1. Increasing stamina and physical performance during exercise
A study conducted at Northumbria University, U.K,  found that beet juice had a very surprising effect on a group of male cyclists. The cyclists were tested to see how long they could cycle for before starting this experiment. They were then given 8 oz. of beet juice every day for two weeks and tested again to see if there was any difference in their cycling performance. Amazingly, on average the men could cycle 12 percent longer! Researchers attribute at least part of this effect to the abundance of nitrates found in beet juice. Nitrates slow down the rate at which oxygen burns within our muscles and consequently increases the length of time they can perform exercise before fatiguing.

2. Promoting liver health
Beet juice is one of the best vegetable juices for the liver because of its high content of an antioxidant called betaine. Betaine stimulates the liver cells to function optimally and to clear out toxins. When the liver is functioning at its best our whole body benefits greatly, because the liver is the main detoxification organ that clears all kinds of toxic chemicals out of our bloodstream. Betaine also protects the cells of the liver, the gall bladder and the bile duct from oxidative damage.

3. Treating anemia and restoring red blood cell levels
One of the major juicing benefits of beets is the rich content of iron. Iron is essential for building red blood cells, because it is the atom that sits right at the center of a red blood cell molecule. If we get low on iron, our red blood cell account will diminish accordingly. For this reason, drinking fresh beet juice daily is a great choice for those who have anemia, are menstruating or who have just given blood.

Beetroot Juice Recipes

Beet juice is quite concentrated, so it’s critical to dilute it with water or other juices. This is important, because ingesting too much beet juice or even too many beet greens can cause fever or chills, dizziness, hives, temporary paralysis of the vocal chords or increased heart rate. Beets are also high in oxalic acid, so you should avoid them altogether if  your stomach is easily irritated or you have osteoporosis, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis or gout.

But don’t let the warnings scare you away from beet juice; it can be incredibly beneficial when enjoyed in moderation by healthy people. What is moderation? While you assess how your body will tolerate it, begin with one tablespoon per day. After a few days, work up to one to two ounces per day, depending on how your body reacts. Let any reactions be your guide to whether you should modify the amount. To make sure you know just exactly how much beet juice you’re getting, juice the beet first and set the juice aside before you put the rest of the ingredients into the juicer.

And one last common sense precaution: try to use organic ingredients when you make juice. That will allow you to get more of what you need and less of what you don’t need, like pesticides.

Keeping the above caveats about quantities in mind, here are some  juicing recipes that will allow you to get all the benefits of the mighty beetroot:

Simply healthy

The amount of beet juice you can tolerate, plus

• 6 carrots

Sweetie

The amount of beet juice you can tolerate, plus

• 4 carrots
• 2 Fuji or Gala apples

Variety pack

The amount of beet juice you can tolerate, plus

• 1 Fuji or Gala apple
• 1 pear
• 3  carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 parsnip
• 1 small piece each of ginger and salsify root (approximately 2 inches long for each)

Zingy detoxifier

The amount of beet juice you can tolerate, plus

• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 radishes
• 1 slice Spanish onion
• 1 lemon
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbs. cider vinegar

These healthy beetroot juice recipes are just starting points. Feel free to adjust the ingredients and quantities to suit your taste, remembering to always keep the way your body feels in mind and let that be your guide.

Photo by Zsuzsanna Kilian, border by Helga Stolzenwald

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Image via Wikipedia

Commercials for a famous tonic that addressed “iron-poor blood” started appearing in the mid-twentieth century. That tonic, Geritol, still exists today, which tells you that a lot of people must be having problems with anemia — a blood disorder attributed to the deficiency of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12.

No wonder people search out a tonic if they have anemia: The disease causes dizziness and fatigue, even during non-strenuous activities. Iron-deficient anemia is the most common type, and occurs when your body doesn’t have the required iron content to produce hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to all parts of your body and provides energy for you to carry out your daily activities.

Iron is of two types: heme which is easily absorbed by the human body, and non-heme, which is not. While non-vegetarian foods like red meat and eggs are rich sources of the heme form, vegetarians have to augment their intake of iron from foods like beets (also known as beetroots), blackstrap molasses and green leafy vegetables. It’s important to also include foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, because they help in the absorption of non-heme iron.

Here are two recipes — one vegetarian and the other non-vegetarian — for dishes that are rich in iron and can help keep anemia at bay:

Beetroot-Fruit Cocktail
Serves 2

• 1/2 small-sized beet
• 2 ripe pears
• 1 small lime
• ½ red bell pepper
• 1 handful of basil leaves

1. Wash the beet and the pears.
2. Peel them and then chop them into small pieces, and place them in a blender.
3. Squeeze the juice from the lime into the blender.
4. Wash, de-seed and chop the bell pepper, and place the pieces in the blender.
5. Wash and use a course chop on the basil leaves, and place them in the blender.
6. Run the blender until you get the consistency juice of juice you want. You can also use the same ingredients in a juicer.

The juice has to be consumed within an hour or so after preparation to ensure you get all the nutrients. It’s a good recipe for those prone to anemia because beet juice is rich in both iron and folic acid, and lime is rich in vitamin C, which is the catalyst that helps the body absorb iron from non-heme sources. There are some caveats about ingesting too much beet juice, though, so please read about that on our beet juice recipes page before you make this recipe.

Ham and Beans
Serves 6

• 3 lbs smoked ham
• 2 lbs dried Great Northern beans
• 2 dried peppers
• 2 onions
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ cup blackstrap molasses
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup mustard

1. Rinse and dry the beans.
2. Fill a Dutch oven with the amount of water indicated on the package directions for the beans, and then add the beans. Cover and cook at the temperature indicated in the directions.
3. Add the ham and remaining ingredients when the beans are cooked half-way, based on the time in the package directions.
4. Cook for the remaining indicated time.

This dish contains both red meat (ham) and blackstrap molasses, both of which are rich in iron and help enrich the hemoglobin content in your blood.

And here are some quick concoctions that can also help prevent anemia or address it if you already have it:

• Twice a day: eat a ripe banana dipped in 1 tbs. honey.
• Once a day: drink a mixture of beet juice, apple juice and one tbs. honey.
• Once a day: drink a mixture of apple juice and tomato juice.
• Soak currants overnight, de-seed and eat in the morning.

This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of Care Plans.

You might also be interested in these other healthy recipes:

• Asparagus Recipes
• Beet Juicing Recipes
• Blueberry Recipes with Antioxidant Power
• Broccoli Recipes
• Garlic Recipes with Antiviral Power
• Pasta Recipes to Boost Your Immune System
• Recipes to Control Blood Sugar
• Recipes to Help Your Vision