The Little-Known Health Benefits of BEETS

These vibrant root vegetables are high in minerals, antioxidants, and plant chemicals that are extremely useful to human health. They're one of the healthiest foods for maintaining a healthy blood pressure level, and they might even help you live longer.

Top health benefits of Beets 

Nutrients (and a powerful set of compounds) 

Beets include nearly all of the vitamins and minerals your body requires to function. They're particularly high in folate, manganese, copper, magnesium, potassium, and iron, among other critical elements.

Folate is a B vitamin that isn't given enough attention. It is required for the production of red and white blood cells in the bone marrow, as well as DNA and RNA. It's necessary at all phases of life, but it's especially critical during periods of rapid growth, such as childhood, puberty, and pregnancy.

Along with folate and many other nutrients, beets also contain highly beneficial compounds known as nitrates.

Beets have a great impact on blood pressure 

Beets have gotten a lot of attention in research studies because of their ability to help decrease blood pressure. 

The nitrates in beets, according to most studies, are substantially responsible for this effect. As previously stated, they are converted to nitric oxide in your body. 

Nitric oxide, once converted, has vasodilatory properties, which means it helps your blood vessels enlarge or open, allowing more blood to flow through them. As a result, blood pressure decreases and circulation improves. simply drinking beetroot juice can significantly lower blood pressure.

Natural Inflammation Fighters 

Beets, like many other fruits, vegetables, and herbs, help to reduce inflammation in the body. They do so mostly because to the presence of betalains, which are potent pigment molecules with anti-inflammatory qualities.

If you want to live a healthy life, you must control chronic inflammation. It's becoming more related to a variety of life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, liver disease, stroke, diabetes, and others. Consuming beets and beet juice is one way to fight this type of inflammation.

Support Memory and Cognitive Function 

Beets are an excellent brain food. This is due, once again, to the high concentration of nitrates in the roots.

Nitric oxide is formed when nitrates are converted to nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and improves circulation. This is great for your heart (as you probably already know), but it also implies better blood flow to your brain.

Reduced blood supply to the brain has been linked to cognitive decline in studies. It may possibly play a role in the development of neurological illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer's. Beets and nitric oxide have a lot of potential to help protect your brain as you become older.

Beetroot juice was revealed to have a distinct effect on the frontal lobe of the brain in previous experiments. This is the portion of the brain that is involved in working memory, decision-making, and other higher-order thinking processes.

May Boost Eye Health 

Because of the presence of carotenoids, beets may have health benefits for safeguarding your vision.

Carotenoids are pigment-like compounds found in vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are three of the most well-known.

Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which is a potent nutrient in and of itself and required for good vision. Other carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin, protect your retina and lens from light damage and UV radiation, which can lead to macular degeneration.

Beta-carotene and lutein are two carotenoids found in beets. However, because the leaves and stems of the plant are far higher in carotenoids than the roots, you would gain more from eating them in this situation.

It's also worth noting that nitric oxide plays a function in eye health. Because this chemical is involved in eye pressure, blood flow, and other functions, its underproduction can lead to a variety of eye disorders. As a result, it's likely that beetroot can help those with nitric oxide deficiency. 

Antioxidant properties that contribute to longevity

There's one more group of compounds in beets that we haven't talked about yet: antioxidants.

Beets have a high concentration of health-promoting antioxidants, as shown by their vivid color. Indeed, some of the molecules we've already discussed, such as betalains and beta-carotene, are potent antioxidants in the human body.

These antioxidants, in addition to nitric oxide, contribute to many of the previously mentioned benefits: reduced inflammation, improved heart health, increased cognitive function, and so on.

Antioxidant-rich foods, such as beets, also provide a larger, cumulative benefit in the form of longeivity.

Longevity isn't just about living longer when it comes to health. It's also about living better and feeling more energized, regardless of your age. Many factors play a role in promoting lifespan, but antioxidants are especially important for physical health.

The bottom line is that eating more antioxidant-filled foods (like beets) will help you to feel healthier and live longer.