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Beets are such an amazing food though they are often overlooked in the supermarket. The nutritional value of beets is attributed in part to its dark purplish hue – dark colored foods have recently been found to contain some of the highest amounts of antioxidants out of all foods on Earth. Beets are no exception to this rule and hold many of the properties that are apparent in “super foods”. Here are three reasons to eat beets:

1.Do it for your heart.  In one study, animals that had chemically induced colon cancer and high cholesterol were fed beet fiber. At the end of the study the animals fed beets had a lower cholesterol level by 30% and their triglyceride level dropped 40%. Triglycerides are the form in which fats are transported by the blood and are one of the main factors in heart disease.

2.Beets prevent birth defects. Folate is a very important factor in proper spinal development in babies while they are still in the womb. Beets are extremely high in folate and are threrfor an amazing food for women who are trying to concieve or who are already pregnant to eat. One cup of beets contains about a quarter of the recommended daily folate requirement.

3.Strong Bones . Magnesium and calcium are both essential minerals when it comes to healthy bone production and maintenance. They both work together perfectly – without magnesium calcium cannot be used properly by the body.  Beet root is high in magnesium and is therefor the perfect vegetable for women especially as they are more prone to brittle bones and osteoperosis.

When cooking beets it is very important to only cook them lightly as some of their health benefits are destroyed by over cooking.  Also, do not peel beets until after cooking because when they are bruised the beets bleed and lose some of their healing properties. Beets can be eaten alone, pickled, or raw greated into salads or other main dishes.