Proper nutrition = optimal performance and enhanced healing capabilities.
Beets are the vegetable to LOVE in February
The beet has always been a rich source of energy filled to its tops with nutrients and fiber that can enrich your diet. In February, what is there not to love about a veggie that is gloriously red or pink or candy striped depending on the variety! Both the beet root and the chard like edible green leaves are nutrient dense and contribute to healthy cellular metabolism, liver function and cardiovascular function.
Beets are known for their high nutrient concentration of betaine, folate and vitamin C. Betaine is a wonder nutrient! Betaine aids in the transport of fats, fat absorption and metabolism. It keeps your liver healthy and helps prevent fat accumulation in the liver. Betaine and Vitamin B6 work together to lower homocysteine levels in the blood, which can decrease plaque formation in your blood vessels, supporting heart muscle and blood vessels. Folates found in raw beets support normal cellular growth and reproduction which is part of the cellular regeneration process that is going on everyday in all our bodies. If that wasn’t enough, beets also contain a significant amount of vitamin C, one of the most powerful antioxidants in natural foods. The antioxidant, Vitamin C works to support the body in the scavenging of free radicals, one of the noted precursor cells in cancer development.
If the above hasn’t convinced you that beets are highly nutritious and “cardiovascular health” friendly root vegetables, please note that they are also rich in potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and copper.
Heart healthy, liver supportive, cell repairing, cell warriors…what is not to love about the beet! Well, some folks say the taste, I disagree. Here are a couple of recipes to try, that my family, including my kids ages 12, 10 and 6 all LOVE!
Beet Salad
1 lb. beets, peeled and grated
4 sticks of celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of apple juice
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
4 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Mix beets and celery with apple juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Toss the celery/beets with half of the liquids and drizzle the remaining liquid over the salad as served.
Recipe courtesy of Standard Process
Roasted Beets
1 lb. beets, peeled and cut into 6-8 wedges
1 Shallot minced
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and slice beets. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Toss the beets with half the liquid. On a cookie sheet covered with a layer of foil spread out the beets. Cover with another layer of foil and crimp all the edges. Roast for 25 minutes, then slit open the top foil and roast an additional 20 minutes. Enjoy with dinner or as a salad on top of lettuce greens, sliced avocado, and toasted walnuts.
SO, what if you have tried to eat beets in a variety of forms…raw, juiced, steamed, or roasted and just haven’t fallen in love, but want all the amazing benefits beets have to offer your health and well-being?
Talk to Dr. Gualano about Standard Process’s product AF Betafood. AF Betafood is a nutritional supplement that contains beet juice, beet leaf juice, beet powder and carrot powder. A whole food, organic nutritional supplement, AF Betafood is an easy way to feed your body the nutrients it needs for a healthy lifestyle, especially if you can’t seem to swallow the beets in their natural form.
February is the perfect month to think about how to feed your body what it loves and needs. We encourage you to give the gorgeous red beet a try and build good cellular, liver and heart health as part of a healthy, balanced diet.