Beets are a red root vegetable grown and distributed in more than a dozen states in North America. In the "Encyclopedia of Healing Juices," John Heinerman Ph.D. writes that the vitamins in beets help detoxify the blood by replenishing minerals and natural sugars. The beta-carotene in beets are known to protect liver cells and stimulate function. A 2002 study by Kirk Parkin of the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that beets might help prevent cancer.
Folate
Beets contain nearly 35 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of folate. Folate is a B vitamin that occurs naturally in foods. The Office of Dietary Supplements reports that folate helps produce and maintain new cells, especially during infancy and pregnancy.
Folate is needed to make DNA and helps prevent changes that could lead to dangerous illnesses, including cancer. Children and adults need folate to make normal red blood cells. It is an essential vitamin for regulating the metabolism and maintaining normal levels of amino acids in the blood. The recommended dietary intake of folate for children is between 150 to 400 international units per day, and 400 IU daily for adults above the age of 18.
Vitamin C
Beets have about 10 to 15 percent of the RDA of vitamin C--an essential vitamin that naturally occurs in beets--according to WHFoods. Humans need vitamin C to regulate certain neurotransmitters in the brain, it helps metabolize proteins and, according to the ODS, it plays a vital role helping heal wounds. The RDA for vitamin C in children is between 40 mg and 75 mg; for adults, the RDA is 75 mg daily.
Beta Carotene
A half-cup of boiled beets has 18 g of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, which is a highly pigmented compound found naturally in fruits, grains, oils and vegetables, including beets.
Beta-carotene is easily converted into vitamin A, which is needed for healthy bone development, explains the MayoClinic.com. Beta-carotene also has powerful antioxidant properties, which protects the body from free radicals--organisms responsible for aging, tissue damage and more. The ODS reports consuming 3 to 6 mg of beta-carotene daily will maintain levels of the vitamin in the blood.
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