October 9, 2014
by Tony Isaacs
(AlignLife.com) Though many people like to eat beets, a great many others turn up their noses and say “yuck”. However, health-conscious people who shy away from beets would be wise to expand their palette and discover ways to utilize and enjoy them on a regular basis, because the oft-maligned beet is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet.
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Beets are rich in betaine, which stimulates liver cell function and helps keep the bile ducts healthy and flowing so the body can properly eliminate toxins. Beets protect against heart disease because another benefit of betaine is its ability to reduce homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is the toxic amino acid that increases risk of cardiovascular disease.
Betaine, also known as trimethylglycine (TMG), is a mood enhancer. It increases serotonin levels and can be used to help relieve many cases of depression.
Drinking just over two cups of beetroot juice daily may help keep your blood pressure in check, according to a study. Within three hours of drinking 500 milliliters (about 17 ounces) of beetroot juice, volunteers showed a significant decrease in blood pressure. What’s more, that drop in blood pressure was sustained for up to 24 hours after the juice was consumed.
Beets help protect against cancer, particularly colon cancer, and there is something called Beet Therapy which doctors once used to get rid of tumors and to help with blood diseases and leukemia (before masking symptoms with drugs became the fashion). The leaves of raw beets should be eaten along with the root, as they add even more useful and beneficial health benefits. The leaves have been known to counter “garlic” breath, and in Roman times Hippocrates advocated the use of beet leaves as binding for healing wounds.
Among the other healthy uses of beets are:
Helping cleanse the colon
Strengthening the gall bladder
Increasing stamina
Treating and curing boils, abscesses and acne
Beets, which are low calorie and have no saturated fat, contain folate which is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells. This is especially important for pregnant women or anyone undergoing physical healing. Beets also contain critical minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and phosphorous.