Beets are one of the
few vegetables whose roots and tops are both consumed as
food. There are several varieties that range in color from
the familiar 'beet red' to yellow, white, and rainbow
colored.
Beets may be pickled, juiced raw, and cooked
and served hot with butter. Beets have the more sugar than
any other vegetable. 'Sugar beets' are grown for the
commercial production of sugar. Beets are a good source of
folate, manganese, sodium, and potassium. They also provide
vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus.
Beets provide an effective defense against heart disease and
birth defects. The red color of the beet is the active
ingredient that protects against cancer as it promotes the
formation of antioxidant liver enzymes. Beets counteract the
cancer causing nitrates found in the stomach from eating
processed meats such as wieners, making beet juice a great
ally for fighting stomach cancer.
