Organic beets, beet juice, and beat leaves provide many health benefits to the body. Beets belong to the chenopod family, including chard, spinach, and quinoa. This food family shows an increasing number of health benefits not readily available from other food families. Specifically, the benefits of organic beets are many, which qualifies organic beets as a powerhouse of nutrients for your health.
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 discovered that beet juice dissolves stones in the liver, kidneys, and bladder. Beets increase the body’s glutathione production, 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 are 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, primarily due to their high nitrate content. The body converts nitrates into nitric oxide, which boosts oxygenation and benefits the circulatory and immune systems.
Organic Beets for Detoxification
Beets contain various nutrients that make them very beneficial for detoxification — especially for your liver, digestive system, and kidneys. One of my favorite natural detox foods, organic beets, contain a group of antioxidants called betalains which are superb for liver detoxification and support. Beets also contain betaine which helps to decrease liver inflammation. Antioxidants in beets support the liver’s phase 2 detoxification pathway, which is heavily nutrient-dependent. During this phase 2 detoxification, the liver adds extra chemicals such as glycine to toxic chemicals previously processed in phase one detoxification to make them innocuous. This phase makes the toxins water-soluble, allowing easy excretion and removal from the body. Beets also stimulate lymphatic flow and aid in increasing oxygen by cleansing the blood. Beets also improve enzymatic activity. In addition, beets are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, vitamin B folate, fiber, potassium, and manganese. Some health benefits you might experience from the detoxification ability of beets include reduced blood pressure, reduced inflammation, enhanced stamina, and increased liver function.
RELATED: Liver Detox Juice Recipe – Carrot, Beet, Apple Celery
Organic Beets and Alzheimer’s Disease
At the 2018 American Chemical Society’s meeting in New Orleans, new research claimed 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.”
Beets, Nitric Oxide, and Blood Pressure
Beets are rich in natural chemicals called nitrates. Through a chain reaction, your body changes nitrates into nitric oxide, which can help with blood flow and blood pressure. A 2014 study showed that drinking one 250-ml glass of beetroot juice per day may lower blood pressure.
According to one particular study that included 38 adults, taking a beetroot juice supplement increased nitric oxide levels by 21% after just 45 minutes (R).
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that the juice lowers blood pressure (R).
Another study showed that drinking 3.4 ounces (100 ml) of fresh beetroot juice (organic is always best) notably increased nitric oxide levels in both men and women (R).
A study comparing beet juice to cooked beets found that both lowered blood pressure, but raw beet juice reduced several additional markers of inflammation such as hs-CRP more than cooked beets (R). In addition, beet juice was better at lowering cholesterol levels.
Nitric oxide works in the body as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neurotransmitter, and vasodilator. It also helps to promote memory and learning, protects against sun damage and skin cancer, increases arousal in both men and women, and regulates digestive enzymes and hormones.
In a 2015 study reported in the journal Circulation, Coggan and colleagues reported that giving beet juice to nine patients with heart failure increased the nitric oxide levels in their breath by as much as 50 percent and their knee muscle power by as much as 11 percent — measured with a dynamometer. That difference could improve patients’ quality of life by enabling them to perform day-to-day activities such as getting out of a chair more easily. Researchers are now looking at the potential therapeutic benefits of dietary nitrate in senior adults and those who have diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. (R)
Unfortunately, cooking, boiling, steaming, broiling, baking, and blanching can destroy the nitrates necessary for nitric oxide production, but maybe not as much as we’ve been told. To obtain the most effective benefits of nitric oxide, beets should be consumed raw or freshly juiced.
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 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 could withstand a copious onslaught of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide (glyphosate). The agricultural industry could spray as much 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 anthocyanins, carotenoids & lutein/zeaxanthin
- promotes 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 Raw Juice Recipe
2 to 4 servings | Use Organic Ingredients
Ingredients
5 small organic beets (including some leaves)
2 cups organic seedless black or red grapes
One large organic carrot
Instructions
Trim & wash beets thoroughly. Cut beets & carrot into 2-inch pieces Process all ingredients in a raw juice extractor.
Organic Beets for Better Blood Pressure
Fresh organic beet juice is not the only vegetable juice that increases nitric oxide levels in the blood vessels and helps them relax — this relaxation is most likely a large part of how beets work to lower blood pressure. One particular study found that beverages made with spinach or arugula could also bring blood pressure down (R). Other scientists found that chard gel brought systolic blood pressure down about as much as beet juice (R).
If you are interested in the particular mechanism, read this article in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (Jan. 2017).
If you are fighting high blood pressure, adding our recipe Liver Detox Juice Recipe – Carrot, Beet, Apple Celery is a great idea. Not only does it taste good, but your heart and blood vessels will also thank you, and, best of all, you will begin to feel better and have more energy!
References and Research
Tom Clifford, Glyn Howatson, Daniel J. West, and Emma J. Stevenson. The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2015 Apr; 7(4): 2801–2822. Published online 2015 Apr 14. doi: 10.3390/nu7042801 PMCID: PMC4425174. PMID: 25875121.
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.
Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults. Nitric Oxide. 2011 Jan 1;24(1):34-42. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2010.10.002. Epub 2010 Oct 15.
Georgiev V.G., Weber J., Kneschke E.M., Denev P.N., Bley T., Pavlov A.I. Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of betalain extracts from intact plants and hairy root cultures of the red beetroot Beta vulgaris cv. Detroit dark red. Plant Foods Hum. Nutr. 2010;65:105–111. doi: 10.1007/s11130-010-0156-6. [PubMed]
Zielińska-Przyjemska M., Olejnik A., Dobrowolska-Zachwieja A., Grajek W. In vitro effects of beetroot juice and chips on oxidative metabolism and apoptosis in neutrophils from obese individuals. Phytophera Res. 2009;23:49–55. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2535. [PubMed]
Jajja A., Sutyarjoko A., Lara J., Rennie K., Brandt K., Qadir O., Siervo M. Beetroot supplementation lowers daily systolic blood pressure in older, overweight subjects. Nutr. Res. 2014;34:1–8. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2014.09.007. [PubMed]
Blood pressure-lowering effects of beetroot juice and novel beetroot-enriched bread products in normotensive male subjects. Br J Nutr. 2012 Dec 14;108(11):2066-74. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512000190. Epub 2012 Mar 14.
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.
Science Daily March 20, 2018 .
Medicine News Line March 20, 2018.
†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Oasis Advanced Wellness/OAWHealth does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Oasis Advanced Wellness/OAWHealth are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician of choice.
