Beets are colorful root vegetables packed with vitamins and minerals. They support heart health, help lower blood pressure, and can boost exercise performance and brain function. Here’s how to prepare beets to get the most nutrition from this earthy-flavored veggie.
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Some nutrients in beets break down when heated, so eating them raw keeps more vitamins, folate, and natural nitrates. Your body uses these nitrates to make nitric oxide, which relaxes and dilates (widens) blood vessels. This improves blood flow and helps keep blood pressure healthy.
You can enjoy raw beets by shredding or grating them into salads, slaws, or grain bowls. Thin slices are also great in wraps and sandwiches. Since raw beets are firm, marinating them in lemon juice or vinegar can soften them and make them easier to eat.
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Steaming beets uses gentle heat and retains nutrients:
- Vitamins: Unlike boiling, steaming doesn’t soak the beets in water, so water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and some B vitamins stay in the beets. Steaming retains folate (vitamin B9) which helps your cells grow and supports red blood cell production.
- Antioxidants: Studies show that steaming beets keeps most of their antioxidants. Antioxidants help lower inflammation and protect your cells from damage.
- Potassium: Steaming preserves potassium, which helps control blood pressure and supports muscle function.
The softer texture can make beets easier to digest for some people. Steamed beets are tender and work well as a side dish, in salads or pasta, or blended into smoothies or spreads like beet hummus.
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Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in beets, so they taste sweeter without extra sugar. Roasting uses dry oven heat to improve flavor and texture while keeping most nutrients:
- Leave the skin on when roasting to keep more nutrients. The skin holds in moisture and juices, and you can peel it off easily after cooking. Roasting beets with the skin on keeps the minerals inside.
- Roasting also retains betalains, the antioxidants that give beets their deep red color and help lower inflammation.
- Adding a little olive oil helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A and E. These vitamins support your immune system, vision, and skin.
Serve roasted beets with other vegetables, whole grains, or lean protein for a balanced, healthy meal that gives you steady energy.
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Fermenting beets preserves their nutrients while adding beneficial probiotics. This process uses a mixture of salt, water, and natural, healthy bacteria. These bacteria preserve the beets and create compounds that support your gut health. Because fermentation does not use high heat, the beets keep their nutrients:
- Fermented beets give you probiotics that help balance the bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut improves digestion and helps keep your immune system strong.
- The nitrates in fermented beets also support blood flow and healthy blood pressure, which is good for your heart health.
You can make fermented beets at home by combining sliced beets with salt and water. Letting them sit at room temperature for several days allows the healthy bacteria to grow. Fermented beet drinks (beet kvass) and fermented beet slices both offer probiotic benefits.
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Beet juice is a concentrated source of nutrients that your body absorbs quickly:
- Fresh beet juice has high amounts of natural nitrates, which can improve blood flow and help lower blood pressure.
- Studies show that drinking beet juice before exercise can help your body use oxygen more efficiently and may boost endurance.
- Because you remove the skin before juicing beets, most of the fiber is removed. Fiber helps with digestion and keeps your blood sugar steady. If you drink beet juice, try to eat other high-fiber foods like vegetables, beans, or whole grains to support your gut health.
Mixing beet juice with other vegetable juices can help balance its strong, earthy taste and add more nutrients.
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Beet greens are the leafy tops of fresh beets and pack a nutritional punch. They have a mild, earthy flavor that works well in many dishes. Eating the greens helps reduce food waste and gives your body a boost of vitamins and minerals:
- Beet greens are rich in calcium, which helps keeps bones strong.
- They also deliver vitamin A and E. Vitamin A supports your vision and immune system, while vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects your cells.
- Beet greens also have iron, which helps carry oxygen in your blood.
- They have fiber for healthy digestion.
You can sauté beet greens with garlic and olive oil, add them to soups, or mix them into pasta and grain dishes.
