The benefits and harms of boiled beets: what is good about a boiled vegetable and how to use it correctly

The most common vegetables and fruits that grow in our climate zone will help fill the deficiency of vitamins, nutrients and minerals. Red beetroot applies to such products. The uniqueness of the root vegetable is that it is equally useful both raw and boiled.

During heat treatment, all useful substances are completely preserved. In the article we will talk about the benefits and harms of boiled beets for the health of adults and children, how the product is used in folk healing and cooking.

Boiled beets

The cultivation of beets began in ancient Babylon 1000 BC. At first, green tops were used for food, and later the nutritional properties of root vegetables were assessed. This unique product has a rich chemical composition and low calorie content in raw and finished form.

Boiled beets have a gentler effect on the body, so they can be used for pathologies of the liver, kidneys, endocrine system and gastrointestinal tract.

Composition, vitamins and minerals

Boiled beets contain:

• vitamins - A, B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E, K, PP;
• minerals - iodine, potassium, calcium, silicon, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc, chromium, sulfur;
• monosaccharides;
• disaccharides;
• amino acids - arginine, valine, histidine, isoleucine, methionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, alanine, aspartic and glutamic acid, proline, serine;
• Omega 6 and 9 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Reference. The root vegetable contains about 297 mg of betaine. The darker the beets, the higher its concentration.

Benefits and harms

The beneficial properties of boiled beets are due to their rich component composition:

1. Helps improve intestinal function due to the large amount of fiber.
2. Organic acids regulate metabolism.
3. Betaine prevents the development of liver pathologies and lowers blood pressure.
4. Magnesium prevents the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
5. Has a laxative and diuretic effect.
6. A rich vitamin complex relieves inflammation, increases the body's defenses, promotes a speedy recovery, and fights depression and loss of strength.
7. Iron is beneficial for the hematopoietic system and prevents the development of anemia.
8. Folic acid ensures normal development of the fetal neural tube.
9. Iodine helps maintain microelement levels and prevents the development of thyroid pathologies.
10. Betaine has an antioxidant effect on cells and prevents the growth of malignant tumors.

As for the harm of boiled root vegetables, doctors talk about the advisability of reducing the consumption of the product when:

• osteoporosis due to decreased calcium absorption;
• diabetes mellitus due to large amounts of sucrose;
• stones in the bladder and kidneys due to the content of oxalic acid, which corrodes oxalates, causing severe discomfort when they exit into the ureter;
• chronic diarrhea due to laxative effects.

Some unscrupulous farmers treat their beds with nitrates to speed up growth. Consumption of such a product may cause poisoning of the body. Warm water will help speed up the elimination of toxins.To do this, you need to drink three full glasses, induce vomiting and immediately seek medical help. Of course, this condition develops extremely rarely when beets are consumed in quantities of more than 1 kg.

Calorie content and BZHU

Nutritional value of boiled beets per 100 g:

• calories – 44 kcal;
• proteins – 1.7 g;
• fats – 0.2 g;
• carbohydrates – 8 g;
• fiber – 2 g;
• ash – 1.12 g;
• water – 87.06 g.

Medicinal properties

Proper consumption will help improve the functioning of the digestive, cardiovascular, nervous, genitourinary, and endocrine systems.

The main medicinal effects of the root vegetable:

• antispasmodic;
• diuretic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• laxative;
• antitumor;
• restorative.

For various diseases

Doctors strongly recommend including boiled beets in the diet if pancreatitis and gastritis. The root vegetable normalizes metabolic processes and has a laxative and diuretic effect. For gastritis, beets cleanse the stomach and restore damaged mucous membranes.

The root vegetable is indispensable for chronic constipation; it helps to gently remove feces. The vegetable is also good for the liver. When consumed in moderation, it helps cleanse and restore tissues.

For the health of internal organs and body systems

The minerals in beets support:

• the immune system in the fight against viral pathogens;
• nervous system, increasing stress resistance and relieving tension;
• the digestive system, helping to cleanse the entire orgasm;
• circulatory system by strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

For weight loss

The low calorie content of boiled beets makes it popular among adherents proper nutrition and those who want to lose a couple of extra pounds.

Nutritionists recommend introducing beets into the daily menu. The presence of a large amount of fiber, mild laxative and diuretic properties will help quickly remove excess water from tissues and cleanse the intestines. The product is characterized by high nutritional value and is perfectly satiating.

Doctors do not advise young girls to get carried away with mono-diets, which are popular among young girls. Even if they manage to lose 3-5 kg ​​in a week, after returning to their normal diet they will come back and “bring” a couple more with them. Alas, this is how our metabolic system works - under stressful conditions the body makes reserves.

In addition, sudden weight loss is fraught with negative consequences: hair loss, deterioration of skin, nails, menstrual irregularities. Most often this happens if you eat the same product for a long time. Despite all the usefulness of beets, the body must receive additional animal proteins and healthy fats.

A more acceptable way to use beets for weight loss is to combine them with poultry, fish, vegetables, cereals, and durum wheat pasta. You can arrange fasting days - 1-2 times a week, drink a beetroot cocktail with kefir all day long.

Benefits for men, women and children

Boiled root vegetables are beneficial for the body of adults and children. If there are no health restrictions, the product can be consumed without fear.

Due to the presence of iron, beets prevent anemia due to prolonged menstruation. Zinc will make the skin elastic and eliminate acne.

During the period of bearing a child, expectant mothers should not give up beets. Folic acid in its composition contributes to the normal development of the fetal nervous system.

What are the benefits of boiled beets for children? Pediatricians recommend introducing beets gradually during lactation, observing the reaction of the child’s fragile digestive system. Children begin to be given boiled beets no earlier than 9 months of age. For babies prone to allergic reactions, the product is administered gradually, starting with a teaspoon after a year. Beetroot is beneficial for children due to its high content of vitamins and minerals and is suitable for consumption in autumn and winter to prevent vitamin deficiency.

Beets are also good for men. The root vegetable increases libido and prevents the development of inflammatory processes in the prostate gland.

Reference. Rich red borsch Considered an excellent hangover cure.

Standards of use

The norms for the consumption of boiled beets depend on the state of human health. So, for diabetes mellitus, the norm is 100-200 g per day. A healthy person can eat up to 250 g per day.

The daily norm for children of three years is 50 g, starting from the age of four - 100 g.

Use in cooking

Boiled beets are added to vegetable, fish, and meat salads. A simple but tasty salad with the addition of garlic or green onions, seasoned with vegetable oil, sour cream or mayonnaise, is very popular.

It’s hard to imagine borscht, beetroot soup, or kholodnik without boiled beets. It makes delicious vegetarian cutlets. The root vegetable is suitable for canning and stewing.

Pickled cheeses, walnuts, dried fruits, apples and any greens are combined with beets.

Try making a delicious and simple salad of boiled beets and apples.

Ingredients:

• two medium-sized beets;
• one raw carrot;
• one sweet and sour apple;
• two cloves of garlic;
• a handful of walnuts;
• low-fat sour cream for dressing.

Boil the beets and grate them on a medium grater. Peel and grate the carrots. Peel and core the apple. Cut into strips. Dry the nuts in a frying pan and chop with a knife. Mix the ingredients, squeeze the garlic through a press and season with sour cream. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and serve.

Use in folk medicine

Boiled beets have found their use in alternative medicine recipes. Most often used raw root vegetables and green tops. But the boiled product also copes well with rhinitis and otitis media.

To treat a runny nose, instill juice from a boiled root vegetable into both nostrils three times a day until the condition improves.

To get rid of ear pain, beetroot juice is also used, which helps to quickly eliminate inflammation. Place 2-3 drops of boiled beet juice into each ear canal until the discomfort disappears.

Contraindications

It is recommended to reduce the consumption of boiled beets to a minimum if:

• inflammatory process in the pancreas;
• hypocalcemia (calcium deficiency);
• chronic diarrhea;
• urolithiasis.

Doctors do not talk about a direct ban on eating beets for diabetes, but they recommend following the norm - no more than 100 g per day. The root vegetable causes the least harm to the body in type 1 diabetes.

If you have a stomach ulcer, beets should not be consumed during an exacerbation of the condition. When symptoms subside, you can gradually return the product to the menu.

Conclusion

Beets are one of the simplest and most popular sources of vitamins and minerals. The root vegetable is sold year-round and is equally healthy in raw or cooked form.A tasty, dietary, extremely healthy product is used to prepare a variety of dishes. Beets do not lose their beneficial properties during heat treatment, which is especially important in winter.