The humble beet is one of the most underrated vegetables on the plant kingdom. With its green leaves, white flowers, and purple roots, you’d never guess that a beet would be so good for you. Beetroot is rich in nutrients such as betaine and lutein that are essential to healthy hair and skin. Did you know that a single beet can contain between 80-120 different types of antioxidants?
What’s more, beets are easier to grow than you may think. Just dig up some soil from your back garden, add some lime and compost, then leave it to germinate. And once your crop has matured enough to harvest – which takes about 8-10 weeks – all you have to do is strip away the greens and juice those purple beauties for an easy way to get your daily dose of health benefits.
What is beet juice?
Beets have a lot going for them, but what is beet juice? Beet juice is the liquid that is drained from beets when they’re boiled. The juice can be used as an ingredient in many dishes, such as salads and smoothies. It’s also a great option if you’re trying to lose weight because it’s low in calories and fat.
Health benefits of beet juice
Beet juice is an amazing way to get your daily dose of nutrients and antioxidants, but that’s not all you get from this super-food. Beetroot is also effective at reducing the swelling and inflammation that often causes headaches and migraines. As well as being a powerful antioxidant, beetroot is rich in betaine which can increase oxygen levels in the blood. It can also help to regulate blood sugar levels, which makes it perfect for diabetics.
How to make beet juice
Beets contain a type of sugar called betaine that is needed for the body to convert proteins into amino acids. To make beet juice, simply use a juicer to extract the juice from the beets and it will be ready in about 3-5 minutes. You’ll also need a blender or food processor to blend the raw beetroot with water and other ingredients.
To make your own beets juice, you can either buy already made beetroot juice or make it yourself with this recipe:
Ingredients
– About 14 medium-sized red beets (about 1 L)
– 2 cups water
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/3 cup lemon juice
– 1/3 cup onion puree
– 2 cloves garlic cloves peeled and crushed
Method
1. Peel, wash and chop beets into quarters. Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain well and let cool completely in refrigerator.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine chopped beets, water, salt and lemon juice until smooth paste forms. Add onion puree and garlic to blender or food processor then pulse until blended together evenly throughout mixture. Pour mixture through cheesecloth or fine sieve lined with coffee filter paper into large jug or bowl set over ice bath (extra ice cubes).
How often should you drink beet juice?
Beet juice is a healthy option for anyone looking to get more vegetables into their diet. But how often should you drink this juice? Well, the short answer is as long as you enjoy it! Drinking beet juice regularly could help reduce the risk of many illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In fact, the NHS recommends drinking three to five cups of beet juice per week to reap its benefits.
If you’re not keen on drinking a glass of beetroot juice every day, then don’t worry – it’s still got plenty of health benefits without any downsides. For example, adding some beetroot puree to your morning smoothie will give you all the health benefits of beets without any sugar or fat content. So try adding some fresh-pressed beets to your diet in whatever way suits you best!
Should you eat raw beets or juiced beets?
You’ve probably heard that beets are good for your eyes, so if you want to drink them as juice, you should eat the raw ones. However, if you want to get the nutritional benefits from beets and grow your hair and skin in the process, then juicing them might be a better option.
In terms of nutrition, eating raw beets is better than juicing them raw because it means you’re still getting all of those antioxidants in their most natural state. This is why juicing is great for smoothies or just drinking straight from the glass. If you do want to cook with your beetroot juice though, cooking will remove some of the nutrients – and as we know, cooking isn’t always easy on our bodies. If you’re not keen on cooking with your beetroot juice and just want to keep it raw and healthy, then juicing is definitely the way to go!
A note about cooking: when cooking with fresh beetroot juice (either by boiling or blending), some of those nutrients will get removed into steam during the process. This means that if you take some fresh juices away from your kitchen with you, they’ll lose some of their health benefits when they cool down.
Raw, boiled or juiced?
Beetroot can be eaten raw, boiled, or juiced. If you’re looking for a healthy snack to eat on the go, then juicing is your best option. Juicing can give you many health benefits because it’s easy to drink and digest. For example, juicing is a high-quality source of antioxidants that’s easily absorbed by the body. The downside of juicing is that it does not offer much in terms of dietary fibre so it could lead to constipation if consumed too frequently. Boiled beets are another great option because they offer more fibre than raw beets. However, boiling takes away some of the nutrients like betaine and lutein which would make processed foods out of raw beets less beneficial to your health.
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4 Tips for Which Beet Juice You Should Choose
Beetroot should be juiced fresh. This is because the nutrients are less stable when exposed to light, air, and heat. Store your beetroot juice in a glass container with an airtight lid, as it can lose its nutrients quickly.
It’s possible to make beet juice at home too. Here’s how:
1. Fill a large pot, such as a stockpot, with 6-8 inches of water and bring to a boil on the stovetop
2. Chop up some fresh beets or use canned beets (drained)
3. Place chopped beets in boiling water and simmer until tender – about 10 minutes for fresh beets, 15 minutes for canned
4. Drain the water from the pot once the bart is cooked
5. Allow the beetroot juice to cool before transferring it to an airtight jar
