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Beetroot is one of the oldest vegetables of all. The beet originally comes from the Mediterranean region, but has been native to us since Roman times. While the beetroot used to be part of the menu, it has been forgotten in this country. However, it has experienced a renaissance in recent years. As a result, there is more and more discussion about whether beetroot can only be eaten cooked or raw.
ingredients
Constituents of beetroot
Some call beetroot a superfood because it contains many ingredients that are healthy for humans. Unfortunately, the beet is so rich in ingredients that, in addition to these healthy ingredients, it also contains some that can have a negative impact on human health.
Healthy ingredients include:
- Anthocyanins (betanin) and flavonoids
- Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Selenium and Zinc
- Vitamin B1, B2. B6, C and folic acid
betanine belongs to the secondary plant substances. The beet owes its red color to this pigment. vitamin B and iron contribute to blood formation in our body. Also helps betanine the liver in the breakdown of metabolic products. Since beetroot also has an antioxidant effect, beetroot is also known as the fountain of youth for skin and hair. There are around 166 µg in 200 grams of raw beetroot folic acid and 1.8 milligrams iron contain. That's just under 15 percent of the recommended amount of iron you should be eating per day and 40 percent of the recommended daily amount of folic acid.
Tip: The human body cannot utilize vegetable iron as well as animal iron. You should therefore take a drink containing vitamin C with your beetroot. This improves the absorption of plant iron.
Unhealthy ingredients
Unhealthy ingredients in beetroot include:
- oxalic acid
- nitrate
oxalic acid
Oxalic acid interferes with the absorption of calcium because the acid binds calcium and makes it insoluble in the intestine. Oxalic acid also contributes to the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, people with kidney disease or kidney stones should not eat beetroot raw.
nitrate
Beetroot is one of the vegetables with a high nitrate content. This means that the proportion is over 1,000 milligrams per kilogram. A low nitrate content is considered to be 500 milligrams per kilogram, which applies to tomatoes or onions, for example. If beetroot is stored incorrectly, it should always be stored in a cool and dark place, or the nitrate in the beet will be converted into nitrite by bacteria in the mouth. Nitrite inhibits the transport of oxygen in the blood, which can be particularly dangerous for babies in the first few months. Therefore, you should feed the beetroot at the earliest on the sixth month.
Tip: The conversion of nitrate into the harmful nitrite can be prevented by adding lemon juice to the dish. Foods containing vitamin C also fulfill this function.
Also can from nitrite nitrosamine develop. Animal experiments have shown that nitrosamine is carcinogenic. However, the connection between nitrate and cancer, including an increased risk of cancer, has not yet been proven. In addition, vitamin C and secondary plant substances inhibit the formation of nitrosamine.
preparation
Beets can be eaten both cooked and raw. However, care should be taken when eating raw beets. Although the beet is not poisonous in the sense of a poisonous plant, too much oxalic acid can have a harmful effect on the human body.
raw food
Beetroot as raw food
If you want to enjoy the new or old superfood raw, you should not exceed the daily amount of 200 grams because of the oxalic acid it contains. Also make sure that you only eat low-oxalic acid foods in addition to beetroot. Since oxalic acid binds calcium, you should also pay attention to your calcium balance if you eat beet regularly.
Tip: Foods rich in oxalic acid, which have a much higher proportion than beetroot, include spinach, rhubarb, peppermint or amaranth.
Cook
Cooking beetroot
Beetroot is always cooked with the skin on. When the beet is cooked, you can easily remove the skin with your hands by peeling it under cold water. Cooking also flushes out some of the oxalic acid, so the acidity in a cooked beetroot is lower than in the raw beet. Folic acid is extremely sensitive to light and heat. Therefore, beetroot should always be prepared gently or eaten raw.
Tip: It is best to prepare the beetroot in a pressure cooker.