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The Beauty of Beets

February 23, 2014 by Refinery Fitness

Beets are one of my absolute favorite root vegetables.

Bliss_chioggia_beets-3

They are not only beautiful but they are packed with:

  • Antioxidants
  • Calcium
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Fiber
  • Vitamins A and C
  • and Folate, which is key for new cell growth and healing

They also contain a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains, a powerful class of antioxidant that provides anti-inflammatory and detoxification support.

Now that you know that beets are a nutritional powerhouse let me share a few more reasons to give beets a try.

More Reasons to LOVE Beets:

  •  Increases Stamina and Endurance-  a study at the University of Exeter in England, found that eating foods rich in naturally-occurring nitrates, like beets, improved endurance during exercise.  Out of all the foods studied, beet juice had the greatest impact, improving peoples’ ability to exercise for 16% longer without tiring. Woo Hoo!
  • Powerful Blood Builder and Cleanser- the iron helps blood transport nutrients better.
  • Natural Colon Cleanser, removes toxins and congestion from the body/
  • Lowers Blood Pressure- Drinking beet juice may help to lower blood pressure in a matter of hours.
  • Potent Anti-Cancer and Disease Food- protects against heart disease, birth defects, and certain cancer.
  • Boosts Immunity – rich in Vitamin C.

Bonus: I have also heard that eating beets regularly will help prevent varicose veins.

Beets are sweet, nourishing and versatile.  You can enjoy raw beets grated on a salad or juiced, and cooked beets in salads, soups and stews.  Remember not to throw away the beet greens, they are edible and a super nutritious dark leafy green.  You can sauté the greens with a little olive oil, garlic and sprinkle of sea salt for a quick and easy side dish.

I love to add beets into my smoothies.  They are super detoxifying, add a nice sweetness to the mix and the bright magenta color wakes me up in the morning!

Bliss_beet_smoothie

Detoxifying Beet Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:

Serves 1

  • 1 medium beet, steamed, roasted, or raw (if you don’t have a high speed blender-Vitamix, use steamed or roasted)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tbsp of hemp seeds (optional- will provide 11 grams of protein)
  • 1 tbsp of chia seeds (optional- will provide good ‘fat’ Omega 3’s)

Blend all ingredients together, garnish with hemp seeds.

Enjoy!

Speaking of detox, I want to give you a heads up that The Bliss Detox Spring Fling will kick off on April 7th!  Save the Date.
More details will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.  I am so excited.
beetswisschard
Have a great week!
In health and happiness,
abby-signature-withsite

Filed Under: Nutriton Tips, Uncategorized Tagged With: antioxidants, beauty of beets, detox, detoxifying foods, health benefits of beets

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Anti-Inflammatory antioxidant antioxidants berries blood sugar Blueberries cancer chia seeds cholesterol depression detox diabetes eggs Exercise fat Fiber food fruit Gut Health Health heart disease Hydration iron Kombucha ldl leafy greens Magnesium mindful eating oatmeal omega 3 Potassium protein Pumpkin Seeds salmon Sleep Stress Sugar vegetables veggies Vitamin A Vitamin C vitamin k vitamins water zinc

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Portland, OR 97213 | Map
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