The Tamesis
Move over, Cabbage. The key to good health is actually a balanced diet that includes more fruits and vegetables. Looking for something new? Time to hit the grocery store and buy some beets. Beets have an earthy and sweet flavor (they’re actually called “earth sugar”) and are packed with nutrients that are particularly beneficial to women’s health at all stages of life.
Here, experts explain everything you need to know.
What are the nutritional benefits of beets?
“Beets are a good source of fiber, potassium, iron, folate, and antioxidants,” says Abigail Collen, MS, RD, CDN, CDCES, outpatient clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai in New York.
One cup of raw beets contains 3.81 grams of fiber, according to the USDA, and “most of us don’t get enough fiber every day,” says Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, a sports nutritionist in Washington, D.C. She adds, “Fiber supports normal bowel movements, digestion, and supports blood sugar balance.”
Potassium, meanwhile, is an electrolyte that “helps maintain hydration and fluid balance and regulates nerve signaling and muscle contraction,” Coren said, noting that iron plays an important role in “carrying oxygenated blood throughout the body.”
Folic acid (also known as vitamin B9) is necessary during pregnancy to support healthy fetal development, Ehsani says, and it also supports heart health and cognitive function.
Beets also contain nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide and uses to help increase blood flow throughout the body and make skeletal muscle contractions more efficient, Coren said.
Is there a difference between eating beets and drinking beet juice?
Sometimes we want to consume more vegetables faster and more by drinking them instead of eating them. When it comes to beets and beet juice, the main difference is that beet juice has “virtually no fiber,” Coren said, adding that this may cause blood sugar to rise higher after drinking alcohol than after eating beets.
However, Essani says drinking beet juice is “the equivalent of eating a few beets at once,” meaning you’ll get a higher concentration of nutrients faster.
What are the health benefits of beet juice for women?
Beet juice can support women during key stages of their lives, including menstruation, pregnancy, and postmenopause.
menstruation
“The iron content in beets is beneficial to menstruating women,” says Koren, because it can replenish iron stores that have been reduced by bleeding, and adequate iron can help maintain good energy levels and immune function. According to an article from UCLA Health, “Nonpregnant women of childbearing age need 18 milligrams of iron per day to prevent iron deficiency,” while pregnant women need 27 milligrams and women over 50 need 8 milligrams. The USDA reports that one cup of raw beets contains 1.09 milligrams (mg) of iron, so this vegetable may be a good start for adding more minerals to your diet.
Pregnant
“The folate content in beets may be beneficial to pregnant women, as adequate folate intake is critical for fetal development and reducing the risk of neural tube defects,” explains Coren. But it’s worth noting that folic acid (the synthetic form of folic acid found in fortified foods and multivitamins) “is helpful only if taken before pregnancy and in the first trimester,” the Johns Hopkins University Medical Center reports. One cup of raw beets contains 148 micrograms (mcg) of folate, which is about 37 percent of the CDC’s recommended daily intake of 400 mcg.
