What we know as the vegetable beetroot is a beet (Binomial name : Beta vulgaris) variety with a edible red color tuber. Betalain pigments present in the cell vacuoles of beetroot are responsible for this distinctive red color.
Beetroots are said to be rich in betaine, a nutriant good for cardiovascular health. Betaine help reduce the homocysteine concentration which is harmful to blood vessels which can cause heart strokes and diseases.
Beetroots are also rich in ‘boron’, an element helping in the production process of certain human sex hormones.
Several studies have shown the ability of beetroot juice to increase your stamina, enabling people to exercise for longer periods of time. The nitrates contain in beetroot is the reason for this. The amount of oxygen burned by the body when exercising is reduced by nitrate turning into nitric-oxide, making exercise less tiring.
Nutritional value of Beetroot
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Energy - 180 kJ (43 kcal)
- Carbohydrates - 9.56 g
- Sugars - 6.76 g
- Dietary fiber - 2.8 g
- Fat - 0.17 g
- Protein - 1.61 g
- Vitamin A equiv – 0. 2 μg
- Thiamine (Vit. B1) - 0.031 mg
- Riboflavin (Vit. B2) - 0.04 mg
- Niacin (Vit. B3) - 0.334 mg
- Pantothenic acid (B5) - 0.155 mg
- Vitamin B6 - 0.067 mg
- Folate (Vit. B9) 109 μg
- Vitamin C 4.9 mg
- Calcium 16 mg
- Iron .80 mg
- Magnesium 23 mg
- Phosphorus 40 mg
- Potassium 325 mg (7%)
- Zinc .35 mg (3%)