Beets

What is a beetroot?

The vibrant beetroot is a healthy and versatile accompaniment to many meals. Grate and use raw in salads, or roast, boil and steam and serve as a nutritious side dish to accompany meat and fish. Cultivated from the wild beets found around the coasts of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, beetroot is native to the Mediterranean. The early Romans only used the leaves of beetroot, although in our time it is the root that is most often eaten. The Eastern and Central Europeans love their borscht – a thick soup of cooked beetroots blended with water and other vegetables and spiked with vinegar. Richer versions include meat and dumplings.

Varieties

The standard large varieties of beetroot are usually not identified by name. Beetroot skin color can range from intense dark red/purple to pale red. Baby beetroot is picked, usually between May and November, when it is the size of a golf ball. New, hybrid beetroot varieties have gold or white skin or red skin with white stripes.

Why beetroot is good to eat?

• Beetroot is a good source of vitamin C, iron, folate and magnesium.
• It is also a great source of dietary fiber.
• The intense red color of beetroot is due to betacyanin – an antioxidant that is important for a healthy heart
• Energy – 100 g of cooked beetroot has about 200 kJ.

How are they grown and harvested?

Beetroot is easy to grow and seeds (or seedlings) can be planted year round. It grows best in cool conditions and you should water the plant frequently so the core of the beetroot does not become woody and dry. For best-tasting and tender beetroot, start harvesting when the roots are golf ball to tennis ball size. This is usually around 70 days after sowing the seedlings or 90 days after sowing the seeds. When you harvest, place a gardening fork under the root and lift while gently holding the top of the beetroot.

Choosing beetroot

Look for beetroot that are smooth-skinned, without splits around the top. Old, dry-looking beetroot will taste woody and won’t have very good flavor. You should select those with fresh stems and leaves that are not wilted or damaged.

How to store and keep beetroot

The leaves and stems of beetroot should be used within two days of buying. Trim the top of the beetroot, wipe away excess dirt, and place the roots of the plant in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. They will last for up to two weeks when stored this way.

Fun Facts

• Beet juice is widely used as a “natural” dye to give pink or red coloration to processed foods.
• The color of beet roots can range from dark purple to bright red, yellow, and white. When cut transversely, the roots show light and dark rings, sometimes alternating.
• The Chioggia beet is red and white-striped and nicknamed the “candy cane” beet.
• Beets have the highest sugar content of any vegetable.
• Small beets (about a half-inch in diameter) are good for eating raw. Medium and large-sized beets are best for cooking. Very large beets (more than three inches in diameter) may be too woody for eating.

10 Ways to Enjoy Beets

• Bake ‘em! Cut off the green tops, leaving an inch of the stem to prevent bleeding and flavor loss. Scrub beets, wrap them in foil, and bake at 400°F for 45-90 minutes, depending on size.

• Eat the Leaves! Add beet leaves to salad greens for some additional vitamins and minerals.

• Beet Juice? … Really? Yes! Just add some 100% orange or 100% apple juice as well. Use a juicer and combine the juice of a small beet with 1 cup of  the apple juice and/or orange juice.

• Soup. Add beets and their leaves to homemade vegetable soup or minestrone. Clean and slice the beet into small pieces before adding to the soup.

• Stir-Fry. Add sliced beets and their leaves to your favorite stir-fry veggie combo. If desired, mix in your meat of choice and enjoy.

• Microwave Them! Place 2 to 3 small beets in a small amount of water and microwave for 8-15 minutes or until soft.

• A Quick Snack Shaker. Pour sliced beets from a can (drain about 1/2 of the liquid) into a bowl you can cover. Add red wine vinegar and a little bit of olive oil and oregano. Cover and shake. Serve as a side dish or snack.

• Couscous. It’s always fun to add new things to an old standby.

• Beet Kabob. Add beets along with other vegetables to skewers and heat thoroughly on the grill.

• A Bit O’ Bitter. Top off a salad with these bitter vegetables for a new and interesting twist. Just dice and toss!

Did you know…

• you can eat the whole beet plant! Beet tops (leaves) are cooked or served fresh as greens and are an excellent source of vitamin A. The roots may be pickled for salads or cooked whole, then sliced or diced. They can be eaten raw or cooked and are a good source of vitamin C.
• young or small beets are best raw while medium and large-sized beets are better when cooked.
• you should store the leaves and roots separately. Remove leaves, leaving about an inch of the stems. Store roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Wash before cooking.
• red beets can stain your skin! Beets are deep red or white in color. Sugar is produced from one variety (Sugar Beets) and the red color is used in food coloring. When peeling beets wear disposable gloves to avoid staining.

Keto scale Beets

W8MD's Ketometer rating scale zero to 10.

• Lower the number, better it is on a keto or low carb diet
• Net carbs is calculated by total carbohydrates minus fiber

Also see carb counter

Wursthall beet salad.jpg

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External links

Nutrition lookup (USDA)

Nutritional information on Beets

NB:Carbohydrate, by difference(total carbs-fiber) is also called net carbs