The Humble Raw Beetroot Food or Medicine

Posted by Raelle Connolly on 7 January 2010 | 0 Comments

Tags: raw food, medicine, lowers blood pressure, detox, anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogens

Today I would like to tell you about the benefits of the humble beetroot.

Beetroot heralds as one of the top cases for "Food be our Medicine"

In Juice, salad or soup, the beetroot  is an important part of any health regime.

Hippocrates advocated the use of beet leaves as binding wounds. It has been used as an aphrodisiac and to treat fevers & constipation by the Romans. In the middle ages it was used to cleanse and strengthen the blood. The signature of nature tells us that the beetroot is good for the blood the beetroot bleeds dark red blood when cut.

Modern research shows the beetroot as a powerful medicine, beetroot juice can be very helpful in lowering blood pressure, drinking beet juice every day will keep your blood pressure down as well as cleanse the blood of toxins. It is good for the liver and aids in detoxification. Beetroot also has been used for many years as a cancer treatment, it contains specific anti-carcinogens which are bound in the red pigments helps fight against cancer. Beetroot is an anti-oxidant fighting the free-radicals and is anti-aging, It  increases the uptake of oxygen in your blood by as high as 400 % this in itself will increase energy.

This makes beetroot a super food and a  medicine. Eating it RAW is the best way to get the full nutrient value of this wonderful little dynamo of a vegetable. Beetroot is know as food for the bowels those suffering from constipation,  irritable bowel syndrome, crohns or just bloating eating raw beetroot juice or grated beets will get great benefits as it soothes and protects the bowel. The beet greens are also very nutrient rich they contain beta- carotene and other carotenoids these function as anti-oxidants. They also contain vitamin C, iron, potassium and folate.

So add some of the raw beet tops to a green salad or you can pop some in with your smoothes.

Beetroot is easy to grow they grow all year round and  like a sunny position with well drained soil.

The best way to eat beetroot is raw, here are just a few  ways to prepare the humble delicious beetroot.

Beetroot and Carrot Treat

2 Small Beetroot scrubbed [no need to peel]

1 Carrot

1/4 cup of Goji Berries soaked for 30 min in small amount of water.

1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp of Coriander seeds

2 tbs. of Flaxseed oil

Grate carrots and beetroot combine with soaked goji berries, 

Mix flaxseed oil with seeds and pour over and mix well, chill or serve immediately. This is a winner, so yummy.

Variation: Try grating an apple instead of a carrot and add some raisins.

NB  This keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days

 

Ginger Beets

2 cups finely grated raw beets

2 tsp grated fresh ginger root

1 Tbsp maple syrup [optional]

1 Tbsp tamari

1 tsp lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine the beets, ginger,maple syrup, tamari

and lemon juice: toss.

Let the flavors blend for a few minutes before serving.

 

Beetroot Juice

1 medium size raw beetroot.

2 Medium size carrots

2/3 sticks of celery [optional]

1/2 cup of crushed ice [Optional]

Wash and or scrub all vegetables, juice in a juice extractor, and serve.

NB This should be consumed with in 12 hours of making for optimum nutrition

Beetroot Soup

1 cup finely grated raw beets

1 red pepper, cut in to chunks

1/2 lemon peeled seeded and chopped

1 Tbsp Nama Shoyu [ or tamari]

1/3 cup raw tahini

1 tsp paprika

Water

In a blender combine the red pepper, lemon, and nama shoyu blend until smooth.

Add the beets, blend.

Add the tahini, paprika and enough water to achieve desired consistency.

Yields approximately 1 1/2 cups.

This can also be a dressing or sauce.

 

Well I hope these 4 recipes will inspire you to include much more beetroot in you diet. There are many other ways of eating beetroot but I suggest that you eat it Raw.