Beetroot: A Boon To Your Heart, Gut, And Brain Health
A fond childhood memory for most of us is our mothers coaxing us to eat beetroot. She would then go on to state its numerous benefits and how it makes our blood red. She would devise new ways to feed us beetroot in the form of flatbreads (parathas), pancakes (cheela), juice, or simply as a salad.
Beetroot- A wonder food
A powerhouse of nutrients, beetroot or Beta vulgaris L. has garnered attention for its anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. Beetroot has the potential to treat and prevent multiple diseases. It is a rich source of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, phytosterols, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Phytonutrients have been found to have a key role in preventing the onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Betalain is the pigment found naturally in beetroot which gives it a wonderful red color. Betalian has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Ask a nutritionist online to know more about the role of antioxidants in our body.
How Beetroot Boosts Heart, Gut, and Brain Health?
Beetroot and heart health
According to the British Heart Foundation, drinking a glass of beetroot juice daily lowers your chance of getting a heart attack. Beetroot juice is rich in nitrate which helps reduce inflammation of blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart disease. If you have high blood pressure, including beetroot in your daily diet can help control your blood pressure.
To know more about the benefits of beetroot on your heart, Ask a Cardiologist online.
Beetroot and gut health
With the rising prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and fewer physical workouts, digestive health often gets compromised. Digestion issues such as bloating, gas, constipation, and acidity are common complaints. Most of us have accepted them as a part of life. Here too the humble beetroot comes to your rescue. It has been found that consuming beetroot regularly helps relieve constipation as the fiber present in beetroot helps to move the waste through the intestine. Also, the antioxidant properties of beetroot protect the gut against colon cancer.
Some studies have also demonstrated the role of beetroot pigments in modulating the gut bacteria for healthy digestion. Digestion issues such as bloating, gas, constipation, and acidity are common complaints. Most of us have accepted them as a part of life. Here too the humble beetroot comes to your rescue. It has been found that consuming beetroot regularly helps relieve constipation as the fiber present in beetroot helps to move the waste through the intestine. Also, the antioxidant properties of beetroot protect the gut against colon cancer. Some studies have also demonstrated the role of beetroot pigments in modulating the gut bacteria for healthy digestion.
Having said this, you must Ask a Gastroenterologist, before making any dietary modification or inclusion of any new food.
Beetroot and brain health
Yes, that’s right. The antioxidant properties of beetroot make it a wonder food for your brain too. A recent study has found that beetroot prevents neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is a type of dementia. Consuming beetroot regularly improves the blood flow to the brain and enhances brain functioning. Eating beetroot or drinking its juice helps to improve memory and delay cognitive decline in people with AD.
5 Easy Ways to Include Beetroot in Your Daily Diet
Here are a few innovative ways to include beetroot in your daily diet:
1. Eat it as a dip: Grate some boiled beetroot and add it to creamy hung curd. Add some seasoning and mix. Use this yummy dip as an accompaniment to your meals. You can also replace mayonnaise in your sandwich with this tasty dip.
2. Replace the potato patty in your burger: Mix boiled and mashed beetroot with mashed cottage cheese. Add desired seasonings and make a patty. Shallow fry the patty. Use this patty instead of potato patty in your burger or have this health patty as it is, guilt-free!
3. Soup it up: Boil tomatoes, beetroot and carrot. Blend them and strain. Give the strained liquid a quick boil, and add salt and other seasonings. Add some coconut milk. Your yummy antioxidant-rich soup is ready to devour.
4. Hum with beetroot hummus: Simply add pureed beetroot to homemade hummus and your healthy dip is ready.
5. Juice it: Wash two beetroot thoroughly, peel them, and cut them into small pieces. Simply put these chunks in a juicer and extract the juice. You can have it only beetroot juice or you can also mix fresh 1 apple, 2 carrots, and a slice of ginger to the beetroot chunks to make a wholesome juice. Regular consumption of this juice boosts hemoglobin levels and provides a variety of other health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health, and enhanced exercise endurance to name a few.
Conclusion
So, to conclude the humble beetroot is no longer just a salad vegetable. It is a versatile vegetable that can be used in multiple dishes to suit your taste buds and add color to your plate. Eating beetroot regularly will cleanse your system, increase blood flow, and slow down the aging process. This is your cue to start consuming beetroot daily to get maximum health benefits.
For more dietary guidance or personalized disease-specific diet plans, you can Ask a Dietician online, anytime, from anywhere at Ask A Doctor 24x7.
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Disclaimer: Information provided on this page is not intended to substitute for proper medical advice provided by your healthcare professional. This is only for informational purposes.
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