The world of health and nutrition continues to amaze with a variety of foods and beverages that promise numerous wellness benefits. One of the most recent to gain popularity is beetroot juice, a natural drink that has attracted attention due to its potential positive effects on the body.
The beetroot, also known as beetroot in some countries, is a bulbous root plant widely cultivated and consumed around the world for its edible roots and green leaves.In addition to its sweet flavor and vibrant color, beets are known for their nutritional benefits.
Beet Composition
Its nutritional potential changes depending on how it is prepared and consumed.While a cup of raw beets contains 58 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrates, a cup of beetroot juice typically has around 100 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrates due to processing.
Beetroot is a valuable source of nutrients, which when eaten raw may contain a higher concentration of nitrates. However, cooking beets can make it difficult to absorb some of these.
It has been categorized as a superfood in the last decade and research shows that drinking beetroot juice can be good for your health. Learn about the benefits and precautions of consuming it on an empty stomach.
Benefits
It helps lower blood pressure, improve exercise resistance and increase muscle strength in people with heart failure.In addition, it has been proven that it tends to slow down the progression of dementia and helps maintain a healthy weight. It also has antioxidants that have a chemopreventive capacity against some cancer cell lines.
It is a good source of potassium and other minerals, such as iron, magnesium, manganese, sodium, zinc, copper, and selenium. In addition, it has folate, essential to prevent neural tube defects and the risk of premature birth.Helps the liver, especially in the prevention of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and can lower cholesterol.
Precautions
The beetroot consumption can cause urine and stool to take on a reddish or pinkish hue, known as ‘beeturia’. Although this condition is harmless, it can surprise you if you are not prepared.
It is important when consuming it to carefully control your blood pressure, since drinking this juice regularly can increase the risk of your blood pressure falling too low.Also, if you are prone to developing kidney stones, it is advisable to avoid consuming beetroot juice, due to its high levels of oxalates.