Beets are often a forgotten vegetable. Like carrots or turnips, beets are a root vegetable. Cooking them naturally is fairly easy, but when you are short on time, canned beets are convenient. Canned vegetables usually contain additional concentrations of sodium and other preservatives, but they are still beneficial for your health.
Calories
The recommended serving size for canned beets is a half cup. Each half-cup serving of canned beets contains 35 calories. This is not a significant amount compared with the average consumption of daily calories, which is usually 2,000 calories per day.
Sodium
Sodium is actually a necessary component of good health. It assists with electrical functioning of your heart and other bodily systems. MayoClinic.com recommends limiting your sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. If you have been diagnosed with heart disease or high blood pressure, it is recommended that you limit your intake of sodium to 1,500 mg per day. One serving of canned beets contains 300 mg of sodium.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide your body with a nutritional source of energy. Some fruits and vegetables contain healthy carbs. In terms of diet, MayoClinic.com says you can consume 225 to 325 g of carbs if you consume 2,000 calories per day. One serving of canned beets contains 8 g of carbs. This is not a significant amount, but it does contribute positively to your carb intake.
Sugar
Like most nutrients, some sugar is appropriate in a healthy diet. Your body processes sugar and maintains a supply of glucose in the body. The American Heart Association recommends that women limit their intake of sugar to 30 g of sugar per day. If you are a man, you should limit your intake of sugar to 45 g per day. One serving of canned beets contains 6 g of sugar.
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