Are you obsessed with beets yet? If not, you should really consider it. I used to be skeptical of the deep magenta color – it just didn’t seem right for a vegetable – but now they’re one of my favorite foods next to cookie dough. Good thing beets have pretty much endless health benefits. Here are a few of them:
They’re low cal. Yes, beets taste sweet, but a cup of cooked beets has only 60 calories! Plus, they contain tons of fiber. Yay!
They boost your brain and your energy. Throwback to biology class: beets increase the efficiency of the mitochondria – your body’s energy powerhouses.
A myriad of antioxidants. Beets are a great source of the well known antioxidants like vitamin C and manganese, but it’s the betalains in beets that make them true antioxidant superstars. Betalains have literally thousands of health benefits, but chief among them are the prevention of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
They have anti-inflammatory benefits. Inflammation in the body is a constant struggle with all the stresses in our everyday lives. Beets help to counteract that, which can prevent such inflammation-related ailments as cancer, arthritis, bronchitis (ain’t nobody got time for that), chronic pain, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, heart disease, oh and wrinkles.
Detox the easy way. Eating beets can help cleanse your body of toxins by making them more water soluble so that they can be easily excreted.
Save money on a therapist. Beets are shown to improve mental health. It’s those betalains again; they fight against depression. Beets also contain tryptophan – a chemical that causes a sense of well-being!
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