Red beets, or Beta vulgaris, are the horticultural descendants of a plant which grows wild across the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Beets are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals that can affect the digestive system in a number of positive ways. Red beets also provide a useful tool for testing how well your digestive system is functioning.
Fiber
Beets are high in both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Both kinds of dietary fiber aid in digestion and have other beneficial health effects. Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive track effectively unchanged, adding bulk that helps move other food through the intestines. Soluble fiber attracts water to the intestinal track and helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Both forms of dietary fiber help create a sense of fullness and satiety without adding calories to the diet.
Raw Beets
Raw foods, or foods that have not been heated to about 116 degrees Fahrenheit, contain a wealth of enzymes that enhance digestion, according to certified raw chef Jillian Love of the University of California Berkeley. Raw beets are one of the top vegetables for nutritious raw eating, according to Bastyr University. Slice beet tissue thin, or cut them into thin matchsticks, then either toss them with salad or marinade them in a vinaigrette to add low-calorie nutrients and color to the diet while aiding digestion and overall health.
Folate
Beets are high in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps prevent anemia. Folate deficiency can cause serious problems with a developing fetus during pregnancy. In non-pregnant adults, folate deficiency may cause digestive disorders and lack of appetite, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Folic acid supplements present a danger of overdose, but folate-rich foods like beets are not associated with any negative health consequences. Fresh beets are higher in folate than canned beets, according to the University of Maine Extension.
Transit Time
The intense natural red color in beets can lend a distinct red hue to stool, which is ordinarily a light brown color in healthy adults. This trait can be used to test digestive track transit time, or the time it takes between consuming food and its elimination, according to James Heffley, health columnist for "The Austin Chronicle." Eat some red beets, alone or with a meal, and make note of the time. Then make note of what time the reddish beet color appears in your stool. The elapsed time should be between 18 and 24 hours in a healthy digestive system. Consult your physician to determine what changes in diet or medication should be made if your transit time for red beets is longer or significantly shorter than this.
References
- "The Austin Chronicle"; To Your Health; James Heffley PhD; October 2002
- Bastyr University; "Super Seven" Guide for Eating More Raw Vegetables; Leah Goldstein et al.; June 2011
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension; Beets and Beet Greens; Kathleen Savoie et al.
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension: First Beets Yielded Only Greens
- University of Illinois Extension: Beet
- University of California Berkeley; Raw Food Chef Night; Jillian Love
