Beets

I know these are typically not a crowd pleaser, but I am going to give you many reasons to give them another shot😊 Beets are rich in many vitamins & minerals; such as folate, manganese, iron, potassium, Vit C, and copper. These are very important for bone health and can help your sport performance.

These dark red wonders get their beautiful color from betaine. This is an antioxidant which protects the liver from toxins. It also is a great anti-inflammatory and fights oxidative stress in the body.

Beets are rich in nitrate which gets converted into nitrous oxide in the body. This chemical dilates your blood vessels to decrease blood pressure. This chemical can also get more blood and oxygen out to your body to enhance your exercise performance and boost your energy! YES!!

They are also rich in fiber which feeds your microbiome. We love taking care of our microbiome to take care of our immune system.

Beets also contain uridine. Why is this important? It can decrease stress and anxiety by keeping your dopamine level normal. Dopamine is in control of your reward/pleasure center in the brain and controls emotions.

You might be wondering if we need to use caution in how much beets we consume.  A few rules are those prone to kidney stones should watch the quantity of beets. They are rich in a compound that promotes stones. They contain a moderate amount of sugar so those with diabetes should watch how many beets they have. Lastly, if you have low blood pressure use caution b/c of the nitrous oxide in beets. This is a powerful reducer of blood pressure.

Easy ways to fix beets are boil until semi-soft. Then quickly sauté with EVOO and fresh garlic. You could also have a small beet juice to reenergize you in the afternoon. Stay tuned for an easy beet juice recipe in my newsletter!