7 Impressive Health Benefits of Eating Beets

Beets, also known as beetroot, are a vibrant and versatile vegetable that offer a variety of health benefits. Here are seven impressive benefits of eating beets:

1. **Nutrient-Rich**: Beets are low in calories yet high in valuable vitamins and minerals. They contain a bit of almost all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. They are particularly rich in folate, manganese, and copper.

2. **Blood Pressure Control**: Beets have been well studied for their ability to decrease elevated blood pressure levels, which are a major risk factor for heart disease. This is likely due to the high concentration of nitrates in beets, which are converted into nitric oxide in your body, causing blood pressure levels to drop.

3. **Good for Athletes**: The nitrates in beets convert into nitric oxide, which helps in good blood flow and boosts stamina.

4. **Digestive Health**: Beets act as a pre-biotic and promote digestive health. They are a good source of fiber, beneficial for digestive regularity.

5. **Brain Health**: The nitrates in beets may improve mental and cognitive function by promoting the dilation of blood vessels and thus increasing blood flow to the brain.

6. **Anti-inflammatory**: Beets contain betanin, a plant compound that has anti-inflammatory properties.

7. **Anti-cancer Properties**: The phytochemicals and antioxidants in beets can help reduce the risk of some cancers.

Remember, the way you prepare beets can affect their nutritional content. Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them.