Why Beets Have Been Called The Healthiest Food In The World

Beets are kind of strange. Not everyone gets excited about them and many have never tried them. They do have a very unique flavor and texture.

I polled women in my 30 Day Challenge and asked them which of my recipes they thought they wouldn't like but ended up loving. My Hummus Beet Wrap recipe (I'll share that later) was the #1 answer. So the moral here is try new things and ‘give beets a chance.'

More about why they are in my meal plans in a minute.

There are plenty of good reasons to love beets!

  • They can be prepared in a million different and delicious ways.
  • They're available in different varieties that add intense color and beauty to every dish.

When you add their health benefits to their taste benefits, it’s no wonder that they’ve become so popular in the last few years.

But can beets help you lose weight?

Beets have been called one of the world’s healthiest foods.

One nutrition expert has called beets “red spinach” because they contain so much folate and betaine. Together these two nutrients lower the levels of a substance that increases your risk of heart disease.

They contain:

  • tons of Vitamin C (a powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-system booster)
  • iron
  • manganese
  • potassium

And the thing that gives them their beautiful color, their phytonutrients, also make them great at fighting cancer.

There's even evidence that drinking just 2 cups of beetroot juice per day can lower blood pressure.

The flesh isn't the only nutritious part either.

The greens that top beets have 3 times the nutrition of the root, and they have a wonderful peppery taste.

When you shop for beets, look for the ones sold in bunches with the greens still attached. The greens are loaded with Vitamin A, carotenoids and anti-oxidants.

Quick Tip: Beet greens make a fantastic substitute for kale or spinach in your smoothies.

When you add to all these nutritional benefits the fact that beets are a great weight loss food, you’ll want to make sure that they’re in your shopping cart every week.

They are:

  • a natural diuretic and will help keep you from retaining water
  • super low in calories (just 50 per cup)
  • high in fiber
  • and they contain no cholesterol or fat 

Beets boost weight loss 3 ways:

The 1st way is that they keep you feeling full, but beets help you with your weight loss goals by helping you to exercise more efficiently.

#2 How Beets Help: They improve blood flow and boost energy and stamina.

Why That Matters: This means you can work out longer and more effectively without getting tired.

#3 How Beets Help: The betaine in beets has also been shown to be a boon for building lean muscle mass.

Why That Matters: More muscle means more effective calorie burning.

Shopping For Beets

Beets are available all year long. Nutrition in fresh beets compared to canned or jarred beets is similar, but canned beets may have more sodium and/or preservatives.

Fresh beets should be heavy and should not have nicks or cuts.

If buying fresh, look for beets that still have the greens attached.

When you get home, cut the greens off about one inch from the root and store the two parts separately. You can keep the beets in the refrigerator for a few weeks, but use the greens within a few days.

Hummus Beet Wrap

INGREDIENTS

 1 Tbsp. Hummus
1 6-inch Sprouted Grain Tortilla (Gluten Free)
½ c. (75g) Peeled and Grated Beet (TIP: Cut beet into 3 or 4 big chunks and grate using the
grating disk for a food processor or large holes of box grater.)
2 tbsp. Feta (½ oz.)(15g)
¼ Packed c. (5g) Arugula, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

Spread hummus on tortilla, leaving a 1 ½ inch(4cm) border. Sprinkle evenly with beets, feta, and
arugula. To roll up, fold in 2 opposite sides of tortilla and roll, starting with the end closet to you.
Slice each wrap in half on the diagonal. Wrap each wrap tightly in foil or parchment paper and
refrigerate in an airtight container or zip-top bag. (Make Ahead: May be made up to 1 day in
advance.)

As I mentioned, this recipe has been a huge hit with everyone in my 30 Day Challenge. If you want more deliciously simple recipes like this (plus weekly workouts, step-by-step meal plans, and daily support) click below to join my upcoming 30 Day Challenge now…

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Yours in Health,

Danette

P.S. Please help me spread the word by sharing this article and I welcome your comments below. Have you tried beets? Did you like them?