8 Beet Juice Benefits
Although it hardly makes most lists of the world’s so-called super foods, beet juice has numerous benefits. Beets are of the same family to which spinach and Swiss chard belong. While beet leaves tend to taste bitter, they contain chlorophyll and have higher nutritive value than the roots.
Beet juice helps lower the blood pressure as well as improve the blood flow for better blood circulation. The phytochemical known as betacyanin (betaine pigment) in beet juice, which gives this vegetable the deeply rich amethyst color it has, is capable of reducing high homocysteine levels which can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and blood clot formation.
Additionally, beets contain the following essential vitamins and minerals:
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Vitamin E
- Zinc
- Fiber
- Vitamin B9 aka Folic Acid
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Vitamin K
Is Beet Juice Good For You?
More than five decades ago, Hungarian doctor Alexander Ferenczi showed that beet juice is capable of reducing tumor size in patients who suffered from inoperable cancer. Most recently, beet extracts have been shown to inhibit tumors develop in the skin, stomach, lungs, colon, and liver. Simply put, beet juice can help you maintain good health when taken regularly.
Beets have naturally-occurring chemicals known as nitrates that your body converts into nitric oxide that can help improve blood circulation and lower blood pressure. Why is beet juice good for you? Because it can help cleanse your blood, eliminate parasites, treat infections, detoxify homocysteine, prevent several cancer types, and build red blood cells faster.
What Are the Benefits Of Beet Juice?
You can count the people who drink pure beet juice on one hand, yet it has excellent health benefits which all of us should take advantage of. If you still haven’t tried beet juice, try incorporating it in your diet a little at a time as in a 250ml glass at one meal. Preferably mixed with other fruits and vegetables.
To convince you of the power that beet juice has in health maintenance, take a look at this list (in no particular order):
Liver: jaundice, diarrhea, hepatitis, vomiting or food poisoning are associated with excess toxins in your liver which this organ already has difficulty processing. Beet juice has cleansing properties to rid your liver of excess fat deposits from alcohol, diabetes or protein deficiency.
Glutathione: this so-called “master antioxidant” helps protect the liver, kidneys, eyes, skin, and other vital organs against damage by toxic by-products from food and the environment. Beet juice, which can dissolve kidney stones, helps increase the body’s glutathione production.
Birth defects: beet juice contains folate, a.k.a. folate or vitamin B9. that helps prevent possible birth defects by taking proper care of fetal brain development and the infant’s spinal column. Folate also helps in new cell production as well as existing cell maintenance.
Cholesterol: this vegetable juice can reduce levels of low density lipoprotein or LDL “bad” cholesterol and raise those of high density lipoprotein or HDL “good” cholesterol. Beet juice provides you with an option to maintain your cholesterol levels without taking drug medication.
Anemia: beet juice has high iron content that reactivates and regenerates your red blood cells in order to transport fresh oxygen throughout your body. Additionally, the copper in beet juice helps make iron’s easy availability to the body.
Potassium: this mineral is essential primarily for cardiovascular health as it can counter the effects of excessive sodium in the body which can cause hypertension or high blood pressure. Additionally, the potassium in beet juice helps other critical organs like the kidneys to function optimally.
Stamina: drinking beet juice prior to a workout enables you to exercise for 16% longer because of betain’s ability to increase the blood’s oxygen transport rate by a reported 400% upon absorption. Not only does beet juice increase stamina but it also makes muscles work more efficiently.
Anti-inflammatory: the betaine in beet juice helps combat inflammation to prevent the development of chronic medical conditions that can lead to medical conditions such as arthritis, renal failure, and the mentioned cancer types.
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Beet Juice Side Effects – Are There Any?
Although beet juice has many proven health benefits, it may have some side effects on other individual just the same, albeit this is because not everybody has the same physical constituency.
Although no side effects of the adverse kind have been reported to date, here are some side effects that have been experienced and reported by those who drink – or drank – beet juice:
- Upset Stomach - this can occur because beet juice is both a diuretic and a laxative but this is relatively a minor ailment and goes away after a while.
- Dizziness - Its efficacy in lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol can backfire if more than two glasses of beet juice are taken; this results in dizziness.
- Diarrhea - Undiluted beet juice may cause diarrhea in some individuals so dilute yours with a substantial amount of water before drinking it.
- Allergic Reaction - Some allergies were noted from drinking beet juice such as rashes and other conditions such as itching sensations, fever, and chills.
While beet juice is generally a health benefit-giving beverage, it is best to consult your doctor before drinking large quantities of it. Your doctor should be able to tell you the intake appropriate for your age, existing health condition, weight, etc. as well as discuss any precautionary measures you should take if you experience side effects.
