How many beets should i eat a day? To answer the question of how many beets a person should eat, one must know what benefits these root vegetables provide.
Beets are classified as a root vegetable, meaning they are grown underground and are generally in the shape of a large bulb. They come in many different varieties and can be pink, white, purple or even yellow in color. They have gained popularity for their health benefits as it is rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and vitamins such as A, B complex and C.
How many beets should I eat a day?
So a person who weighs 68kg (150lbs) should consume 4.08 mmol of nitrates daily. One cup (80g) of sliced beets has about 1.88 mmol of nitrate. So to get your daily nitrates requirement, you would have to consume over two cups of sliced beets.
Moreover, How long does it take for beet juice to leave your system?
Some people cannot break the pigment down and this results in excretion of the pigment in urine and feces. The rest of the beetroot is digested and no nutrients should be lost. This usually lasts 48 hours, but it can vary in people who have a slow or faster rate of passing feces.
Secondly, What happens if you eat too much beets?
Beets are high in oxalate, which can contribute to a health condition called gout, a type of arthritis that develops when too much uric acid builds up in the body.
Beside above What are the side effects of eating beets? 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.
In this way, Is beets good for losing weight?
While no studies have directly tested the effects of beets on weight, it’s likely that adding beets to your diet can aid in weight loss. Summary: Beets have a high water and low calorie content. Both of these properties are beneficial for weight loss.
What happens if you eat too many beets?
Beets are high in oxalate, which can contribute to a health condition called gout, a type of arthritis that develops when too much uric acid builds up in the body.
What is beets good for?
Packed with essential nutrients, beetroots are a great source of fiber, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Beetroots and beetroot juice have been associated with numerous health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased exercise performance.
What is the healthiest way to eat beets?
The Healthiest Way of Cooking Beets. Cook beets lightly. Studies show beets’ concentration of phytonutrients, such as betalains, is diminished by heat. We recommend healthy steaming beets for 15 minutes to maximize their nutrition and flavor.
Can you consume beets everyday?
Beets help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of cancer, supports brain health, may fight inflammation, and can improve athletic performance. Eating beets too much can cause your pee or stools to turn red or pink, yet this is not harmful. Eating them daily may increase the risk of kidney stones.
Are beets hard on your kidneys?
A: Unless you have had a kidney stone, you may not be in any danger. If you are susceptible to oxalate-containing kidney stones, however, then beets, beet greens and beetroot powder could pose a problem. They are quite high in oxalates and may promote kidney-stone formation in susceptible individuals.
Is eating beets everyday good for you?
You can’t beat beets
They’re not only chock-full of essential everyday nutrients like B vitamins, iron, manganese, copper, magnesium, and potassium, these ruby gems also are a goldmine of health-boosting nutrients that you may not get anywhere else.
Who should not eat beetroot?
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.
Do beets help with belly fat?
Beets help you detox and lose weight because they contain no fat and are a good source of dietary fiber — half soluble and half insoluble. These two types help fight fat by maintaining proper bowel function and lowering cholesterol levels for weight loss.
6 health benefits of beets
1. Beets may lower blood pressure
Beets contain nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that relaxes and widens blood vessels, which can lower blood pressure, says Dana Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, senior dietitian at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and professor at the Fielding School of Public Health.
A small 2015 study found that drinking 250 mL of beetroot juice daily over four weeks was enough to lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Beets can also lower blood pressure in older, overweight individuals, according to a small 2014 study.
2. Beets can fight inflammation
The dark red color of beets is caused by betalain, a phytonutrient produced by plants that has antioxidant properties. Hunnes says that betalain has anti-inflammatory properties because it can suppress the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme which is associated with inflammation.
Chronic inflammation can cause damage to healthy tissue and increase your risk of long-term health problems like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. “Chronic inflammation is a little like rusting on iron,” says Hunnes. “If you don’t remove the rust and keep exposing it to elements, it will continue to degrade.”
In a small 2016 study, researchers found that systemic inflammation was improved for those with high blood pressure after two weeks of supplementation with either cooked beets or raw beet juice. Raw beet juice was even more effective at combating inflammation than the cooked beets.
3. Beets may help with weight loss
When you’re trying to lose weight, it can be very beneficial to eat foods that are filling so that you feel full and don’t overeat.
“Beets are rich in water content and fiber. This can help keep you fuller longer and better hydrated, which can also help with [feeling full],” says Hunnes.
Hunnes also says beets are relatively low in calories and contain a decent amount of protein for a root vegetable, which makes it a healthy choice for someone trying to lose weight. For example, one cup of beets contains:
- 3.81 grams of dietary fiber
- 2.19 grams of protein
- 58.5 calories
4. Beets can help you poop
The high fiber and water content of beets also help with digestion, says Hunnes. Fiber helps you to have normal bowel movements by bulking up your stool, making it less likely for you to be constipated.
A 2012 meta-analysis of five different studies confirmed that fiber can increase stool frequency. Fiber can also help prevent digestive conditions such as colon cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and diverticulitis.
5. Beets may support brain health
Since beets can lower blood pressure, they can also lower the risk of stroke and other brain problems.
“Any time there is high blood pressure, the risk of stroke and other cognitive declines increases. So, lowering blood pressure helps and also increases the ease and amount of blood that gets to the brain,” says Hunnes.
The nitrates in beets may also play a role in brain health. A 2011 study of older adults found that nitrates increased blood flow to important regions of the brain, such as the frontal lobe, which is associated with attention and working memory.
6. Beets may improve athletic performance
The nitrates found in beets may also improve athletic performance, due to the effect that they have on mitochondria, the part of the cell that produces energy. Hunnes says nitrates improve the efficiency of cellular mitochondria.
“Since mitochondria are needed to produce energy in your cells, anything that can make them function more efficiently will help with athletic performance,” says Hunnes.
A small 2016 study found that betalain-rich concentrate of beets can improve performance in competitive runners. Those who consumed the beet concentrate had a lower rate of perceived exertion than those who had a placebo. They also had a lower increase in lactate dehydrogenase, which is a marker of muscle damage. Another small 2019 study found that nitrates from beetroot juice reduced muscle fatigue.
You do not have to have a steady diet of beets to reap these benefits. Even having beets once before a workout can help you, Hunnes says. Nitrates peak in the blood about two to three hours after being consumed, so it’s best to consume the beets two to three hours before exercising. She recommends having 300 milligrams of the active compounds, which would be about 1.5 cups of beet juice.
4 Health Benefits of Eating Beets Raw
Yes, you can eat beets raw — and doing so might help boost your workouts.
Beets are best known for their bright red hue. They have an earthy taste that is often described as slightly sweet and even floral. Some critics say that beets taste like dirt, but when prepared the right way, they’re a delicious source of many nutrients.
Beets have many health benefits, but cooking them can be time-consuming. One workaround is adding raw beets into your meal plan. Here’s why you should give the root vegetables a chance, and dietitians’ tips to incorporate them raw into your diet.
Can You Eat Beets Raw?
Boiling and roasting are some of the most common ways to cook beets, but they can be steamed, pickled or microwaved, too. The easiest and fastest way to eat beets? Raw. This method requires the least amount of preparation.
Eating raw beets isn’t just possible, it may be the more nutritious choice. “Raw beets provide the most nutritional benefit, as they lose antioxidant concentration once they are cooked,” says registered dietitian Whitney Stuart, RDN, CDE.
All parts of fresh beets can be eaten raw, according to the University of Illinois. This includes the leaves and stems, which are usually discarded. The main part of the beet that’s eaten raw is the bulb. The skin is edible, so you can choose to eat or peel it.
The Health Benefits of Raw Beets
Beets have many benefits. They’re full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, fiber, nitrates, vitamins and minerals, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Here’s what they have to offer.
1. Raw Beet Juice May Help Improve Blood Pressure
Beets are known for their high concentration of organic compounds called nitrates. There is some evidence that dietary nitrates have heart health benefits, according to a November 2017 review in Nutrients.
“Raw beets may improve blood pressure, thanks to their nitrates,” explains registered dietitian Justine Chan, MHSc, RD, CDE. “Nitrates convert into nitric oxide in your body, which opens up your blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.”
Beetroot juice has the potential to lower blood pressure in people with and without hypertension (high blood pressure), according to a November 2018 review in Biomolecules. This can also decrease the risk of cardiovascular events and the mortality rates associated with them.
2. Beet Juice May Help Increase Athletic Endurance
Beetroot juice and even beet powder have become increasingly popular among athletes because they can help with athletic endurance and performance.
“Beets can help to increase the blood flow and oxygen that’s delivered to muscles during exercise,” Chan says. “It’s no surprise that beetroot juice may improve your athletic performance as a result.”
Exercise can be exhausting, but beets can help — they have the ability to improve endurance and training performance, according to December 2019 research in Cureus. The nitrates in beetroot juice are especially helpful for reducing fatigue and increasing muscle power, according to a January 2018 review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
3. Beet Juice Can Help With Muscle Soreness and Recovery
What you eat and drink after your workout is also important. Post-exercise nutrition can help with muscle recovery.
There’s evidence that beetroot juice may reduce muscle soreness and promote quicker recovery after exercise, according to a June 2021 meta-analysis in the Journal of Dietary Supplements.
4. Raw Beets Are Linked to Lower Rates of Cancer
The bright pigment — betalain — responsible for beet’s red hue may also lend it some of its health benefits. Specifically, betalains possess antioxidant activity.
“Betalains in beets act as powerful antioxidants and exert antitumor activity,” Stuart says. “Beet juice shows chemo-preventive activity, preventing the growth of cancerous cells and reducing overall inflammation.”
These pigments are effective at cancer chemoprevention, according to April 2019 research in Molecules. Red beets have also been shown to possess significant antioxidant capacity.
Warning
While there are many benefits of raw beets, people who are prone to kidney stones should eat them in moderation. That’s because beets are high in oxalates, which can contribute to kidney stones, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
How to Eat Raw Beets
We asked registered dietitians the best way to eat raw beets. Here’s what they suggest:
- Drink raw beetroot juice
- Snack on thinly sliced beets
- Spiralize them in Buddha bowls or noodle dishes
- Add beets to smoothies
- Use the beet greens in bowls or salads
- Julienne raw beets for spring rolls
- Shred them into a slaw
- Incorporate as a sandwich filli
The Truth About Beet Juice
Most lists of “super foods” don’t include beetroot juice, but maybe they should.
Beet juice may boost stamina to help you exercise longer, improve blood flow, and help lower blood pressure, some research shows.
Why? Beets are rich in natural chemicals called nitrates. Through a chain reaction, your body changes nitrates into nitric oxide, which helps with blood flow and blood pressure.
Beet juice may boost stamina, improve blood flow, and help lower blood pressure, some research shows.
Beet Juice Benefits
In some studies, drinking about 2 cups of beet juice daily or taking nitrate capsules lowered blood pressure in healthy adults.
Beet juice may also help your stamina when you exercise. In one study, people who drank beet juice for 6 days had better stamina during intense exercise.
Beet Juice Nutrition
One cup of raw beets has 58 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrates. A cup of beet juice is usually around 100 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrates, because of the way it is processed.
Beets are good sources of folate, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, as well as nitrates.
Other good food sources of nitrates include spinach, radishes, lettuce, celery, and Chinese cabbage.
Eating beets won’t give you the same quantity of nitrates, because cooking hampers some of the nitrates, but it certainly is good for your health, says Marjorie Nolan, RD.
If you start drinking beet juice, you should know that it may make your urine and stools look reddish. That’s normal.