Side effects of eating too many beets at once include gas, gut discomfort, and red urine or stool. Taking too high a dose of a beet supplement can cause lowered blood pressure – watch out, if you already have low blood pressure.
Yes — beets are a good food choice, especially for people with type 2 diabetes. A 2021 study showed that participants who ate 100 g (about ⅔ cup) of raw beets daily for eight weeks showed improvements in cognitive function, glucose metabolism, and other metabolic markers.
As with any food, the overconsumption of beets can lead to some health problems. Risks of overconsumption include: Increased risk of kidney stones: Since beets are high in the compound oxalate, eating too many can contribute to kidney stone formation. Beeturia: With beeturia, urine may turn pink or red.
Beetroot is another one of the more significant natural blood thinners. The nitrates in beets are known to improve heart health and reduce blood pressure. Beetroot is also able to relieve blood clotting. One 2008 study found that consumption of beetroot juice increased nitrate levels and reduced platelet aggregation.
Interactions With Other Drugs:
Beetroot juice is rich in nitrates, which might negatively interact with certain blood pressure-lowering medicines, leading to a severe drop in blood pressure. Beetroot juice is used in drug formulations because of the red pigment.
Beetroots have high nitrate content and might cause nitrate poisoning in infants if given directly. They should be avoided in infants aged three months or below. Before using beetroot for any health effects, talk to your doctor or physician about any precautions you might need to take.
Although these benefits are wide-reaching and can improve the health of any person of any age, beets also offer benefits that are particularly useful for older adults. Consuming beets can slow the aging process, lower blood pressure, improve liver function, and improve stamina.
Red beets also contain phytosterols, chemical structures found in plants very similar to cholesterol, which can help lower the body's cholesterol levels by promoting cholesterol excretion, also decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease. Beets can also help with blood pressure.
Foods rich in vitamin E, such as almonds, avocado, and spinach, can help dissolve blood clots. Vitamin E has anticoagulant properties and can help prevent blood clots from forming. It is recommended to consume foods rich in vitamin E regularly.
Beets are an exceptionally nutritious vegetable. If you're concerned about nutrition, try to eat them raw. You can also juice them or lightly cook them for similar benefits.
It is good to eat beets only 3-4 times a week, not more. If you eat daily, make sure you eat it in limited quantities due to its high oxalate content. Pickled beets are high in sodium content.
Beetroot juice plays an important role in opening the blood vessels and also increases the flow of oxygen throughout the body which makes you feel more energetic and active. This is the reason why it is advisable to drink beetroot juice in the morning to help your sleepy organs wake up.
The oxalates found in beets can increase your uric acid level, meaning that too many beets can lead to gout. To avoid this, stick to no more than a single half-cup serving of beets per day.
Beetroot juice has traditionally been used as a remedy to activate liver enzymes and increase bile, which helps the liver's detox function. For instance, it's high in betalains and other compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation, protect against oxidative stress and reduce the risk of liver damage.
Pickled beets also contain small amounts of vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of potassium, calcium, and iron. The micronutrient content of pickled beets varies depending on how the beets were processed. Because pickled beets are fermented, they are rich in probiotics.
“Beets are unique for their cardiovascular and heart health benefits,” says registered dietitian Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, RD. “Due to a combination of compounds found in beets, they are able to enhance blood flow, improve the health of arteries, support lower homocysteine levels and reduce LDL cholesterol.”
Researchers have concluded that one glass of beetroot juice a day is enough to significantly reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
The widening of blood vessels caused by nitrate ingestion not only improves circulation, but also decreases the risk of heart disease, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and vascular disease.
Drink: Tea
Black and green tea are associated with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, and short-term studies suggest it's good for your blood vessel health.
Beets may be a secret weapon against memory loss. Researchers at the Translational Science Center found that giving older adults a daily dose of beet juice helped to increase blood flow to the area of the brain associated with dementia.
A compound in beets that gives the vegetable its distinctive red color could eventually help slow the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain, a process that is associated with Alzheimer's disease.