Beet Juice as a Superfood

January 10th, 2013

Beets have been recognized as a very powerful vegetable for many years now, and we just keep finding out more benefits of this deep red vegetable.

Antioxidant Flavonoids. The deep red color isn’t actually from lycopene (in tomatoes and bell peppers) but from betacyanin related to anthocyanin. I know…these just sound like random big words. But it has been tested as one of the strongest anti-oxidizing flavonoids. When your body uses oxygen it produces a byproduct that is hard on your body. Antioxidants help prevent the byproducts from doing so much damage to your body and are therefore thought to help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

Betaine. Betaine helps with liver function, allowing beets to be a natural detoxifier. This substance defends the bile and liver ducts, and it helps the liver cells get rid of toxins.

Nitrate. As a nitrate-rich vegetable, Dr. Oz claims beets help increase exercise potential as well as brain activity. Your body converts nitrates into nitrites (again just sound like words), which dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow. An increase in blood flow helps reduce the amount of oxygen your muscles need when exercising. Increased blood flow also gets oxygen to the brain more efficiently which helps increase brain activity, helping counteract memory loss.

Instead of juicing your own beets, beet juice powder is a great way to consume the same nutrients. Pines and Green Foods make powders that will taste and provide nutrients like fresh beet juice. Eclectic Institute makes a unique powder in that this powder is freeze-dried so the only thing taken out of the original fruit is the water. Adding any of these to water makes for a nice juice to supplement your breakfast or you can add some nutrients and flavor to a smoothie!

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