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Beautiful, Beneficial Beets
The Nutritional Importance of Beets
Nitric OxideWhy beetroot juice lowers blood pressure
LONDON, June 30 (UPI) -- Nitrate content appears to be the reason why
beetroot juice lowers blood pressure, researchers in Britain said.
Study author Amrita Ahluwalia, a professor of vascular biology at Queen Mary's William Harvey Research Institute, at Queen Mary University of London, said the study demonstrated that the nitrate found in beetroot juice was the cause of its beneficial effects on cardiovascular health by increasing the levels of the gas nitric oxide in the circulation.
The study, published online in the American Heart Association journal
Hypertension, found blood pressure lowered within 24 hours in people who
took nitrate tablets and in people who drank beetroot juice.
"We gave inorganic nitrate capsules or beetroot juice to healthy volunteers and compared their blood pressure responses and the biochemical changes occurring in the circulation," Ahluwalia said in a statement. "We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure."
© 2010 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2010/06/blood-pressure-care-naturally.html
Researchers in this new study report that it took less than an hour to note a reduction in blood pressure in the beetroot juice tests. After three to four hours it was more pronounced and a degree of reduction continued to be observed for up to 24 hours. This report is published in the online journal Hypertension.
Juicing, and the benefits of a juicing program, has long been recognized around the world. In this country, researchers such as Norman Walker, D.Sc, and Bernard Jensen, D.C., Ph.D., are well known for their praise of the beet.
Decades old of intriguing information about beets focuses on betaine, a substance found in a number of plants in the chenopodiaceae family. Sugar beets, broccoli, and spinach are particularly high in this substance, most often derived from sugar beets. Studies point to this substance that helps prevent coronary and cerebral artery disease. This is because betaine is a methyl donor.
A methyl donor ensures that homocysteine, a breakdown product of the amino acid methionine, is converted back to methionine. Mildly elevated levels of homocysteine have been found in patients with coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease. This condition is known as mild hyperhomocysteinemia, and is recognized as a risk factor for premature arteriosclerotic disease (Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis. Vol. 14(3) March 1994).
In one study, not only did protective antioxidant activity increase in the livers of beet fiber-fed animals, but also their total cholesterol dropped 30%, their triglycerides dropped 40% (elevated triglycerides, the form in which fats are transported in the blood, are a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and their HDL (beneficial cholesterol) level increased significantly.
Combining beetroots and tops gives you choline, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and B, soluble and insoluble fiber, and is beneficial for blood fat inhibiting, cholesterol levels, liver cell regeneration, sugar stabilizing, and liver, kidney and gallbladder function.
The greens attached to the beet roots are delicious and can be prepared like spinach or Swiss chard. They are incredibly rich in nutrients, concentrated in vitamins and minerals as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin, all good for the health of your eyes.
Beets are known to provide an effective defense against heart disease and birth defects. They are low in calories and a good source of folate, manganese, sodium, vitamin C, copper and phosphorus. One cup of cooked beets offers you 136 mg. of folic acid.
The red pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color—betacyanin—is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent, as it promotes the formation of antioxidant liver enzymes. Beets counteract the cancer causing nitrates found in the stomach from eating processed meats. Their potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. Beet juice is great ally for fighting stomach cancer.
The pulp is also good for the health of horses and dogs. My dogs get this pulp in their dinner on the days I add beets to my freshly made juice.
One of my favorite recipes is roasted beet salad with walnuts, on a bed of fresh romaine lettuce. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, freshly ground pepper or natural salt to taste. A squeeze of fresh orange juice or blood orange slices be added for variety.
Beet Nutrition Information
Nutrient Units 1 cup
-------
136 g
Proximates
Water g 119.109
Energy kcal 58.480
Energy kj 244.800
Protein g 2.190
Total lipid (fat) g 0.231
Ash g 1.469
Carbohydrate, by difference g 13.002
Fiber, total dietary g 3.808
Minerals
Calcium, Ca mg 21.760
Iron, Fe mg 1.088
Magnesium, Mg mg 31.280
Phosphorus, P mg 54.400
Potassium, K mg 442.000
Sodium, Na mg 106.080
Zinc, Zn mg 0.476
Copper, Cu mg 0.102
Manganese, Mn mg 0.447
Selenium, Se mcg 0.952
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid mg 6.664
Thiamin mg 0.042
Riboflavin mg 0.054
Niacin mg 0.454
Pantothenic acid mg 0.211
Vitamin B-6 mg 0.091
Folate, total mcg 148.240
Folic acid mcg 0.000
Folate, food mcg 148.240
Folate, DFE mcg_DFE 148.240
Vitamin B-12 mcg 0.000
Vitamin A, IU IU 51.680
Retinol mcg 0.000
Vitamin A, RAE mcg_RAE 2.720
Vitamin E mg_ATE 0.408
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated g 0.037
4:0 g 0.000
6:0 g 0.000
8:0 g 0.000
10:0 g 0.000
12:0 g 0.000
14:0 g 0.000
16:0 g 0.035
18:0 g 0.001
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated g 0.045
16:1 undifferentiated g 0.000
18:1 undifferentiated g 0.045
20:1 g 0.000
22:1 undifferentiated g 0.000
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated g 0.083
18:2 undifferentiated g 0.076
18:3 undifferentiated g 0.007
18:4 g 0.000
20:4 undifferentiated g 0.000
20:5 n-3 g 0.000
22:5 n-3 g 0.000
22:6 n-3 g 0.000
Cholesterol mg 0.000
Phytosterols mg 34.000
Amino Acids
Tryptophan g 0.026
Threonine g 0.064
Isoleucine g 0.065
Leucine g 0.092
Lysine g 0.079
Methionine g 0.024
Cystine g 0.026
Phenylalanine g 0.063
Tyrosine g 0.052
Valine g 0.076
Arginine g 0.057
Histidine g 0.029
Alanine g 0.082
Aspartic acid g 0.158
Glutamic acid g 0.582
Glycine g 0.042
Proline g 0.057
Serine g 0.080
For more information –
"Beet juice aids stomach upsets, some cancers." Better Nutrition for Today’s Living. October 1994.
Kapadia G.J., et al. "Chemoprevention of lung and skin cancer by beta vulgaris (beet) root extract." Cancer Letters, 100: 1-2, February 27, 1996, 211-4.
Vogel, Dr. H.C.A. The Nature Doctor. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, Inc. 1991.
Walker, Norman W., D.Sc. Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices. Prescott, AZ: Norwalk Press. 1970.
Heinerman, John. Encyclopedia of Healing Juices. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing. 1994.
The anti-cancer suggestion is to eat one organic, raw, grated beet daily.
from 2008, herbalYODA Says!
This week's BBC News reports on the beet, stating
that drinking 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce
blood pressure. The UK researchers found that volunteers’ blood
pressure was reduced within an hour of drinking the juice.
Researchers in this new study report that it took less than an hour to note a reduction in blood pressure in the beetroot juice tests. After three to four hours it was more pronounced and a degree of reduction continued to be observed for up to 24 hours. This report is published in the online journal Hypertension.
Juicing, and the benefits of a juicing program, has long been recognized around the world. In this country, researchers such as Norman Walker, D.Sc, and Bernard Jensen, D.C., Ph.D., are well known for their praise of the beet.
Decades old of intriguing information about beets focuses on betaine, a substance found in a number of plants in the chenopodiaceae family. Sugar beets, broccoli, and spinach are particularly high in this substance, most often derived from sugar beets. Studies point to this substance that helps prevent coronary and cerebral artery disease. This is because betaine is a methyl donor.
A methyl donor ensures that homocysteine, a breakdown product of the amino acid methionine, is converted back to methionine. Mildly elevated levels of homocysteine have been found in patients with coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease. This condition is known as mild hyperhomocysteinemia, and is recognized as a risk factor for premature arteriosclerotic disease (Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis. Vol. 14(3) March 1994).
In one study, not only did protective antioxidant activity increase in the livers of beet fiber-fed animals, but also their total cholesterol dropped 30%, their triglycerides dropped 40% (elevated triglycerides, the form in which fats are transported in the blood, are a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and their HDL (beneficial cholesterol) level increased significantly.
Combining beetroots and tops gives you choline, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and B, soluble and insoluble fiber, and is beneficial for blood fat inhibiting, cholesterol levels, liver cell regeneration, sugar stabilizing, and liver, kidney and gallbladder function.
The greens attached to the beet roots are delicious and can be prepared like spinach or Swiss chard. They are incredibly rich in nutrients, concentrated in vitamins and minerals as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin, all good for the health of your eyes.
Beets are known to provide an effective defense against heart disease and birth defects. They are low in calories and a good source of folate, manganese, sodium, vitamin C, copper and phosphorus. One cup of cooked beets offers you 136 mg. of folic acid.
The red pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color—betacyanin—is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent, as it promotes the formation of antioxidant liver enzymes. Beets counteract the cancer causing nitrates found in the stomach from eating processed meats. Their potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. Beet juice is great ally for fighting stomach cancer.
The pulp is also good for the health of horses and dogs. My dogs get this pulp in their dinner on the days I add beets to my freshly made juice.
One of my favorite recipes is roasted beet salad with walnuts, on a bed of fresh romaine lettuce. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, freshly ground pepper or natural salt to taste. A squeeze of fresh orange juice or blood orange slices be added for variety.
Beet Nutrition Information
Nutrient Units 1 cup
-------
136 g
Proximates
Water g 119.109
Energy kcal 58.480
Energy kj 244.800
Protein g 2.190
Total lipid (fat) g 0.231
Ash g 1.469
Carbohydrate, by difference g 13.002
Fiber, total dietary g 3.808
Minerals
Calcium, Ca mg 21.760
Iron, Fe mg 1.088
Magnesium, Mg mg 31.280
Phosphorus, P mg 54.400
Potassium, K mg 442.000
Sodium, Na mg 106.080
Zinc, Zn mg 0.476
Copper, Cu mg 0.102
Manganese, Mn mg 0.447
Selenium, Se mcg 0.952
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid mg 6.664
Thiamin mg 0.042
Riboflavin mg 0.054
Niacin mg 0.454
Pantothenic acid mg 0.211
Vitamin B-6 mg 0.091
Folate, total mcg 148.240
Folic acid mcg 0.000
Folate, food mcg 148.240
Folate, DFE mcg_DFE 148.240
Vitamin B-12 mcg 0.000
Vitamin A, IU IU 51.680
Retinol mcg 0.000
Vitamin A, RAE mcg_RAE 2.720
Vitamin E mg_ATE 0.408
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated g 0.037
4:0 g 0.000
6:0 g 0.000
8:0 g 0.000
10:0 g 0.000
12:0 g 0.000
14:0 g 0.000
16:0 g 0.035
18:0 g 0.001
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated g 0.045
16:1 undifferentiated g 0.000
18:1 undifferentiated g 0.045
20:1 g 0.000
22:1 undifferentiated g 0.000
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated g 0.083
18:2 undifferentiated g 0.076
18:3 undifferentiated g 0.007
18:4 g 0.000
20:4 undifferentiated g 0.000
20:5 n-3 g 0.000
22:5 n-3 g 0.000
22:6 n-3 g 0.000
Cholesterol mg 0.000
Phytosterols mg 34.000
Amino Acids
Tryptophan g 0.026
Threonine g 0.064
Isoleucine g 0.065
Leucine g 0.092
Lysine g 0.079
Methionine g 0.024
Cystine g 0.026
Phenylalanine g 0.063
Tyrosine g 0.052
Valine g 0.076
Arginine g 0.057
Histidine g 0.029
Alanine g 0.082
Aspartic acid g 0.158
Glutamic acid g 0.582
Glycine g 0.042
Proline g 0.057
Serine g 0.080
For more information –
"Beet juice aids stomach upsets, some cancers." Better Nutrition for Today’s Living. October 1994.
Kapadia G.J., et al. "Chemoprevention of lung and skin cancer by beta vulgaris (beet) root extract." Cancer Letters, 100: 1-2, February 27, 1996, 211-4.
Vogel, Dr. H.C.A. The Nature Doctor. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, Inc. 1991.
Walker, Norman W., D.Sc. Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices. Prescott, AZ: Norwalk Press. 1970.
Heinerman, John. Encyclopedia of Healing Juices. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing. 1994.
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