It seems like every day, a new supplement with a weird name hits the market. Your For You page is littered with things you need to try, and your Instagram Shop is starting to look like a health food store. It can be overwhelming! What everyone seems to forget is that the best health boost could actually be right in your fridge. It's the OG in fighting inflammation, and its stains are never leaving your kitchen counter. What are we talking about? None other than the mighty beetroot, and here’s what you need to know about it!
The Health Beet
Besides being a delicious side dish, beetroots actually come with a plethora of health benefits. There are three areas where beetroot has the most potent benefits. Starting with heart health, beetroot is high in nitrates, which are naturally potent vasodilators. This means that beetroot can help your blood vessels relax, which has a direct impact on blood pressure, lowering it.
Betalin, another potent nutrient in beets, is very powerful in fighting inflammation. What betalain actually does is reduce oxidative and nitrative stress that happens on a cellular level. When your cells aren't damaged or constantly fighting off being damaged, this helps with inflammation levels in the body. Betalin also protects against free radicals from damaging your body, specifically your skin. Its interaction with other antioxidants also supports a natural detox while helping to repair damaged cells, supporting your skin in a natural glow.
Lastly, beetroot is very helpful when it comes to gut health. Among the many helpful nutrients, there are bioactive compounds found in beets that can help improve your gut health. It can else stimulate your stomach to produce more helpful probiotics to help heal and protect your stomach's lining. Alongside that natural detox and protection against oxidative/nitrative stress, beets can help you with post-meal bloating.
Beets, Beetroots, Oh My!
You may be wondering why we are using the words beets and beetroot interchangeably. Is there a difference? There is, and it comes down to the actual anatomy of the vegetable. Beets themselves, the bulbous part of the root, are high in many of the same nutrients that the beetroot carries. However, the water that is also part of the beet can dilute those nutrients. Beetroot, on the other hand, the rooty portion that is at the bottom of vegetables, has the highest concentration of nutrients. Not only are the nutrients passing through those roots during growth but there's also a lower water concentration, making them more potent.
To summarize, while the entire vegetable has the same nutrients, the beetroot portion carries the most potent punch. So which should you choose? Beets are great for daily additions to your diet while also reaping the benefits it brings to your body on a subtle scale. But if you're looking for direct help from the different nutrients it contains, beetroot supplementation is the key.
The Beet Way To Supplement
Because the beneficial nutrients we have discussed are found in all parts of the vegetable, there are so many ways to supplement. If you want to deal with the whole vegetable, adding beets into your diet is the easiest way to start reaping some of the benefits. Roasted beets are great on salads or side dishes. You can even make your own beet juice at home to not only drink the raw nutrients but also boost your daily hydration.
When it comes to supplementing with beetroot specifically, health food stores have plenty of options. Popular options are capsules and powders that are easy to hide in smoothies or other recipes. There are even teas if that is more convenient for you. Due to the chalky taste of beetroot powder, it can be hard to find a tea that's the right fit.
In summary, whether it's part of your dinner tonight or hidden in your early morning smoothie, beets, and their roots are amazing holistic boosts to your health. Supporting heart and gut health while lowering inflammation and boosting your skin's glow, this powerful root vegetable can help you no matter what stage of life you are in. As always, work with your personal practitioner to make sure that supplementing with beetroot is right for you. If it is, then let this super root work its magic in helping to support your body's vitality.
