Yes, we know that the women of 2024 will choose a bear over a man but what about beets? I know beets get a bad wrap as well but have you considered giving them a chance? Isn’t there even a song, Give Beets a Chance? No, wait. Maybe it’s Give Peas a Chance. Anyway, moving on.
Beets do have a bad wrap, even if most men do not. Did you know that beets are considered a superfood? What does that even mean?
What Is A Superfood?
What does it take to be a superfood? Well, first the food has to be rich in antioxidants which help to protect our cells from damage from heart disease and cancer.
Next, the food has to have many different kinds of minerals. These include calcium, potassium, and iron, to name a few, that help your body perform at its best.
There also has to be an abundance of vitamins. While supplements have their place, our bodies are better able to process vitamins and minerals more efficiently from food than from supplements.
Superfoods may also be high in things like fiber, flavonoids, and healthy fats.
Examples of superfoods include avocados, berries, dark leafy greens, green tea, Kiefer, lentils, pumpkin, salmon, and yogurt. Herbs such as garlic, chia seeds, cinnamon, and ginger also fall under the umbrella of Superfoods.
So Why Beets?
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Well, let’s start here. Beets are high in nutrients and low in calories. Remember those vitamins we talked about above? Well, beets can give you high doses of Vitamins B6 and C as well as Folate which is key to heart health. They are also high in manganese which assists in bone formation, metabolism, and brain function. Throw copper into the mix for increased energy and you’ve got an amazing food here.
And that is not all. Beets can help reduce elevated blood pressure levels possibly due to the high levels of folate present. They can help to reduce chronic inflammation from conditions like obesity, heart or liver disease and cancer, osteoarthritis, and possibly kidney inflammation as well. As they are also an excellent source of fiber, they are also great for digestion.
And, they really are Yummy to eat. There are so many ways to fix them, so many recipes, some as easy as just boiling them, then slicing them and marinating them in vinegar. Pickled beets are the best and the vinegar makes them even healthier! Why not eat them.
I mean, you can put them in smoothies with yogurt and fruits. You can pickle them like I noted above, and add sliced onions, carrots, pepper, or whatever to make them even better. Soup – Borscht! If you haven’t had it, don’t knock it. They are also amazing in salads, pickled or just boiled, even cooked in the air fryer. Like I said, don’t knock them until you’ve tried them. And bonus, they will turn anything you add them to a very deep pretty red.
Balsamic Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Recipe (serves 2)
Ingredients
- 2 medium – large beets
- 1 cup salad greens
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 shallot
- 1/2 green apple
- 1/4 shallot, sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- microgreens to taste (optional)
- 1 oz goat cheese, crumbled or torn
- balsamic vinaigrette for drizzling
- extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- pink Himalayan salt
Rub each beet with olive oil and wrap in a piece of aluminum foil. Roast in the oven at 375º for 45 to 90 minutes or until fork tender. When cooked, remove foil and set aside to cool.
Additional notes:
- To change it up a little, roast the sliced beets in an air fryer, especially if you have a rotisserie unit. This gives the beets a slightly different flavor and texture. We add fried beets to salads often as well as just eating them as a side dish.
- You can use any fruits and veggies that you like, as well as changing up the cheese. We often use Blue Cheese or Feta as we don’t often have Goat Cheese. Hard cheese like Parmesan or Romano is also good.
- You can prepare your beets ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If you would like to see additional Root Veggie Recipes, you can find them here along with other articles as well.
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