8 health benefits of beets, including preventing cancer
Beetroot is a plant that comes from the family Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae. This means that beets are still in the same family as turnip greens and other root vegetables. Generally, people prefer to use its sweet root as a health medicine. However, currently many consume the pulp and leaves of beets, because they have abundant nutritional content and good health benefits. For more details, see the following explanation.
Nutritional content in beets
In 100 grams of beets, you can find various nutritional contents such as the following:
- Water: 87.6 grams
- Protein: 1.6 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Carbs: 9.6 grams
- Fiber: 2.6 grams
- Calcium: 27 milligrams (mg)
- Phosphorus: 43 mg
- Iron: 1.0 mg
- Sodium: 29 mg
- Potassium: 404.9 mg
- Copper: 0.20 mg
- Zinc: 0.7 mg
- Total carotene: 20 mcg
- Thiamin (Vitamin B1): 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 0.05 mg
- Niacin: 0.3 mg
- Vitamin C: 10 mg
Benefits of beet for health
Beets have various benefits, for example as a natural food coloring and sweetener mixture in food and beverages. However, not only that, beets also have many health benefits.
1. Controlling blood pressure
High blood pressure is a risk factor for various serious diseases, including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. Therefore, you need to control blood pressure to keep it normal in order to prevent these various diseases.
Several studies have shown that beets have benefits in reducing blood pressure significantly to 4-10 mmHg lower within a few hours after consuming them.
However, you will get more of these benefits when the beets are still raw. You can get this benefit because of the high concentration of nitrate in beets. The reason is, nitrates will be converted into nitric oxide in the body which can dilate blood vessels so that blood pressure decreases.
2. Increase stamina
Beets can be an ideal food for athletes because of their abundant nutritional content, making beets beneficial as a food that increases stamina. One of the ingredients of beets, namely nitrate, has properties for your body’s fitness.
The reason is, consuming nutritious beets to increase the ability of mitochondria to carry out their duties of producing energy from cells in the body. That way, your physical performance will also increase. In fact, a study in 2011 also supports this statement.
The study, which was conducted on nine cycling athletes, showed that consuming beetroot juice could increase performance by up to 2.8% in athletes who cycled a distance of 4 kilometers (km) and 2.7% in athletes who traveled 16.1 km.
But remember, the right time for you to eat beets is two to three hours before doing exercises or participating in sports competitions.
3. Overcoming inflammation
Another benefit that you can get when consuming beets is to overcome inflammation or inflammation. Chronic inflammation is usually associated with several serious diseases, including obesity, heart disease, liver disorders, and cancer.
Beets contain betalain, which is a pigment that has anti-inflammatory properties that can help your body deal with various inflammation. A 2014 study has shown that beet juice and extract can reduce kidney inflammation.
Then, other studies that have been done in humans have shown that betalain, which is also found in beets, can reduce pain and discomfort due to osteoarthritis. Even so, researchers still have to do further research to prove the truth.
4. Improve digestive health
Beets are rich in fiber. This one fruit contains about 3.4 grams of fiber in one cup serving. The fiber content in beets has the benefit of helping food move through the digestive tract, making it easier for you to defecate regularly and avoid various digestive problems.
This is also supported by a study in the journal Nutrients in 2013. The study states that consuming fiber regularly prevents you from experiencing constipation or constipation, intestinal infections, and hemorrhoids.
Not only that, fiber can also help reduce the risk of various diseases, including GERD, stomach acid, colon cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
5. Improve brain health
Increasing age results in decreased brain function or cognitive and mental function. This may occur due to reduced blood and oxygen flow to the brain. If this is not resolved immediately, it is likely that you will develop dementia in old age.
However, you don’t need to worry, because eating beets has benefits for improving brain health and function. The reason is, beets contain nitrates which can improve cognitive and mental function by dilating blood vessels. That way, blood flow to the brain increases again.
In addition, a study shows that beets can increase blood flow to the parts of the brain related to thinking functions, such as making decisions and working memory. Even so, researchers still have to carry out further research to confirm the truth of their findings.
6. Prevent cancer
Beets are one type of fruit that is high in antioxidants, so it can help you prevent cancer. This one disease is classified as fatal and deadly, and usually presents with signs of uncontrolled cell growth and occurs abnormally.
A study shows that beetroot extract can help reduce the growth of tumor cells found in animals. Meanwhile, other studies on human cells have shown that beetroot extracts that contain the pigment betalain can reduce the growth of prostate and breast cancer cells.
However, to prove it, experts still have to do further research regarding the benefits of this one beetroot.
7. Lose weight
If you are running a diet program to lose weight, one of the foods that is suitable for you to consume is beetroot. The reason is, beets have a low calorie content, so they have benefits for weight loss.
In addition, beets contain high fiber and protein. Both of these nutrients have an important role to play in maintaining ideal body weight. That way, it will be easier to reach the target weight you want.
Not only that, the fiber content found in beets provides benefits in reducing appetite and makes you feel full faster. This is especially helpful if you want to reduce your daily calorie intake for weight loss.
8. Overcoming diabetes
Eating beets which are rich in antioxidants can help you lower blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity. Therefore, experts suspect that beets can provide benefits for treating diabetes.
A study in 2021 proved that the antioxidants in beets, namely alpha lipoic acid, can overcome the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. Even so, the doses that were tested in research were still much higher than the doses you would find in beets.
So, experts still have to do further research to determine whether eating beets can show significant results in overcoming the condition.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
https://doi.org/10.2147/NDS.S59042
