Beets, raw

Serving size:

1 cup (136g)

FOOD SUMMARY
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Nutritional Target Map

3,73,7Fullness FactorND Rating

NutritionData's
Opinion

Weight loss:
Optimum health:
Weight gain:
The good: This food is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Iron and Magnesium, and a very
good source of Dietary Fiber, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.

The bad: A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.
Caloric Ratio Pyramid

87%
Carbs

3%
Fats

10%
Protein

NUTRIENT BALANCE
63
Completeness Score
PROTEIN QUALITY
71
Amino Acid Score
Adding other foods with complementary amino acid profiles to this food may yield a more complete
protein source and improve the quality of some types of restrictive diets.
Find foods with complementary profile

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Amounts per 1 cup (136g)

Calorie Information

Protein & Amino Acids

Amounts Per Selected Serving

Amounts Per Selected Serving

%DV

Calories

%DV
Protein

58.5
(245 kJ)

2.2
g

3%

4%

From Carbohydrate
50.5
(211 kJ)

Vitamins
Amounts Per Selected Serving

From Fat
1.9
(8.0 kJ)

%DV
Vitamin A
44.9
IU

From Protein
6.1
(25.5 kJ)

1%
Vitamin C
6.7
mg

From Alcohol
0.0
(0.0 kJ)

11%
Vitamin D
~
~
Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol)
0.1

Carbohydrates

mg

Amounts Per Selected Serving

%DV
Total Carbohydrate
13.0
g
4%
Dietary Fiber
3.8
g
15%
Starch
0.0

0%
Vitamin K
0.3
mcg
0%
Thiamin
0.0
mg
3%
Riboflavin
0.1

mg

Sugars

Niacin

3%
9.2

0.5
mg
2%
Vitamin B6
0.1
mg

Fats & Fatty Acids

5%

Amounts Per Selected Serving

%DV
Total Fat
0.2
g
0%
Saturated Fat
0.0
g
0%
Monounsaturated Fat
0.0

Folate
148
mcg
37%
Vitamin B12
0.0
mcg
0%
Pantothenic Acid
0.2
mg
2%

Choline

Polyunsaturated Fat

mg

8.2
0.1

Betaine

Total trans fatty acids

mg

175
~

Total trans-monoenoic fatty acids

~

Minerals
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Calcium

Total trans-polyenoic fatty acids

~

21.8
mg
2%
Iron

Total Omega-3 fatty acids

6.8

1.1

mg

mg

Total Omega-6 fatty acids

Magnesium

6%
74.8

31.3

mg

mg

Learn more about these fatty acids

and their equivalent names

Phosphorus

8%
54.4
mg
5%
Potassium
442
mg
13%
Sodium
106
mg
4%
Zinc
0.5
mg
3%
Copper
0.1
mg
5%
Manganese
0.4
mg
22%
Selenium
1.0
mcg
1%
Fluoride
~

Sterols
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Cholesterol
0.0
mg
0%
Phytosterols
34.0
mg

Other
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Alcohol
0.0

g
Water
119
g
Ash
1.5
g
Caffeine
0.0
mg
Theobromine
0.0
mg

Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2348/2#ixzz3JKWt4YCj

The health benefits of... beetroot

By
Roxanne Fisher - Health editor - bbcgoodfood.com
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Whether you roast it whole, blend into a classic soup or drink as juice like the
Olympians do - beetroot is low in fat, full of vitamins and minerals and packed
with powerful antioxidants - a health-food titan.

An introduction to beetroot
Like many modern vegetables, beetroot was first cultivated by the Romans. By the
19th century it held great commercial value when it was discovered that beets could
be converted into sugar. Today, the leading commercial producers include the USA,
Russia, France, Poland and Germany. Many classic beetroot recipes are
associated with central and Eastern Europe including the famous beetroot soup
known as borscht. Beetroot's earthy charm has resulted in its ubiquitous influence
on fashionable menus and recipes. Its delicious but distinctive flavour and
nutritional status have escalated it to the root you can't beat!
Belonging to the same family as chard and spinach, both the leaves and root can
be eaten - the leaves have a bitter taste whereas the round root is sweet. Typically
a rich purple colour, beetroot can also be white or golden. Due to its high sugar
content, beetroot is delicious eaten raw but is more typically cooked or pickled.

Nutritional highlights
Beetroot is of exceptional nutritional value; especially the greens, which are rich in
calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Beetroots are an excellent source of folic

acid and a very good source of fibre, manganese and potassium. The greens
should not be overlooked; they can be cooked up and enjoyed in the same way as
spinach.

A 100g serving of raw beets provides:

43 calories

2g protein

0g fat

10 carbohydrate

3g fibre

A history of health
Beetroots have long been used for medicinal purposes, primarily for disorders of
the liver as they help to stimulate the liver's detoxification processes. The plant
pigment that gives beetroot its rich, purple-crimson colour is betacyanin; a powerful
agent, thought to suppress the development of some types of cancer.
Beetroot is rich in fibre, exerting favourable effects on bowel function, which may
assist in preventing constipation and help to lower cholesterol levels too.

Research
Beetroot fibre has been shown to increase the level of antioxidant enzymes in
the body, (specifically one called glutathione peroxidase), as well as increase the
number of white blood cells, which are responsible for detecting and eliminating
abnormal cells. Beets are also one of the richest sources of glutamine, an amino
acid, essential to the health and maintenance of the intestinal tract.
Other studies have looked at the effect of beetroot juice on blood pressure. A
reduction in blood pressure is beneficial for the avoidance of heart disease and
stroke. Studies state that nitrate rich foods like beetroot may help in heart attack
survival.
Beetroot juice has gained popularity since Paralympic gold medalist David
Weir announced that a shot of the juice was his secret to success.

How to select and store

Good quality, fresh beetroots should have their greens intact. The greens should be
fresh-looking with no signs of spoilage. The beetroot should be firm, smooth, and a
vibrant red-purple, not soft, wrinkled or dull in colour. Fresh beets with the greens
attached can be stored for three to four days in the fridge, but beets with the greens
removed can be stored in the fridge for two to four weeks. Raw beets do not freeze
well since they tend to become soft on thawing. Freezing cooked beetroot is fine as
it retains its flavour and texture.

Tip:
Slightly limp greens can be restored to freshness if stored in the refrigerator in
water. However, if it's too late, you can simply cut them off.
Wash beets gently under cool running water, taking care not to tear the skin. It is
this tough outer layer that helps keep most of the beetroot's pigments inside the
vegetable. The leaves can be steamed lightly to retain their nutritional quality. When
boiling beetroot, leave the beets with their root ends and one inch of stem attached
and don't peel them until after cooking since beet juice can stain your skin.
Tip:
If your hands become stained during preparation and cooking beetroot, rub some
lemon juice over them to help remove the colour.
Though available year round, beets are sweetest and most tender during their peak
season, from June to October. Beets are enjoying a resurgence in popularity
among modern chefs. While heirloom varieties like white and golden yellow beets
make for pretty dishes, only red beets have the cancer-fighting compound
betacyanin.

Safety
For some people, eating beetroot may induce beeturia; a red or pink colour in the
urine or stool. It is totally harmless! Beet greens and, to a lesser extent, the roots
contain high levels of oxolate. Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing
kidney stones should avoid over-consuming beetroot.

Beets

What's New and Beneficial About Beets

Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains.
Betanin and vulgaxanthin are the two best-studied betalains from
beets, and both have been shown to provide antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and detoxification support. The detox support
provided by betalains includes support of some especially
important Phase 2 detox steps involving glutathione. Although
you can see these betalain pigments in other foods (like the
stems of chard or rhubarb), the concentration of betalains in the
peel and flesh of beets gives you an unexpectedly great
opportunity for these health benefits.
Unlike some other food pigments, betalains undergo very steady
loss from food as the length of cooking time is increased. For
example, one recent study has shown the red betalain pigments
in beets to be far less heat stable than red anthocyanin pigments
in red cabbage. The difference between 15 minutes of steaming

versus 25 minutes of steaming, or 60 minutes of roasting versus

90 minutes of roasting can be significant in terms of betalain
damage. For these reasons, we recommend that you keep beet
steaming times to 15 minutes or less, and roasting times under
an hour.
An estimated 10-15% of all U.S. adults experience beeturia (a
reddening of the urine) after consumption of beets in everyday
amounts. While this phenomenon is not considered harmful in
and of itself, it may be a possible indicator of the need for
healthcare guidance in one particular set of circumstances
involving problems with iron metabolism. Individuals with iron
deficiency, iron excess, or specific problems with iron metabolism
are much more likely to experience beeturia than individuals with
healthy iron metabolism. For this reason, if you experience
beeturia and have any reason to suspect iron-related problems,
we recommend a healthcare consult to follow up on possible
issues related to iron status.
In recent lab studies on human tumor cells, betanin pigments
from beets have been shown to lessen tumor cell growth through
a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of proinflammatory enzymes (specifically, cyclooxygenase enzymes).
The tumor cell types tested in these studies include tumor cells
from colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular
tissue. While lab studies by themselves are not proof of beets'
anti-cancer benefits, the results of these studies are encouraging
researchers to look more closely than ever at the value of
betanins and other betalains in beets for both prevention and
treatment of certain cancer types.
There has been some confusion about the nutritional value of
beets in terms of their lutein/zeaxanthin content. (Lutein and
zeaxanthin are two carotenoid phytonutrients that play an
important role in health, and especially eye health.) Beet greens
are usually a valuable source of lutein/zeaxanthin. One cup of
raw beet greens may contain over 275 micrograms of lutein!
Beet roots are not nearly so concentrated in lutein, although
some beet roots - like the roots of yellow beets - may be valuable
sources of this carotenoid. (Lutein can contribute to the yellow
color of vegetables, and so yellow root vegetableslike yellow
carrots or yellow beetsoften contain more lutein than orange or
red versions of these foods.)

WHFoods Recommendations
Foods belonging to the chenopod family including beets, chard,
spinach and quinoa continue to show an increasing number of
health benefits not readily available from other food families. The red
and yellow betalain pigments found in this food family, their unique
epoxyxanthophyll carotenoids, and the special connection between
their overall phytonutrients and our nervous system health (including
our specialized nervous system organs like the eye) point to the
chenopod family of foods as unique in their health value. While we
have yet to see large-scale human studies that point to a
recommended minimum intake level for foods from this botanical
family, we have seen data on chenopod phytonutrients, and based on
this data, we recommend that you include foods from the chenopod
family in your diet 1-2 times per week. In the case of a root food like
beetroot, we recommend a serving size of at least one-half whole
medium beet, and even more beneficial, at least 1 whole medium beet
so that you can also benefit from their nutrient-rich greens.
If long cooking times deter you from cooking beets, our Healthiest Way
of Cooking beets will help you prepare them in just 15 minutes. Cut
medium beets into quarters without removing the skin. Steam and
serve as a great vegetable side dish or as a wonderful addition to your
favorite salad.
It is often difficult to believe how the hardy, crunchy, often roughlooking exterior of raw beets can be transformed into something
wonderfully soft and buttery once they are cooked. See Healthiest Way
of Cooking Beets in the How to Enjoy section below.
Beets, sliced, cooked
1.00 cup
(170.00 grams)
Calories: 75
GI: med
NutrientDRI/DV

folate34%

manganese28%

potassium15%

copper14%

fiber14%

magnesium10%

phosphorus9%

vitamin C8%

iron7%

vitamin B66%

Health Benefits
Remember all those legendary Russian centenarians? Beets,
frequently consumed either pickled or in borscht, the traditional
Russian soup, may be one reason behind their long and healthy lives.
These colorful root vegetables contain powerful nutrient compounds
that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain
cancers, especially colon cancer.

Promote Optimal Health

The pigments that give beets their rich colors are called betalains.
There are two basic types of betalains: betacyanins and betaxanthins.
Betacyanins are pigments are red-violet in color. Betanin is the best
studied of the betacyanins. Betaxanthins are yellowish in color. In light
or dark red, crimson, or purple colored beets, betacyanins are the
dominant pigments. In yellow beets, betaxanthins predominate, and
particularly the betaxanthin called vulgaxanthin. All betalains come
from the same original molecule (betalamic acid). The addition of
amino acids or amino acid derivatives to betalamic acid is what
determines the specific type of pigment that gets produced. The
betalain pigments in beets are water-soluble, and as pigments they are

somewhat unusual due to their nitrogen content. Many of the betalains

function both as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules. At the
same time, they themselves are also very vulnerable to oxidation
(change in structure due to interaction with oxygen). In addition to
beets, rhubarb, chard, amaranth, prickly pear cactus, and Nopal cactus
are examples of foods that contain betalains.
It's interesting to note that humans appear to vary greatly in their
response to dietary betalains. In the United States, only 10-15% of
adults are estimated to be "betalain responders." A betalain responder
is a person who has the capacity to absorb and metabolize enough
betalains from beet (and other foods) to gain full antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and Phase 2 triggering benefits. (Phase 2 is the second
step in our cellular detoxification process).

Antioxidant Benefits
What's most striking about beets is not the fact that they are rich in
antioxidants; what's striking is the unusual mix of antioxidants that they
contain. We're used to thinking about vegetables as rich in antioxidant
carotenoids, and in particular, beta-carotene; among all well-studied
carotenoids, none is more commonly occurring in vegetables than
beta-carotene.
When it comes to antioxidant phytonutrients that give most red
vegetables their distinct color, we've become accustomed to thinking
about anthocyanins. (Red cabbage, for example, gets it wonderful red
color primarily from anthocyanins.) Beets demonstrate their antioxidant
uniqueness by getting their red color primarily from betalain antioxidant
pigments (and not primarily from anthocyanins). Coupled with their
status as a very good source of the antioxidant manganese and a good
source of the antioxidant vitamin C, the unique phytonutrients in beets
provide antioxidant support in a different way than other antioxidantrich vegetables. While research is largely in the early stage with
respect to beet antioxidants and their special benefits for eye health
and overall nerve tissue health, we expect to see study results showing
these special benefits and recognizing beets as a standout vegetable
in this area of antioxidant support.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Many of the unique phytonutrients present in beets have been shown
to function as anti-inflammatory compounds. In particular, this antiinflammatory activity has been demonstrated for betanin, isobetanin,

and vulgaxanthin. One mechanism allowing these phytonutrients to

lessen inflammation is their ability to inhibit the activity of cyclooxygenase enzymes (including both COX-1 and COX-2). The COX
enzymes are widely used by cells to produce messaging molecules
that trigger inflammation. Under most circumstances, when
inflammation is needed, this production of pro-inflammatory messaging
molecules is a good thing. However, under other circumstances, when
the body is undergoing chronic, unwanted inflammation, production of
these inflammatory messengers can make things worse. Several types
of heart diseaseincluding atherosclerosisare characterized by
chronic unwanted inflammation. For this reason, beets have been
studied within the context of heart disease, and there are some
encouraging although very preliminary results in this area involving
animal studies and a few very small scale human studies. Type 2
diabetesanother health problem associated with chronic, unwanted
inflammationis also an area of interest in this regard, with research
findings at a very preliminary stage.
In addition to their unusual betalain and carotenoid phytonutrients,
however, beets are also an unusual source of betaine. Betaine is a key
body nutrient made from the B-complex vitamin, choline. (Specifically,
betaine is simply choline to which three methyl groups have been
attached.) In and of itself, choline is a key vitamin for helping regulate
inflammation in the cardiovascular system since adequate choline is
important for preventing unwanted build-up of homocysteine. (Elevated
levels of homocysteine are associated with unwanted inflammation and
risk of cardiovascular problems like atherosclerosis.) But betaine may
be even more important in regulation of our inflammatory status as its
presence in our diet has been associated with lower levels of several
inflammatory markers, including C reactive protein, interleukin-6, and
tumor necrosis factor alpha. As a group, the anti-inflammatory
molecules found in beets may eventually be shown to provide
cardiovascular benefits in large-scale human studies, as well as antiinflammatory benefits for other body systems.

Support of Detoxification
The betalin pigments present in beets have repeatedly been shown to
support activity in our body's Phase 2 detoxification process. Phase 2
is the metabolic step that our cells use to hook activated, unwanted
toxic substances up with small nutrient groups. This "hook up" process
effectively neutralizes the toxins and makes them sufficiently watersoluble for excretion in the urine. One critical "hook up" process during
Phase 2 involves an enzyme family called the glutathione-S-

transferase family (GSTs). GSTs hook toxins up with glutathione for

neutralization and excretion from the body. The betalains found in beet
have been shown to trigger GST activity, and to aid in the elimination of
toxins that require glutathione for excretion. If you are a person who
thinks about exposure to toxins and wants to give your body as much
detox support as possible, beets are a food that belongs in your diet.

Other Health Benefits

It's important to note two other areas of potential health benefits
associated with beets: anti-cancer benefits and fiber-related benefits.
The combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules in
beets makes this food a highly-likely candidate for risk reduction of
many cancer types. Lab studies on human tumor cells have confirmed
this possibility for colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and
testicular cancers. Eventually, we expect to see large-scale human
studies that show the risk-reducing effect of dietary beet intake for
many of these cancer types.
Beet fiber has also been a nutrient of increasing interest in health
research. While many people tend to lump all food fiber into one single
category called "dietary fiber," there is evidence to suggest that all
dietary fiber is not the same. Beet fiber (along with carrot fiber) are two
specific types of food fiber that may provide special health benefits,
particularly with respect to health of our digestive tract (including
prevention of colon cancer) and our cardiovascular system. Some beet
fiber benefits may be due to the pectin polysaccharides that
significantly contribute to the total fiber content.
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