Just a Bit of Nutrition Science
Beets are one of the world’s healthiest vegetables in part because they are a unique source of betalains. These are a type of phytonutrients, which are plant substances believed to aid in human health and disease prevention. More specifically, beets contain betanin and violaxanthin, among others, and these are shown to:
- Provide antioxidants, substances that may help to protect body cells against free radicals, with antioxidants believed to help with heart health and in fighting cancer and other diseases
- Offer anti-inflammatory benefits, which can “reduce heart disease risk, keep existing cardiac problems in check, reduce blood triglycerides and blood pressure, and soothe tender and stiff arthritic joints.”
- Support detoxification, naturally removing toxins from your body, including from your liver; betaine has even been shown to reduce liver size in people with diabetes
Although you can get betalain in other ways, such as in rhubarb or in chard stems, the peel and flesh of beets offer an “unexpectedly great opportunity for these health benefits.”
Plus, you can benefit from the lutein/zeaxanthin form of carotenoid phytonutrients (say that quickly ten times!) by eating beet greens. One cup of raw beet greens can contain more than 275 lutein micrograms. You can also get lutein in good quantity by eating yellow beets and carrots—but we find it astounding that all of this nutritional goodness is contained in something that many people throw away (more about reducing food waste later).
Here’s another beautiful thing about beets: they are jam-packed with nutrients while being low in calories. So, no worries! Have another beet.
More About This Vibrant Root Vegetable
That’s what Consumer Reports calls beets—the vibrant root vegetable—and we have to say we agree. Nutritional/health benefits of beets mentioned in their article include how they are:
- Rich in folate and fiber, magnesium and vitamin C, calcium and iron
- Full of beta carotene, which in turn is chock-full of vitamin A, a vitamin that’s connected to eye health, as well as to a reduced risk of breast cancer
- A source of nitrates, which helps to widen blood vessels, which can play a role in reducing blood pressure and boosting people’s performance while exercising, including in power and speed
- So rich in fiber that it slows down the absorption of the sugars that are naturally in beets
The report also calls beets a “surprisingly versatile vegetable,” and they add a piece of advice that’s close to the hearts of Farmer Lee Jones and Culinary Vegetable Institute Chef Jamie Simpson alike: “Don’t” they say, “toss the tops. You’re essentially getting two vegetables in one when you buy fresh beets.”
This recommendation perfectly fits our focus on reducing food waste and Chef Jamie’s zero-waste kitchen. Plus, research has shown that the beet green is actually the part of the plant with the most nutrients. Just one cup provides 15 percent of the daily recommended amount of iron. While turnip greens, mustard greens, and beet greens are all outstanding sources of calcium, only the greens of the beets also serve as an excellent source of magnesium—nearly 25% of the recommended daily amount in one serving.
Role in a Heart Healthy Diet
In this post, we’ve already referenced how beets can be a key part of a heart-healthy diet, and the Mayo Clinic provides more backup. First, they quoted multiple studies showing how beets can lower blood pressure “significantly” in just a few hours. They note that it’s more effective for systolic blood pressure (the heart-contracting kind) than diastolic (when the heart is relaxing). They also share that the effect may be stronger if you eat raw beets.
The effect is not permanent, so eating fresh beets once would only be a temporary solution. Therefore, they suggest “regular consumption” for a long-term impact.
Here’s more. Inflammation can play a role in heart disease, and the Mayo Clinic cites several studies that show eating beets may fight that inflammation. Studies to date have focused on lab rats, so more information is needed about its impact on people, but the results are promising.
Additional Health Benefits of Beets
Dietary fiber found in beets can assist in digestion and help prevent chronic health conditions. Plus, because nitrates found in beets dilate blood vessels, they can also boost blood flow to the brain, which could help to protect people from developing dementia. The blood flow that can be improved through nutrients found in beets can be especially effective in the brain’s frontal lobe; this is the portion connected with decision-making and working memory.
History of Beets as Food and Medicine
According to FoodRevolution.com, in the past, people may have divided how they used beets, with the greens consumed as food and the roots used for medicinal reasons. This may have been true in numerous places around the globe, from the ancient civilizations of Babylon, Greece, and Rome to certain areas in North Africa—although the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, also saw value in beet greens to help heal wounds.
In today’s times, there is a growing food-as-medicine movement, and we made that a focus of a panel at our
2018 Roots Culinary Conference.
Without question, fresh vegetables play a key role in healthy diets, including the nutritious beet. Farmer Lee often says, “You can pay the farmer—or the doctor.” And, because eating your vegetables can be a wonderfully flavorful experience, choosing the farmer makes a lot more sense.
Farmacy at The Chef’s Garden®
Healthy eating can and should be pleasurable, a true treat for the palate. Growing farm-fresh vegetables that are incredibly flavorful and bursting with nutrition all starts with the soil.
Healthy soil, after all, means healthy plants, which equals healthy food for people.
Healthy soil is at the heart of what we do, with our regenerative farming philosophy focusing on leaving the soil even better than how we found it. The three branches of soil health are:
- Physical health: The four elements of soil—clay, sand, silt, and loam—need to be in the right proportions so that the soil will hold water and nutrients and so the particles can properly bind together. Here’s more about soil health at The Chef’s Garden.
- Biological health: Diversity of species and the amounts and types of biological activity taking place in healthy soil are vital. Rich, healthy soil supports a wide range of life, with everything having a purpose.
- Chemical health: Minerals also need to be in the correct balance and relationship with one another. That’s why we use soil balancing to maximize mineral content so that our crops can get what they need when needed.
Optimal soil health can occur when all three elements–physical, biological, and chemical–are balanced. Soil testing and appropriate soil management based on the results are crucial. That’s why we have our own research lab on site.
Farm-Fresh Beets on the Menu
For example, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Chef Chris Montgomery offers beets in many ways, using different cooking methods to highlight this root vegetable’s versatility. Delicious dishes include the following:
- Fresh beet and goat cheese salad: This includes baby beets from The Chef’s Garden roasted with olive oil and salt. The beets are then wrapped in foil for a quick peel, tossed with lemon oil and blueberry balsamic vinaigrette, and placed on farm-fresh greens with almond goat cheese croquette.
- His 18-hour short rib: He uses a grated red beet rallado, using microgreen-sized Bull’s Blood.
- Fried, dried, and pickled beets are a diner favorite at Quarter Bistro. Chef Chris also loves to dehydrate and then fry beets to bring out their crispy side, ideal for a crunchy, unexpected garnish.
Thirsty? Liz Studer, the wine steward at the Culinary Vegetable Institute, has a Beet Blush Punch recipe that uses the following ingredients:
- .75 oz Drambuie
- .5 oz Scotch
- .75 oz Beet Juice
- .75 oz Cranberry Juice
- .5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- .5 oz Lemon Verbena Syrup
- 1 oz. Ginger Beer float
- Beet Blush
- Lemon Verbena sprig
You can find the complete punch recipe here.
Then there is the uniquely delicious Sunchoke Custard, Macerated Beets, and Fried Spinach recipe that uses these ingredients:
- 1 and 1/4 cup Sunchoke Puree (+2 Tbsp Water) (1# Sunchokes should be plenty)
- 1 tsp Agar-Agar
- 1 cup Sugar
- 5 Large Eggs
- 3 sticks Soft Butter, cut into little squares.
- 2 Medium-Sized Beets, washed well (golden or red)
- Spinach Leaves
And here’s the recipe!
Farm-Fresh Beets from The Chef’s Garden
Beets truly are one of the world’s most versatile root vegetables! At The Chef’s Garden, you can choose from:
- Badger Flame Beets: mild, sweet, smooth, delicious—and stunning in hue! The flesh of these beets is flame-like orange, yellow, and red, and it is gorgeous in ribbons.
- Beet Blush: These edible leaves, tender, flavorful, and aromatic, can add bright touches of yellow and red to your dishes and plates. The colors range from sunrise yellow to sunset red.
- Beet of the Night: These vivid red and yellow leaves offer a mildly sweet flavor and crunchy texture to your creative dishes. They also look attractive on the plate.
- Bull’s Blood: This rare beet variety has a sweet, nutty flavor. Its deep red leaves are sweeter than radicchio. The leaves are tender and crunchy, and they add a pop of visual beauty to plates.
- Candy Stripe Beets: Oh, so sweet with an earthy finish! These beets are crunchy when raw, tender, and smooth when cooked. Bright colors will attract the eye—and there are also Candy Beet Blush Leaves.
- Gold Trimmed Beets: If you’re looking for a fresh beet that isn’t as sweet, these golden beets have a flavor reminiscent of spinach. The texture is crunchy.
- Mixed Beets: We sustainably farm a mixture of farm-fresh varieties so you can get the best of the day’s harvest.
- Red Beets: Sweet and deliciously nutty, the redness of these beets attracts the eye, while its naturally sweet flavor pleases the palate.
Daily, we hand-harvest, pick-to-order, and ship products to you overnight, including our farm-fresh beets, to ensure that you receive the freshest, most vibrant, and flavorful produce available. This is our efficiently shipped Earth to Table® promise that ensures ultimate freshness, incredible flavor, and prolonged shelf-life, resulting in less waste for your business.
We encourage you to compare our direct-from-the-farm products to those with a local supplier who is potentially fulfilling your order with products sourced elsewhere and stored for days in a warehouse before they are delivered to your door. We are confident that you will find our fresh vegetables, microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers to be the freshest and most flavorful anywhere.
Let us be your personal farmer. Contact us today!