Top health benefits of beetroot juice

Beets, with the scientific name of Beta vulgaris, are used to make beet juice. This beet juice is also referred to as beetroot juice since beets are a root vegetable. The colour of beetroot juice can vary from bright pink to reddish. Beet powder also has the same colour as beet juice and is prepared from dried, crushed beets. Natural food stores that sell beetroot powder frequently promote it as a ‘superfood’. You can make beetroot juice by combining beetroot powder and water. Additionally, beet powder can be included in baked products, sauces, and milkshakes. As a natural supplement to improve health, beetroot juice is becoming increasingly popular. The nutritional benefits of beetroot juice are well known, and several individuals also like the way it tastes. The flavour of beets is often bitter and earthy. While some individuals choose to combine beetroot juice with fruity or fresh flavours, many people prefer the original taste of beetroot juice. There are numerous benefits of beet juice that you should know more about. Beets are sweet root and bulbous vegetables which we consume in Indian households on a regular basis. But what about beetroot juice? Does it have any benefits for the system?

Learn more about the benefits of drinking beetroot juice in this article.

Beetroot Juice Nutrition Facts

The best time to drink beetroot juice is ideally in the early morning hours or around an hour before taking your breakfast. Here are some nutritional facts that you should know more about. Beetroot contains the following for every 100 grams:

• Calories- 43  
• Fat- 0.2 g
• Sodium- 78 g
• Potassium- 325 g
• Protein- 1.6 g
• Carbohydrates- 10 g

Numerous vital vitamins and minerals can be found in beetroot juice. Consuming this juice frequently can help prevent vitamin deficits. A 100-millilitre (mL) serving or one small glass of beetroot juice made from organic beets has 29 calories and no added fat. Antioxidants can also be found in beetroot juice. Inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiac disease, and oxidative stress all can be lowered with antioxidants. Vital minerals and vitamins are plentiful in beetroots. They include:

• Folate is crucial for the health of cells and DNA.
• Vitamin B-6 supports red blood cell formation and overall metabolism.
• Calcium is a crucial component for the development and strength of bones.
• Phosphorous is a mineral necessary for healthy bones, teeth, and cell growth.
• Iron enables the transport of oxygen via red blood cells (RBCs).
• Magnesium is a mineral that promotes healthy nerve, muscle, heart, and immunological systems.
• Zinc helps the immune system, facilitates proper growth, and speeds up the wound-healing process.
• Manganese helps to control the amount of sugar in the blood and digestion.
• Copper aids in the production of collagen, the proper functioning of bones and blood vessels, and the support of immune system function.

Additionally, beetroots contain other essential substances such as:

• Phytochemicals–The body's immune response is boosted by phytochemicals, which reduce inflammatory conditions and oxidative stress in the body.
• Betalains–The dark red colour of beetroots is caused by betalains. These compounds possess potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitoxic effects.
• Nitrates–A class of chemical molecules known as nitrates enhance blood circulation and support heart function.

Top Benefits Of Beetroot Juice Daily

Here are some of the biggest Chukandar benefits when consumed in the juice form:

1. Reduces Blood Pressure

One of the main Beetroot juice uses is to reduce blood pressure levels. Those consuming approximately 250 mg on a regular basis can reduce both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Nitrates are compounds in the juice which are converted into nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps in the relaxation of the blood vessels causing the proper circulation of blood, which lowers blood pressure. 

2. Enhances Stamina

Feel like working out or engaging in sporting activities? One of the biggest beetroot juice benefits is its ability to enhance overall stamina and endurance. It scales up plasma nitrates, thereby boosting physical performance greatly. The energy required by your cells to operate effectively is generated by mitochondria. Beetroot-containing nitrates improve the efficiency of these cellular powerhouses (mitochondria). To perform better, some sportsmen even consume beetroot juice before training.

3. Boosts Muscle Power

For those suffering from heart failure or related ailments, this juice greatly enhances muscle power. Beet juice is therefore not less than a tonic for bodybuilders. You may lift larger weights and complete more sets of exercises because of beetroot juice's ability to remarkably boost strength. Beetroot and other nitrate-rich vegetables are linked to greater endurance because they enhance blood flow and oxygen levels throughout the body. 

4. Reduces dementia and its progression

Nitrates may help in enhancing blood flow toward the brain for older adults, while reducing decline at a cognitive level. It may also boost blood flow to the brain, especially for frontal lobes, which influence behavior and cognitive thinking attributes. 

5. Helps Maintain Weight Levels

Beetroot juice comes with lower calories and negligible fat levels. You can add it to smoothies and drink it straight as well. It will help you maintain a healthy body weight while getting a strong energy and nutrition boost simultaneously. Because they are low in fat and abundant in dietary fibre, both soluble and insoluble, beets help with the loss of weight and the process of detoxification.

These two types (soluble and insoluble) of fibres encourage healthy bowel movements and reduce cholesterol, which helps in fat loss. Similarly, beets are rich in magnesium, which supports the functioning of the muscles and nerves and aids in weight loss. Maintaining or gaining muscle will aid in weight loss since muscle burns more calories than fat. 

6. Combats Cancer

Beetroot juice helps in reducing cancer-related risks considerably. Beets contain betalains which are antioxidants with chemo-preventive capabilities against some cancer cell. Betalains show the characteristics of cytotoxicity and can terminate the development of certain cancerous cells.

Beetroot also comprises a significant amount of polyphenolic and flavonoid elements, which promote its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Beetroot products include betalain pigments, which lower the risk of cancer. Additionally, beetroot juice combined with betalain aids in the removal of pre-cancerous lesions. As an alternative, all the anthocyanins inside the red beetroot act as antioxidants to prevent the development of cancer. 

7. Infuses Rich Potassium into the Body

Beetroot juice helps in infusing helpful potassium into the system. They help in the smoother functioning of nerves and muscles alike. Drinking this juice helps in ensuring optimal potassium levels within the body. In case of excessively low potassium levels, muscle cramps, weakness and fatigue may crop up as well. Extremely lower levels may lead to abnormal rhythms of the heart and other related conditions. 

8. Contains Vital Minerals

Our bodies require some crucial minerals for smoother functioning. Some enhance immunity while many enhance the health of the teeth and bones alike. Beetroot juice contains magnesium, iron, sodium, manganese, zinc, selenium and copper, which are incredibly helpful minerals for our bodies.

9. Contains Indispensable Folate

Folate is a helpful B vitamin which combats defects in the neural tubes, including anencephaly and spinal bifida. It also lowers premature birth risks. Beetroot juice contains folate which is highly recommended for those in their childbearing years. 

10.  Boosts Liver Health

Beetroot juice is known for its ability to enhance liver health greatly. Benefits of beetroot juice for liver are incredible. Otherwise, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is inevitable due to issues like toxic exposure, dietary reasons, excessive consumption of alcohol and a sedentary routine. The betaine antioxidant helps in lowering liver fatty deposits while safeguarding the liver from various types of toxins.

11. Prevents anemia

Iron, a vital element for the production of red blood cells, is high in beets. Iron is necessary for RBCs to carry oxygen throughout the body. Iron-deficiency leads to anaemia, which is a disorder that can affect people with a low level of iron. The dietary intake of iron can lower the likelihood of developing this illness. Fatigue, light-headedness, headaches, and high heart rate are some of the signs and symptoms of anaemia.

12. Reduces inflammation

Nitrates, which are abundant in beets, help reduce inflammation by clearing toxic substances from the blood. Beets are an ideal choice for individuals with inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis because of the betalains and nitrates they contain

Beetroot Juice Side Effects

There are several side effects of consuming beetroot juice although these are rare and may take place only for certain individuals. Some of these side effects include the following:

1. Kidney Stones – Your doctor might advise stopping or reducing your beetroot juice intake if you have any existing kidney stones. Kidney stones come in four different varieties, with calcium stones being the most prevalent ones. A stone can be formed when the mineral combines with other elements, particularly oxalate. Oxalate, which is abundant in beets, can cause kidney stones. It boosts urinary oxalate discharge, which may cause stones composed of calcium oxalate to accumulate in the kidney.
2. Blood pressure fluctuations – When beetroot juice is consumed with medicines, it may have unfavourable effects on the body's metabolism, such as increasing the activity level of some medicines. Because beetroot juice is rich in nitrates, it can interact unfavourably with several medications used to decrease blood pressure, causing an abrupt decline in your blood pressure.
3. Deficiencies in calcium – Oxalate is a substance found in a variety of foods derived from plants, including beets. Oxalate can combine with minerals like calcium inside the digestive tract to produce complexes that prevent the absorption of calcium.
4. Stomach upsets – Due to the benefits they have on the functioning of the bacteria in your gut, beets are excellent for the digestive tract. However, consuming beetroot juice may cause digestive irritation including gas or bloating in those with digestive issues.
5. Allergies and reactions – Beetroot allergies are extremely uncommon. As a result of inhalation of cooked beet vapours, allergic reactions including tightness in the throat, rashes on your skin, wheezing, and coughing can be seen in some individuals.
6. Gout – Because beets are rich in oxalates, they elevate the risk of kidney stones formed by calcium oxalate. As a result, the kidney's ability to properly remove uric acid may be reduced, which leads to increased uric acid concentrations in the bloodstream and an elevated risk of gout illness.
7. Problems in pregnancy – The effect of nitrates is particularly evident in pregnant women. This is caused by the progressively rising amounts of methemoglobin in the bloodstream during the latter stages of pregnancy. Methemoglobinemia, or raised concentrations of methemoglobin inside the bloodstream, can be brought on by an excessive intake of nitrates in beetroot. This condition manifests as fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and blue-grey colouration of the skin near the mouth, eyes, hands, lips and feet. 

Why Drink Beetroot Juice

Beetroot juice is known for its healing properties and its abilities to combat cancer, infuse rich minerals and folate into the system and also to enhance liver health. It also helps in enhancing stamina and reducing blood pressure at the same time. You should consider including beetroot juice in your daily diet for tapping into these benefits. However, make sure to consume it moderately. 

 

Consult Dietitian and Nutritionist!

 

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