Beet Roots

Beet RootsWe have all seen our mothers and grandmothers talk about the all important root  beetroot.The purplish-red root is a well know antidote for anemia in many Indian households. With the Romans relying on it to maintain their sexual health to Indians using it to treat conditions likeanemia and fatigue, the humble beetroot has been known to have multiple benefits. Here are some reasons you should include them into your diet: Helps reduce blood pressure: According to the British Heart foundation, eating vegetables rich in nitrates could help reduce blood pressure drastically. Read why you need to reduce your blood pressure.This statement was backed up by research done at the Queen Marys University in the year 2010. The research studied the relationship between beetroot and its effect on ones blood pressure. Beetroot is a great source of nitrates, which when consumed, is converted to nitrites and a gas called nitric oxides. Both these components help to widen the arteries and lower blood pressure. Researchers also found that having just about 500 grams of beetrootevery day reduces a persons blood pressure in about six hours. Another important effect ofbeetroot was that on consumption, the higher the persons blood pressure the greater the drop. Read simple tips to include beetroot in your diet. Prevents plaque formation and reduces bad cholesterol: Beetroot is known to contain large amounts of soluble fibres, flavanoids and betacyanin. Betacyanin is the compound that gives beetroot its purplish-red color and is also a powerful antioxidant. It helps reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and does not allow it to deposit on the walls of the artery. This protects the heart from potential heart attacks and stroke reducing the need for medication.Is great for pregnant mums: Another amazing quality of the root is that it has an abundant supply of folic acid. Folic acid is important for pregnant mums and unborn babies because it is an essential component for the proper formation of the unborn childs spinal cord, and can protect the child from conditions such as spina bifida (is a congenital disorder where the childs spinal cord does not form completely and in most cases looks like it has been divided into two at the base). Beetroot also gives mums-to-be that extra energy boost required during pregnancy. Read more about why women need folic acid during pregnancy.Beats osteoporosis: Beetroot is packed with mineral silica, an important component for the body to use calcium efficiently. Since calcium makes up our bones and teeth, having a glass of beetroot juice a day could help keep conditions such as osteoporosis and brittle bone disease at bay. Heres some information on how you can prevent osteoporosis. Keeps diabetes under check: For all you diabetics out there, fulfill your sweet craving with a little beetroot. Since it contains sugars, is fat free, low in calories and has a medium glycaemic index it is just what the doctor ordered. A medium glycaemic index means that it releases sugars very slowly into the blood. This property helps keep a persons blood sugarlevels low while satiating that sugar craving.