Nutrition Facts For Steamed Beets

Steamed beets are not only colorful, but they provide a wide variety of nutrients. When you steam beets instead of boiling or baking them, you preserve more nutrients, making this an ideal way to prepare this vegetable. Like most vegetables, beets can be added to your diet without adding excess calories and fat.

Basic Nutritional Information

A cup of steamed beets provides 80 calories. The calories come from the 18 grams of carbohydrates and 4 g of protein in the beets. Beets are a fat-free food, and they are rich in fiber, providing almost 4 g of this nutrient per serving. With more than 14 g of sugar per serving, beets contain more sugar than many vegetables. However, the sugar in beets will not affect your blood sugar in the same manner as refined sugar, as its effects are mitigated by the fiber that beets provide

Vitamins and Minerals

Steamed beets provide a modest amount of vitamins and minerals. A 1-cup serving of beets provides 1 mg of iron as well as 1/2 mg of zinc and 442 mg of potassium. Combined with other dietary sources, beets can help you to consume the recommended daily amount of these nutrients. Beets also provide small amounts of calcium, B vitamins, magnesium and folate.

Antioxidants

Blueberries, red peppers and other brightly colored foods are known for their high levels of protective antioxidants. Beets, with their bright red color, are no exception to the rule. Researchers in Israel discovered betalains, a type of antioxidant specific to beets. These antioxidants help to keep fats in the blood from oxidizing, and likely protect against diseases that arise due to oxidation stress, according to the October 2001 "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry."

Beet Greens

To dramatically increase the amount of nutrients in your diet, include the greens from the beets in your meal. Beet greens, which can be steamed, boiled or sauteed, are an extremely nutrient-dense food. A 1/2-cup serving has 19 calories, but it provides three times the daily recommended allowance for vitamin K. Beet greens are also rich in vitamin A, magnesium, potassium and the eye-protective nutrient lutein. Serve these greens alongside steamed beets and an entree for an especially colorful meal.