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Beets are one of the healthiest vegetables. It contains a huge amount of nutrients and vitamins. Boiled beets are useful for the human body no less than raw beets. But there are differences, including calorie content. This is important to consider when compiling a diet and including boiled root crops in the daily diet.
Which beets are healthier: raw or boiled
During heat treatment, the composition of the root crop changes slightly, so it is impossible to say unequivocally which vegetable is healthier, raw or boiled. But nutritionists say that a boiled vegetable is more easily absorbed by the body. Raw beets contain substances that can weaken and cause digestive problems. During cooking, some of the vitamins may disappear, but also some of the fruit acids that can irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive tract also disappear. Therefore, it is the boiled product that is better absorbed by the body.
Composition and nutritional value of boiled beets
The benefits of boiled beets for the body are due to its chemical composition. For 100 grams of product there are:
- protein – 1,7 g;
- fat – 0,2 g;
- carbohydrates – 7,6 g;
- water – 87 g;
- saturated fatty acids – 0,03 g;
- mono and disaccharides – 8 g;
- 2 g dietary fiber;
- ash – 1 g;
- beta-carotene – 0,02 g.
In addition, the boiled root crop contains vitamins: A, groups B, C, nicotinic acid, folic acid, as well as numerous micro and macro elements. These are calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium.
Calorie boiled beets
Boiled beets have a calorie content per 100 g of product in the region of 43–50 Kcal. The exact figure directly depends on the variety of the root crop. The raw product has a lower calorie content, but the numbers differ slightly.
Glycemic index of boiled beets
The glycemic index of a boiled vegetable is 65. This is a rather high figure, and therefore boiled root vegetables should be carefully consumed by those who have diabetes. The product may increase blood sugar. But this is only if you use it in large quantities.
The benefits of boiled beets for the human body
Boiled root crops bring great benefits to the body. First of all, it strengthens blood vessels, cleanses the blood and removes harmful cholesterol from the body. And also beetroot helps to increase hemoglobin, cleanses the liver. In addition, boiled root helps:
- increase immunity and resist viral and infectious diseases;
- relieve stress and tidy up the nervous system;
- get rid of edema and prevent fluid loss in the body;
- clean the intestines;
- to establish metabolic processes in the body.
And also the root crop is recommended to be used by nutritionists to lose weight. There are even special beet diets that allow you to lose up to five kg per week.
For men
For the stronger sex, boiled beets are especially useful. This root vegetable contributes to the prevention of prostate adenoma. In addition, there are studies confirming that regular consumption of the root vegetable helps to rejuvenate sexual function and even treats sexual disorders.
For women
Women, first of all, it is useful to take the root vegetable during menstruation. This vegetable allows you to restore blood loss, as well as increase hemoglobin. This is especially true for women who have increased blood loss during the menstrual period.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the benefits of a vegetable for those who want to lose weight. This is a great diet option, especially since beets can discourage the desire to eat sweets and can control appetite. The best option for losing weight is the preparation and use of root smoothies.
The benefits of boiled beets during pregnancy
The benefits of boiled root crops for women in position are very large. The root crop is simply necessary for pregnant women for the following reasons:
- the vegetable will not allow you to gain excess weight, which can contribute to difficult childbirth;
- perfectly relieve anemia;
- get rid of constipation;
- helps fight mood swings that are typical for pregnant women;
- folic acid helps prevent malformations of the baby.
Is it possible to boiled beets for nursing mothers
Now there are a lot of disputes between experts, but in most cases, boiled beets are banned during lactation. This is due to the fact that the baby may develop an allergic reaction, as well as problems with stools.
At what age can you give boiled beets to children
Pediatricians advise not to include root crops in the children’s menu until 7–8 months, and sometimes up to a year. The only exception is children prone to constipation. In this case, you can introduce the root crop into the diet, starting from 5-6 months of age. The first feeding should be very small, after which the dosage can be gradually increased.
For the elderly
A boiled root vegetable is useful for the elderly, but you should carefully read the contraindications and consult a doctor. First of all, the benefit is that the root crop naturally reduces pressure. Therefore, beetroot salads are useful for hypertensive patients. But it is important that there are no problems with the kidneys, since the root crop exacerbates urolithiasis, as well as the formation of kidney stones. And also in large quantities, beets can cause intestinal upset, so if you are prone to diarrhea, you should carefully take the vegetable.
Among the positive properties for an elderly person: improves blood quality, gives energy, removes toxins from the body.
Features of taking boiled beets
Boiled beets, its benefits and harms to the body may vary depending on the characteristics of the reception. You can use a root vegetable with various ingredients, each of which in its own way affects the properties of the product. And also the use of a vegetable depends on the presence of chronic diseases and on the desired result. For example, with a beetroot diet, it is recommended to add olive oil to salads, which successfully reduces the glycemic index of the product.
Beets must be properly selected and cooked. These should be small fruits, burgundy in color. Depending on the size, it takes 40-70 minutes to cook the root crop. It is better to check the readiness of the product with a knife or fork. For a diet, beets are best used without dressing with mayonnaise or sour cream. The best option for a combination for weight loss is beets and low-fat kefir.
With diseases of the digestive tract
For gastritis and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it is worth using the vegetable carefully and only in boiled form. A raw root crop will cause severe irritation. When cooking, the following rules must be observed:
- boil the root vegetable in the peel;
- salting a vegetable is not recommended;
- you can replace the cooking process with the baking process.
There are several recipes that are considered optimal for gastritis and other gastrointestinal pathologies:
- Take the root crop, boil according to all the rules, then peel, cut into small cubes. Add pre-scalded prunes there, season it all with sour cream with low fat content.
- Boil a few vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots). Peel and grate all of them, you can finely chop, if desired. And also grate cheese into a dish and season everything with oil, preferably olive oil.
- You can also cook beetroot. This is a soup based on boiled root vegetables, also with the addition of greens, boiled carrots, as well as green onions and cucumbers.
The soup is made cold with kefir or kvass.
With the correct use of a boiled vegetable, the work of the stomach is activated, the gastrointestinal tract is cleansed, cholesterol is removed, the intestines are cleansed and toxins are removed. But experts emphasize that in the stage of exacerbation of gastritis and ulcers, even boiled beets should be consumed in a minimal amount.
The benefits and harms of boiled beets for the liver
Cleansing the liver with boiled beets at home is fast, cheap and convenient. The benefit of a vegetable in this case is that it is able to normalize lipid metabolism and remove all toxins, which will greatly facilitate the work of the liver and unload the organ. The vegetable contains beatin, which significantly improves the performance of the liver.
But there are conditions in which it is forbidden to take beets in large quantities, and even more so to carry out manipulations to cleanse the liver. These are urolithiasis, exacerbation of gastritis, diabetes mellitus, chronic diarrhea. In any case, it is recommended to first consult with a specialist.
There are some simple but very effective liver cleansing recipes:
- Boil the root crop and grate. Roll the resulting mass into balls about the size of a walnut. Eat one scoop before meals for two weeks.
- Beetroot puree soup. Boil the root crop with the addition of carrots, potatoes, onions. Grind all vegetables in puree with a blender and consume within three days, 200 grams every 2-3 hours.
- You can just eat beetroot salads, putting yourself on an appropriate diet, but in this case, it is recommended to exclude most foods, including sweets, baked goods, fatty foods, processed and fatty meats, all fried.
Experts strongly recommend performing a liver cleanse after a colon detox procedure, as then the effectiveness will be much higher.
The benefits of boiled beets with garlic
The addition of garlic makes the vegetable very tasty and adds to its benefits. Fans of this use of beets have been around the world since ancient times.
Root vegetable with the addition of garlic is useful for the following properties:
- the presence of essential oil will help get rid of colds and strengthen the immune system;
- it is an excellent anti-infective agent;
- fiber will cleanse the body and improve intestinal motility;
- both products have a positive effect on blood vessels and cardiac activity;
- both beets and garlic contain nicotinic acid and many B vitamins.
As a result, the combination of two products useful for the body can only have a positive effect on the work of all organs and systems.
Is it possible to eat boiled beets every day
Red beets boiled are useful for almost everyone. But whether it is possible to eat it every day depends on many factors. First of all, from age. For very young children up to a year, it is necessary to give even boiled beets in minimal quantities and only after advice from a pediatrician. Elderly people in the presence of certain diseases are also not recommended to get involved in this vegetable.
A healthy and adult person can eat beets every day. You can not get involved in the presence of contraindications and exacerbations of chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. It should also be borne in mind that with a weak intestine, daily intake of beets can lead to diarrhea.
How long can boiled beets keep in the refrigerator
If the root crop is previously cleaned, then it can be stored in the refrigerator for three days. But it is important to understand that the sooner you use it, the more useful substances the body will receive.
An unpeeled root crop is recommended to be used within four days. Otherwise, it won’t be as useful. If the vegetable is cooked in large quantities, and you can’t use it right away, then it’s better to just grate and freeze in portions in sealed packaging. Then the shelf life is extended to two months.
Restrictions and contraindications to taking boiled beets
Under some conditions and pathologies, it is not recommended to eat boiled beets. These restrictions include:
- chronic diarrhea;
- constant low pressure;
- diabetes;
- exacerbation of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract with high acidity;
- osteoporosis;
- urolithiasis disease;
- allergic reaction;
- breastfeeding period.
For example, you can use red beets for gastritis, but only until an exacerbation occurs and acidity increases.
Conclusion
Boiled beets are good for the human body – this is a proven fact. But, like any product, it must be consumed in the right dishes and in moderation. Then it will turn out to clean the liver, and lose weight, and bring the pressure back to normal.
