolutely delicious in a green salad!
Steaming
This is the healthiest way to cook beets and will ensure maximum nutrient content is retained. Simply peel the beetroot and then dice into chunks of your desired shape and size. Steam for around 15 minutes. It’s lovely when accompanied by some steamed broccoli and baked salmon – topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This is the epitome of a clean, nutritious and delightfully tasty meal!
The Forgotten Greens
The green leafy tops of the beets are actually among the healthiest parts of the plant. They contain a host of essential nutrients such as:
protein, phosphorus, zinc, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese, beet greens also supply significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. They also have more iron than spinach.
Ok, wow!
Beet greens have also been found to strengthen your immune system by stimulating the production of antibodies and white blood cells. This is a good thing for people with MS! Some people are of the opinion that it is better not to have such a strong immune system as then it might attack more frequently. This is completely inaccurate. We want to strengthen our immune system so that it works as it should. A healthy immune system is less likely to go haywire and start attacking healthy tissue.
If you’ve never tried beet greens before, don’t let them intimidate you. They can be added raw to vegetable juice or sautéed lightly right along with other greens like spinach and Swiss chard.
Summing it Up
Beetroot is a fascinating vegetable. In my opinion, it is completely undervalued and under utilised. Yet, it can really give us that boost that we need to be more effective in our daily lives. I would recommend eating one beetroot every day, whether it’s juiced, added to a salad or steamed. Try and find organic beets as they are susceptible to the use of nasty pesticides. If you can’t find any (my grocery store often doesn’t have them available), then just make sure you buy a good, natural vegetable spray which should dissolve any nasties within a few minutes. I use Veggi Wash (bought from my local health shop) which is a completely natural and removes farm chemicals, waxes, surface grime and insects. I challenge you to try a glass of beetroot juice before a workout and see if you feel any different during your workout. Hopefully you’ll feel supercharged and filled with boundless energy!
As always, I’m looking forward to hearing your comments and feedback!
References:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/9546330/Beetroot-juice-may-help-beet-your-best.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/25/beets-health-benefits.aspx
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diet-and-nutrition/healthy-eating/health-benefits-of-beetroot.htm?fb_ref=fcbkact
Kim , just read above…very informative and have to say Im tempted to juice a glass before my ms physio class. I definitely need some anti inflamotories to keep lower back spasms at bay. Still doing Oxygen …a life saver. Take care xx
Hi Giselle! Yes, juice some beets before your class! Give it a try and see how you feel. Wow, glad O2 therapy is helping. Stay strong!
Will definitely be trying these beet recipes to kick start my body into the New Year! Another great breakfast drink is
1 Beet waterwashed n sliced
1 carrot washed n sliced
1 green apple washed n cut up
1 stick of celery washed n sliced
2 slices fresh ginger
1 cup coconut
sprig of fresh mint if u have some
blend till smooth – consume for a week n feel the difference
Thanks Mirella! This sounds fantastically delicious. I can tell that you are fully immersed in this lifestyle!
Hi Kim ,
Just read this article in mercola website to my husband who has had MS for 32 years …. And my husbands said that in there are varying opinions about beets regarding N Oxide .
Not being good for MS people .
So I am passing it along to you also .
As for my husband ,we have followed the
Swank MS diet book
And He has continued to do strength training for the past 30 years .
Also we have discovered those with MS have low testoterone and so he has been using bio identical testosterone for the past 8 years which has helped him strength and energy wise .
Only other thing he does which I believe arrests the progression of MS is Low Dose Naltrexone which he has compounded monthly by a leading pharmacist in knowledge of MS
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474442202001023
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Beetroot Juice Can Benefit Your Muscles
October 02, 2015 | 22,496 views
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By Dr. Mercola
Beetroots, also known simply as beets or table beets in the US, are a sweet, surprisingly concentrated source of nutrition. The first clue they’re loaded with nutrition is their bright red color, which indicates the presence of powerful phytonutrients called betalains.
Betalains include reddish-purple betacyanin pigments and yellowish betaxanthin pigments. Many of the betalain pigments in beets have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying effects.
Newer research suggests that, in addition, compounds in beets may improve muscle performance, offering allure not only for athletes but also for maintaining muscle function as you age.
Naturally Occurring Nitrates in Beets May Boost Muscle Health
Beets are a good source of naturally occurring nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide (NO) in your body. Nitric oxide is perhaps most well-known for its benefits to heart health. As noted by cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra:1
“Adequate NO production is the first step in a chain reaction that promotes healthy cardiovascular function, while insufficient NO triggers a cascade of destruction that eventually results in heart disease…
NO promotes healthy dilation of the veins and arteries so blood can move throughout your body. Plus, it prevents red blood cells from sticking together to create dangerous clots and blockages.”
Your heart, of course, is a muscle, so it makes sense that boosting NO production would also lead to improvements in other muscles in your body.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in Missouri have previously found dietary nitrates improve muscle performance in elite athletes, and they wanted to determine if such nitrates would also benefit patients with heart failure, whose weakened hearts make them prone to fatigue and shortness of breath with everyday activities.
Senior study author Dr. Linda R. Peterson, associate professor of Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine, told Medical News Today:2
“A lot of the activities of daily living are power-based – getting out of a chair, lifting groceries, or climbing stairs. And they have a major impact on quality of life… We want to help make people more powerful because power is such an important predictor of how well people do, whether they have heart failure, cancer, or other conditions.”
Beet Juice May Increase Muscle Power By 13 Percent
For the latest study, participants with heart failure drank beet juice, either with the naturally occurring nitrates or with the nitrate content removed. Two hours after consuming the juice, those who consumed the nitrates-containing beverage had a 13 percent increase in power in muscles that extend the knee.3
Andrew R. Coggan, PhD, assistant professor of Radiology at the Washington University School of Medicine, told Medical News Today:4
“I have compared the beet-juice effect to Popeye eating his spinach. The magnitude of this improvement is comparable to that seen in heart failure patients who have done 2 to 3 months of resistance training.”
Past research has also found that beet juice may boost your stamina, as those who drank beet juice prior to exercise were able to exercise for up to 16 percent longer.5
This benefit is also thought to be related to nitrates turning into nitric oxide, which may reduce the oxygen cost of low-intensity exercise as well as enhance tolerance to high-intensity exercise.
A separate study similarly revealed that consuming a concentrated beet juice supplement increases whole-body NO production as well as muscle speed and power in healthy men and women.6
Beet Juice May Lower Your Blood Pressure and Benefit Brain Health
Your blood pressure may also benefit from the nitrates in beet juice, with benefits occurring within in a matter of hours. One study found that drinking one glass of beet juice lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 4 to 5 points.7
A separate study found consuming beet juice daily for four weeks lead to reductions in blood pressure, improvements in endothelial function, and reduced arterial stiffness. The researchers concluded:8
“This is the first evidence of durable BP [blood pressure] reduction with dietary nitrate supplementation in a relevant patient group. These findings suggest a role for dietary nitrate as an affordable, readily-available, and adjunctive treatment in the management of patients with hypertension.”
Aside from the blood pressure benefits, drinking beet juice may also be good for your brain. The nitrates, and resulting NO, help increase blood flow to the brain in elderly people. As you age, blood flow to certain areas of your brain decreases, which is associated with dementia and poor cognitive function.
When adults aged 70 and over ate a high-nitrate breakfast including beet juice, they had increased blood flow to their brain’s white matter, which is an area associated with dementia.9
Beets Are Antioxidant-Rich, Inflammation-Fighting Superstars
If you enjoy beets, there’s good reason to add them to your meals regularly. You can grate them raw over salads, marinate them with lemon juice, herbs, and olive oil as a side dish, or steam them, whichever you prefer.
Nutritionally, beets are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas). Beets also contain the B-vitamin folate, which helps reduce the risk of birth defects.
The betalain pigments in beets support your body’s Phase 2 detoxification process, which is when broken down toxins are bound to other molecules so they can be excreted from your body. Traditionally, beets are valued for their support in detoxification and helping to purify your blood and your liver.
Research has even shown that beetroot extract reduced multi-organ tumor formations in various animal models when administered in drinking water, while beetroot extract is being studied for use in treating human pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancers.10
Beets are also a unique source of betaine, a nutrient that helps protects cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress. It’s also known to help fight inflammation, protect internal organs, improve vascular risk factors, enhance performance, and likely help prevent numerous chronic diseases.11 As reported by the World’s Healthiest Foods:12
“[Betaine’s]… presence in our diet has been associated with lower levels of several inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. As a group, the anti-inflammatory molecules found in beets may eventually be shown to provide cardiovascular benefits in large-scale human studies, as well as anti-inflammatory benefits for other body systems.”
Beets Are a High-Sugar Veggie
Although the benefits of beet juice appear well established, keep in mind that beets are a very high-sugar vegetable. In fact, beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, although they also contain a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
For this reason, I recommend adding beets (in whole, non-juiced form) to your diet a few times a week to benefit from their nutrition without overdosing on their high amounts of sugar. The sugar will be even more concentrated in beet juice, without any of the fiber to somewhat moderate its effects, so you have to be cautious when consuming beets in juiced form.
If you struggle with high blood pressure or heart failure, you may want to experiment with beet juice and see how it impacts you. If you notice improvements in your blood pressure or stamina after drinking the juice, it may be a good fit for you. If you have diabetes or are insulin resistant, carefully monitor how beet juice affects your overall health and factor that in to how often you choose to consume it. Typically, moderation is best.
Keep in mind that this article is referring to the red beets most people add to salads and side dishes; they are not the same variety as sugar beets, which are actually white, commonly genetically modified, and used in the production of sugar. Also, if you’re solely interested in the benefits of nitrates in beet juice, you might also try consuming other nitrate-rich (but lower-sugar) vegetables (or juicing them), such as celery, lettuce, parsley, and spinach.
Beet greens are also a good source and contain additional important nutrients like protein, phosphorus, zinc, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Beet greens also supply significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. For reference, here are some examples of vegetables you can juice, along with the level of nitrates they contain.13
Vegetable (100 grams) Nitrates (milligrams, mg)
Arugula 480
Cilantro 247
Butter leaf lettuce 200
Spring greens 188
Beet greens 177
Swiss chard 151
Beets 100
Visit Our Food Facts Library for Empowering Nutrition Information
If you want to learn even more about what’s in the food you’re eating, visit our Food Facts library. Most people are not aware of the wealth of nutrients available in healthy foods, particularly organic fruits and vegetables. By getting to know your food, you can make informed decisions about how to eat healthier and thereby boost your brain function, lower your risk of chronic disease, lose weight, and much more.
Food Facts is a directory of the most highly recommended health foods to add to your wholesome diet. Its purpose is to provide you with valuable information about various types of foods including recipes to help you maximize these benefits. You’ll learn about nutrition facts, scientific studies, and even interesting trivia about each food in the Food Facts library. Remember, knowing what’s in your food is the first step to choosing and preparing nutritious meals each and every day. So visit Mercola Food Facts today to get started.
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Beetroot Juice Can Benefit Your Muscles
October 02, 2015 | 22,496 views
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Hi Anita! Thanks for forwarding me this article. It was very interesting. Sounds like your husband has done very well with his MS and has remained strong.
I couldn’t find the bits where it said that NO was bad for MS. Why exactly could it cause a problem?