Organic beets, beet juice and beat leaves provide many health benefits to the body. Beets belong to the chenopod family which also include chard, spinach and quinoa. This food family continues to show an increasing number of health benefits not readily available from other food families.
Mikhail Tombak, Ph.D., a Russian longevity researcher, found that beet juice improves blood structure and can actually cure diseases of the circulatory system, large intestine, and digestive system. Dr. Tombak also found that beet juice dissolves stones in the liver, kidneys and bladder. Beets have been found to increase the body`s production of glutathione, commonly called our master antioxidant. Researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine have discovered that drinking just 500 ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure.
Beets have been shown to fight inflammation. Studies suggest that beets can help lower your risk for heart failure and stroke, and provide impressive benefits for your brain, largely due to their high nitrate content. The body converts nitrates into nitric oxide, which boosts oxygenation and is beneficial to the circulatory and immune systems.
Organic Beets and Alzheimer’s Disease
At the 2018 American Chemical Society’s meeting in New Orleans new research was given claiming that beets might be a dynamic ally in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported:
“First they examined the possible cause of the condition. Although it’s unknown, doctors have previously pinpointed beta-amyloid, a sticky protein that can disrupt communication between the brain cells and neurons. When it clings to metals, such as copper or iron, the beta-amyloid peptides misfold and clump together, causing inflammation and oxidation.
Therefore, the scientists targeted foods known to improve oxygen flow and cognitive functions, including beets. The purple veggie has a compound called betanin that binds to metals, which could prevent the misfold of the peptides. To test their hypothesis, the scientists measured oxidation levels of the beta-amyloid when it was mixed with a betanin mixture, and they found that oxidation decreased by up to 90 percent exposed to the beet compound.
Coauthor of the study, Darrell Cole Cerrato, notes: “We can’t say that betanin stops the misfolding [of amyloid beta] completely, but we can say that it reduces oxidation. Less oxidation could prevent misfolding to a certain degree, perhaps even to the point that it slows the aggregation of beta-amyloid peptides …”
Cerrato also notes that this study is yet another piece of information people can use to improve their eating habits and lower their risk of disease:
“In an age where people are trying to look more at what they’re consuming and what they’re eating … this is another source of data people can use … [W]e’re trying to get you to do the same thing your mother was trying to get you to do when you were a kid, which is eat your vegetables … I think this will be a good step forward in looking at how we can preventatively treat Alzheimer’s.”
Why Buy Organic Beets
Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients. When you buy organic beets you can feel better eating both the root and its green top knowing they haven’t been exposed to hazardous chemicals, and that they haven’t been genetically modified. Moreover, supporting organic farmers means you are contributing to more sustainable practices.
In March of 2005, genetically modified sugar beets appeared on the US market for the first time. Crafted by Monsanto to include a gene from a soil bacterium, this GM beet was able to withstand a copious onslaught of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide (glyphosate). The agricultural industry could spray as much of the weed-killer as it wanted without impacting crops. Currently, Monsanto’s GM sugar beets make up 95 percent of the US crop, having been planted year after year despite a US District Court injunction against planting and even a ruling by US District Court Judge Jeffrey White that the 2011 crop be destroyed due to illegal deregulation. Sugar Beets are listed in the Top 10 Genetically Modified Crops.
26 Benefits of Organic Beets
- low in calories
- supports liver function
- source of anthycyanins, carotenoids & lutein/zeaxanthin
- supports healthy cholesterol & triglyceride levels
- supports healthy homocysteine levels
- rich in B vitamin folate
- contains betacyaninis
- rich in fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper & phosphorus
- may help lower blood pressure
- supports eye health
- contains pectin polysaccharides for digestive tract health
- boosts stamina
- beet leaves are rich in nutrients
- fights inflammation
- natural colon cleanser
- supports capillaries
- rich in potassium
- leaves good for wounds
- purifier of the blood
- creates a sense of well-being
- used as a stomach acid tester
- no saturated fat
- anti-cancer properties
- immune system booster
- promotes brain health
- increases glutathione levels
Organic Beets-Carrot-Grape Fresh Juice Recipe
2 to 4 servings | Use Organic Ingredients
Ingredients
5 small organic beets (include some leaves)
2 cups seedless black or red grapes
1 large carrot
Instructions
Trim & wash beets thoroughly. Cut beets & carrot into 2-inch pieces Process all ingredients in a juice extractor.
Research
A. J. Webb, N. Patel, S. Loukogeorgakis, M. Okorie, Z. Aboud, S. Misra, R. Rashid, P. Miall, J. Deanfield, N. Benjamin, R. MacAllister, A. J. Hobbs, A. Ahluwalia. Acute Blood Pressure Lowering, Vasoprotective, and Antiplatelet Properties of Dietary Nitrate via Bioconversion to Nitrite. Hypertension, 2008; 51 (3): 784 DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.103523
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49
Can We Live 150 Years?, Mikhail Tombak, Ph.D.
Green America – How Monsanto Beets Green Larger than the Law
ACS.org 255th National Meeting
Medicine News Line March 20, 2018
