Solid Benefits of Boiled Beetroot

Some people prefer to eat boiled beetroot than raw ones because of the taste. Nutrients aren’t lost if you boil beetroot and can benefit you long-term. If you like beets but cannot stand the earthy taste of them raw, try boiling them.

Benefits of boiled beets include better digestive health, weight reduction, boosted energy levels, lower blood pressure, improved cardiovascular health, and the ability to fight inflammation.

Many people are not a fan of raw beets because of the distinct earthy taste. They have lots of nutrients and are good for the body.

Read on to learn how to prepare boiled beets right so that you don’t lose valuable nutrients and flavor.

Benefits of Boiled Beets

1. Improves Digestive Health

1 cup of beetroot contains approximately 3.4 grams of fiber. This makes beets a very rich source of natural fiber. Natural Fibre helps relieve problems like constipation by speeding up the passage of food through the digestive tract. It also helps to relieve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.

2. Helps in Weight Loss

There are about 43 calories in 100 grams of beetroot. A combination of high fiber and low-calorie content makes beets ideal for weight watchers. One of the most difficult parts of dieting for weight loss is hunger pangs.

Weight watchers can eat beetroot without having to worry about the calories while the fiber makes you feel full for longer so you don’t have to fight the urge to eat again for a few hours.

3. Helps Boost Energy Levels

Beetroots are best known for high nitrate content. Nitrates convert into nitric oxide which is a dilating gas. It makes the blood vessels widen which improves blood circulation and oxygenation of cells.

When cells become oxygenated, energy levels increase. Energy levels are increased for a few hours after which the effect gradually reduces.

4. Helps Fight Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a symptom common to various conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and cancer. Beetroots contain an amino acid called betaine which helps to relieve inflammation.

Although inflammation is a healthy, protective reaction, chronic inflammation can be extremely painful. Betaine, along with other phytonutrients in beetroots such as violaxanthin and isobetanin inhibits the enzymes which signal cells to ‘flame up.’

5. Lower Blood Pressure

Since beets contain high nitrate content and nitrates can help improve blood circulation, this will help with a lower blood pressure while consuming the beetroot. If you can eat more beets because they are boiled, then the benefit can be better blood flow.

Why Should You Boil Beetroot?

Beetroot is very high in fiber and low in calories which helps you eat less; making it the perfect food if you want to shed some pounds. You also get minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, and phosphorous, and manganese. Some people love to eat beetroot because of cardiovascular health benefits.

Beetroot is a very good source of folate or Vitamin B9. You can also get both of these from green veggies or other foods with folic acid. They contribute to lower levels of homocysteine in your blood that is associated with heart disease.

How to Boil Beets

Here is how to boil your beets to ensure you keep as many nutrients are possible.

  1. Cut off the stalks and tails making sure to leave at least 1 inch of stalk on to make sure none of the flesh is exposed. You will lose some nutrients, color, and flavor if any flesh is exposed.
  2. Scrub the surface of the vegetable with a potato scrubber. Be sure not to scrub too hard so that you do not break the skin and expose some flesh.
  3. Place the beets in a stockpot and submerge them with water, with at least 5 inches of water above them.
  4. If you want to add some flavor, add one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of sugar to the water. This measurement applies to a half-gallon (2 liters) of water.
  5. Cover the pot and leave to boil.
  6. Once they are cooked, remove them from the boiling water and place them in a pot of cold water for 5 minutes.
  7. Rub the skin with your fingers. It should peel off easily.
  8. Cut the boiled beets as required depending on what you intend to use them for. For salads, dice them into cubes. If you intend to stew them you can cut them into quarters.

How long do you boil beetroot?

There is no hard and fast rule as to how long beets should be left to boil. Usually between 20 minutes to 40 minutes. It depends on several factors including the size of the beets. Large beets take longer to cook than small ones.

When boiling beets try to use beets that are approximately the same size. If sizes vary widely it will be difficult to have all of them evenly cooked.

The number of beets in the pot matters. If you are boiling a few pieces for one meal it will take a lot less time than if you are batch cooking for storage.

Some people like to cook their beets but retain the crunch. In this case, use a brief boil. If the intent is to use the beets for a mashed dish, boil them longer so they are soft enough.

Other Benefits from Beetroot Juice

1. Beetroot has betalain

You can eat raw or boiled beetroot or leafy green veggies like spinach and kale to get your dietary nitrates. Beetroot contains betalain that has many health benefits although no specific amount is recommended, by adding beetroot to your diet once or twice a week will give you all the nutritional benefits of beetroot.

2. Beet juice from boiling has fiber

Beetroot juice has high concentration levels of betalain but boiled or cooked beets have more fiber. If you over boil the beets you might lose many nutrients because beets are sensitive to high temperatures.

3. Anti-inflammatory benefits of beets

You get anti-inflammatory betalains and phytonutrients when you eat beetroot or drink beetroot juice. If you’re looking to enhance your athletic performance drink beetroot juice, but if you want fiber to help you in losing weight boiled beetroot has high fiber content. It will leave you feeling fuller for longer and keep hunger pangs and cravings away.

4. Boiled beetroot reduces concentrated levels for a baby

Raw beets have more minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants than boiled beetroot. When you boil any vegetable for long the colorful phytonutrients are left in the water. This is a good way of reducing the nutrients concentration levels in beetroot when cooking for your baby. This is to make it easy for digestion to take place since the baby’s stomachs are sensitive.

Boiled beetroot puree

You can use boiled beetroot greens to make a puree that you can apply on your face as a face mask to help fight wrinkles. The carotenoids and Vitamin A in beetroot help fight early signs of aging.

Lutein is a potent antioxidant that helps fight free radicals. You can combine the beetroot with other fruits that are good for your skin to make it glow and healthy. Regular eating of beetroot has also been found to prevent skin cancer cells from growing.

Watch how to boil beetroots properly so that you don’t lose all the nutrients.

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Boiling beetroots are one way of eating beets if you’re not fond of the earthy taste of raw beets or if you’re preparing food for your baby. Beetroots are highly concentrated with nitrates that your baby’s stomach won’t be able to digest and boiling them remove some of the nitrates. Boiled beetroot has more fiber than juice which is the best if you’re thinking of losing some pounds. This way you’re more full for longer and avoid cravings.

More Questions about Boiled Beetroot

Does boiling beetroot remove nutrients?

The heat does destroy some heat-sensitive nutrients but if you stick to brief boiling and keep the vegetable’s skin on you will lose very little.

Should beets be peeled before cooking?

Beet peels help add to the total amount of fiber you consume. Nutritionists advise against eating beet peels if the vegetable is not organically grown.

How can I tell when beets are cooked?

Check that you can insert a fork through the flesh. If it goes through easily, they are cooked. The skin should peel off easily when they are well cooked.

How long do cooked beets last?

If cooked beets are refrigerated they last between 3 and 5 days. To make them last even longer, freeze them in plastic, airtight containers, or heavy-duty storage bags.

Should you juice beets cooked or raw?

You can juice them in either form but nutritionists recommend juicing raw beets because you get all the nutrients including those that would be destroyed by cooking.

Can you drink water from boiled beets?

Yes, you can drink the water from boiled beets. You will need to drink at least half a liter to get the same nitrate levels as you get from the beet juice.

Is beetroot better raw or cooked?

Raw beets have a crunchy and sweet taste and you can use them to make juices, smoothies, and add to your salads and they retain their nutrients and natural flavor. Cooked beets are softer and have a sweeter taste that you can puree.

Does cooking beetroot destroy their nutrients?

When you cook beets you reduce the betalains and other nutrients like vitamin C because they’re sensitive to heat and high temperatures. It’s best to steam beets for less than 15 minutes or bake under low temperatures for about an hour to help retain their nutrients.

Is raw beetroot good for you?

Beets have numerous health benefits and are rich in dietary fiber, folate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, etc. The beet greens are also nutritious as they contain vitamin A and C, iron, and calcium.

The iron, antioxidants, calcium, Vitamin B, and betaine make beetroot the best food for your liver. Beetroot thins the bile allowing it to flow easily through the liver and small intestines keeping the liver healthy. Betaine also helps to remove toxins and the fiber makes sure the toxins from the liver don’t re-enter your body. Beetroot is also said to protect your liver from any oxidative damage.

Do you have to cook beetroot before you juice it?

No, you don’t. You can wash the beets carefully them peel the skin and put them in the juicer. If you want the pulp you can blend your beets to get the fiber. Raw beets can be hard to eat for some. If this is the case, lightly boiling the vegetable with the skin on, then use it for juicing or eating plain.

Beetroots can be eaten raw but many people prefer to cook them because cooked beetroots are generally sweeter than raw ones. They can be steamed, roasted, or boiled. Boiling is popular because it helps retain most of the nutrients and requires very little work.

Ending Thoughts

For anyone who does not like the natural, earthy taste of raw beets, boiled beets are the next best option. Beetroots can also be steamed or roasted but that requires more time and energy in the kitchen because you have to peel them.

If you want to store beetroots for long, it is best to boil them lightly before freezing them. Freezing raw beetroots does not retain their natural taste and texture because they tend to get soggy when thawed.