Just Beet It! 18 of Our Favorite Root Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What does a beet root look like? ›

The iconic beet is a bulbous root with a purple skin and a rich red interior from which dark green glossy leaves sprout on reddish stalks. Beets also come in yellowish and white varieties. Beets have an earthy, rich, vegetal smell raw.

Steaming beets is a healthful cooking method because they retain most of their vitamins and minerals—they're not boiled out in water—and stay incredibly vibrant. Plus, steaming small beets or beet quarters is quick and easy for weeknights.

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

Packed with nutrition, beets have antioxidants like betalains that fight cell damage and inflammation, potentially offering protection against cancer and heart disease. Health benefits of beets include more stamina during exercise, heart disease and stroke prevention, and lower blood pressure.

Beetroot juice contains dietary fibre that helps remove digestive waste through the intestines, thereby proving beneficial for people with constipation. However, consuming chopped beetroot added to salad can be more beneficial in such cases.

Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.

Plus, they're great for blood pressure! Well, the nitrates in beets are. Studies have shown that beets can significantly lower blood pressure after only a few hours of consumption. Both raw beet juice and cooked beets were found to be effective at lowering blood pressure and decreasing inflammation.

A: Yes, you can eat raw beets. They are often served peeled and sliced, but they are safe to eat with the skin on. (15) You can eat raw beets plain or with seasoning. Alternatively, you can add raw beets to a salad for a sweet crunch.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir shredded beets in hot butter until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Pour water over the beets, cover skillet with a lid, and simmer beets until completely softened, about 10 minutes. Stir balsamic vinegar with the beets; season with salt and pepper.

Oven-Steaming

Steaming in the oven rather than baking helps preserve more of the healthy vitamins and minerals in beets. This method also helps beets better retain their beautiful, vibrant color.

Is it better to boil or bake beetroot? ›

For meals, the two most common ways to prepare this root vegetable is to roast or boil it. Roasted beetroot provides a nourishing, hearty taste, and boiling brings bright and vibrant colour.

The oxalates found in beets can increase your uric acid level, meaning that too many beets can lead to gout. To avoid this, stick to no more than a single half-cup serving of beets per day.

Different betalains create different colors, but all of them provide the positive antioxidant effects we know beets for. Golden beets are higher in “betacyanins”, whereas red beets are higher in “betaxanthins”. Another similar bioactive that contributes some of the health effects of beets is the antioxidant “betaine”.

Yes, you can. It's completely safe to drink water that has been used to boil beetroots.

You can also eat beetroot raw, peeled and grated into salads and slaws, or finely shaved as a 'carpaccio'. Wash and trim the leaves to use in salads and or as a garnish.

The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden beet.

Contrary to what some people believe, raw beets (the root, stems and leaves) are not poisonous. The beautiful beet is one of the many vegetables and fruits that can be eaten (cooked or raw) from root to leaf.