Anciently regarded as the "jewel" in the vegetable kingdom, Beets (beetroot) aren’t just the sweetest of all vegetables, they're loaded with powerhouse nutrients and minerals that can stave off disease and help you experience the best of health.

Delicious and super versatile, especially if you’re willing to get creative, here we highlight the incredible health benefits of beetroot and why this bright red vegetable should be a dietary staple.

The Broad Health Benefits of Beets Include:

• Prevents kidney stones
• Prevents gallstones
• Strengthens bones
• Lowers blood pressure
• Prevents jaundice
• Prevents cancer
• Fights kidney and bladder disorders
• Improves heart health
• Helps prevent anaemia 

For the wide range of health promoting qualities that beets provide, here we zero in what we regard as the top five:

1. Helps Prevent Kidney Stones

If you want to cut your risk of getting kidney stones, fill your diet with potassium-rich foods such as beet root, including the leaves.

Potassium helps nullify the formation of kidney stones by preventing your urine from becoming too acidic, which is the main way that kidney stones can form. 

Pair eating or juicing fresh beets with drinking plenty of water daily, and you won’t have to worry about kidney stones again. 

Learn more in Top Whole Foods for Healthy Kidneys.

2. Strengthens Bones 

As you get older, osteoporosis is a real concern. This disease causes your bones to become weak and brittle, making you more prone to breaks or fractures, which can be difficult to heal as you get older.  

Beetroots are rich in nutrients that strengthen your bones, putting you at less risk of developing osteoporosis and arthritic conditions. The red roots of beets are rich in three key nutrients that support bone strength:  potassium, magnesium and beta-carotene.   

As is the case with most diseases, prevention is certainly the key with osteoporosis, so start protecting your bones as early as you can by making smart dietary choices that includes beetroots regularly to support healthy, strong bones. 

3. Helps Prevent Cancer

Beets are loaded with folate, which is one of the B vitamins.

This essential nutrient serves many functions in the body, from cell growth to preventing disease. This is why one of the most powerful nutrient benefits of beets, is that they can actually help prevent and lessen your risk for cancer. 

It was previously thought that women who regularly drink alcohol, were more likely to get breast cancer. But, according to a recent study of almost 90,000 women, a high daily intake of folate lowers that risk. 

In addition to folate, beets are high in beta-carotene.

Several studies suggest that a diet rich in carotenoids, like beta-carotene, can also help prevent lung cancer and prostate cancer. No matter your age or current state of health, eating whole foods to help prevent cancer is always a good idea, and beets definitely fall into that category. 

Learn more in Top Cancer-Fighting Foods & Lifestyle Practices. 

4. Boosts Heart Health

The folate in beets also help lower levels of homocysteine in your blood. Homocysteine is an animal protein metabolism that can damage and narrow your arteries, which may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

By eating beets every day, you can help ensure your heart stays healthy and strong, especially if you don’t follow a plant-based diet. 

5. Controls Blood Pressure 

Another of the incredible health benefits of beets is that they’re high in potassium, which is one of the most important minerals in the human body.

Potassium helps with everything from muscle contractions to heart function, and can help prevent osteoporosis and stroke, among other things. 

Eating Beetroot and other whole foods that are high in potassium helps control your blood pressure. By keeping your potassium levels up, your blood pressure will naturally stay down, without the need for medication or interference. 

Important Tip: Whilst canned beets are definitely easier and more convenient, they’re not quite as good for you as fresh whole beets that you'll source at your local markets.  Fresh beets have at least twice as much potassium, folate and other nutrients as the canned ones. Luckily, it’s easy to roast and bake beets, or to juice them raw or finely slice them into your favourite salads.

Learn more in Hypertensive? How to Lower Blood Pressure With Whole Foods.  

Other Ways to Enjoy Beetroot:

• Beet leaves, especially when small, crisp and fresh, are delicious and nutritious. Instead of tossing them in the garbage, trim off the tough part of the stem that hangs below the leaf. Heat up a few splashes of olive oil into a frying pan and then sauté the leaves until they are soft.  Add a little sea salt and enjoy as a meal accompaniment.
• For a new twist on a green salad, toss in some beet leaves (just make sure to wash them thoroughly and trim off their tough stems). 
• Shred fresh beets onto a salad or as a fresh side dish on their own with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh cracked pepper.
• Pickle your own beets with cabbage for a homemade probiotic-rich sauerkraut to add to sandwiches.
• Slice them up and make beet chips in the oven for a healthy snack food. 
• Juice them raw with apples, lemons, carrots and ginger for a refreshing fresh, nutritious juice.

A simple way to get more beets into your diet is to get your hands on our super convenient, CABALA Raw Juice Powder for those days when you're short on time and need a nutrient boost.

Rich in vitamins and minerals, CABALA is to have in the cupboard at home so that you don’t have to sacrifice your health for a busy schedule.

CABALA is an acronym for: Carrots, Apples, Beets, Lemons & Apple.

It’s a great way to get a range of nutrients into your body in one delicious and convenient juice. 

The Main Takeaway

If you’ve been wary of or intimidated by beetroot in the past as a dietary staple, it’s time to embrace this whole wonder food to support all round healthy function.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the versatility and how different beets can taste from dish to dish, when you consciously incorporate them into your weekly meal plan.

The incredible health benefits of beets are endless, but their power to prevent bone disease and cancer alone should be enough to convince you to make this veggie a regular 'must' as part of your diet and self care routine. 

Tolman Self Care.