Beets

Beets are delicious and easy to add to your diet. What’s more is that they are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. They are low in calories, yet high in important vitamins and minerals making them a nutritional powerhouse. In fact, beets contain a bit of almost all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Below is an overview of the nutrients found in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked beetroot:

Calories: 44

Protein: 1.7 grams

Fat: 0.2 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Vitamin C: 6% of the RDI

Folate: 20% of the RDI

Vitamin B6: 3% of the RDI

Magnesium: 6% of the RDI

Potassium: 9% of the RDI

Phosphorous: 4% of the RDI

Manganese: 16% of the RDI

Iron: 4% of the RDI

Beets have also been shown to help improve athletic performance. Several studies suggest that high levels of dietary nitrates naturally present in beets may enhance athletic performance. Nitrates appear to affect physical performance by improving the efficiency of mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy in your cells. Beets may also help fight chronic inflammation. Beets contain pigments called betalains, which may potentially possess a number of anti-inflammatory properties which have been shown to help offset the impacts of oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

Beets are easy to incorporate into your diet. Whether you choose to eat them raw or cooked. They can be added to salads or if cooked blended into a smoothie. For ways to add beets to your diet, click here. https://healthynibblesandbits.com/red-beet-power-smoothie/

Denise Boyd, BSc, Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RNH) with a specialization in Cognitive and Immune Support.