What Are The Benefits Of Eating & Drinking Beets?

The leaves of beets were originally consumed, while the roots were used for medicinal purposes only. This colorful vegetable, native to the Mediterranean, may be orange, white, dark red or candy-striped. Among potential benefits, beets and beet juice may help destroy disease-causing free radicals and aid in the fight against some cancers and viruses.

Nutrition

Beets and beet juice are rich sources of beneficial nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, folate, and betaine. Beets also contain copper, iron, fiber and folate as well as lesser amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B6, riboflavin, beta carotene and other nutrients. Raw beets or beet juice purportedly provide optimal nutrition. To a somewhat lesser degree, nutrients can also be obtained through boiling, baking, roasting or microwaving.

In addition, fresh leaves can be boiled or microwaved to make a nutritious salad. To make a healthy beet juice, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz recommends mixing one beet, one large carrot, fresh parsley and one apple in a blender or juicer.

Antioxidants

The antioxidants in beet juice may help destroy naturally- and environmentally-occurring free radicals -- suspected culprits in cancer and other diseases. A study published in the October 2002 edition of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" observed the effects of beet root extracts on scavenging free-radicals. Researchers discovered that a plant pigment in beet juice, called betacyanin, acts as an antioxidant to purportedly eliminate free radicals. In addition, beets contain the well-known antioxidant vitamin C.

Anticarcinogenic

Beet root may help in the fight against cancer. An investigation published in the journal "Cancer Letters" examined the effects of beet root on cancerous tumors in the lungs and on the skin of mice. Scientists determined that beet root inhibited tumor growth and concluded that their overall findings suggest that beet root can be one potential way to fight cancer. However, additional scientific studies on humans are needed to conclusively prove the effectiveness of beet root in the treatment or prevention of cancer.

Antiviral

The Epstein-Barr virus belongs to the herpes-virus family and commonly occurs worldwide. Though usually appearing mildly in young children, Epstein-Barr causes infectious mononucleosis in 35 to 50 percent of the cases seen in adolescents or young adults living in developed countries such as the United States, according to a May 2006 report by the National Center for Infectious Diseases.

In addition to its cancer-related findings, the study appearing in the February 1996 edition of "Cancer Letters" also cited research observations of beet-root extract on the Epstein-Barr virus. Researchers discovered that beet root produced "a high order of activity" against the virus when compared to capsanthin, or paprika oleoresin, cranberry and red onion skin as well as short and long red bell peppers.