{"id":36394,"date":"2023-06-08T02:46:08","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T02:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=36394"},"modified":"2023-06-12T16:40:26","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T16:40:26","slug":"beetroot-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/beetroot-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Reasons Why Beetroot Is a Superfood for Your Belly, Brain, and Body"},"content":{"rendered":"

The benefits of beetroot are too major to pass up. Here’s why. Plus: how to enjoy more of the colorful root veggie via beetroot recipes for a healthy meal, snack, or juice.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Find it challenging to diversify your nutrient intake through fresh, whole foods? When in doubt, you can keep things relatively simple\u2014not to mention colorful\u2014by aiming to eat the rainbow<\/a>. While some of us may gravitate towards certain colors (I, for one, have a special place in my heart for greens like kale<\/a> and celery<\/a>), the more truly is the merrier.<\/p>\n\n\n

With that said, one of the best ways to tap into the tail ends of the rainbow is to fill up on beets. These super-pigmented root veggies offer a variety of micronutrients plus fiber<\/a> and even protein\u2014all of which make it a veritable superfood for overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n

Keep reading to discover the key benefits of beetroot (read: why it earns a spot in your diet, stat). Plus: three beetroot recipes that are sure to make your mouth water and power up your plate.<\/p>\n\n\n

The Nutritional Profile of Beetroot<\/h2>\n\n\n

\u201cBeetroot offers fiber, nitrate, potassium, folate, and vitamin C,\u201d says Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, LD, founder of Milk & Honey Nutrition<\/a>. \u201cMany of these nutrients contribute to the positive health benefits associated with consuming beets,\u201d which we\u2019ll soon cover.<\/p>\n\n\n

Amy Shaprio, MS, RD, of Real Nutrition<\/a> in New York City, concurs. She adds that beetroot is also rich in iron and potassium, among many other micronutrients. One major player she takes care to call out is as betanin, \u201ca plant compound that helps with a variety of health benefits.\u201d Per a 2020 review<\/a> in the journal Antioxidants<\/em>, betanin is one of the most potent constituents in beetroot \u201cdue to its anti-radical scavenger effect, reducing the reactivity of these molecules, [and] protecting \u2026 endothelial tissue from damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Per the USDA, here\u2019s a quick overview of some (but certainly not all) of the nutrients that a cup of raw beetroot<\/a> provides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n