The deep red color of beetroot comes from its high concentration of phytochemicals called betalains.¹

These and other active components in beets have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, blood-pressure-lowering, and lipid-lowering effects.1,2 A systematic review of clinical trials concluded, “Beetroot juice supplementation should be promoted as a key component of a healthy lifestyle to control blood pressure in healthy and hypertensive individuals.”³

This beneficial effect is likely due to the vegetable’s high concentrations of nitrates. Nitrates support the production of nitric oxide, a vasodilator that helps relax and widen blood vessels.³

Compared to other nitrate-rich vegetables, beets were found to be the best non-drug therapy for increasing nitrates and nitrites in the blood.⁴

To find out if consuming whole beets would be equally effective on blood pressure as compared to beet juice, researchers conducted a randomized, crossover trial with 15 healthy young adults. (Raw beets provide about 200 mg of nitrate per 100 grams.)⁵

Both interventions resulted in a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with no significant difference between the two groups. Nitrite concentration in the blood was increased in both groups, however it was higher in the beetroot juice group as compared to the group that consumed beets and other nitrate-rich vegetables.

Even though beets have 900 grams of sugar per cup,⁶ research indicates that consuming beets may be beneficial for glucose metabolism.

In one study, when type II diabetics consumed 100 grams of raw beets daily for eight weeks, they experienced decreases in fasting blood sugar levels and in serum levels of HbA1c. Researchers concluded that, “red beetroot could be considered as a part of a healthy diet for diabetic patients.”⁷

In a trial of non-diabetic patients, consuming about a cup of beetroot juice significantly lowered post-meal insulin response as compared to the placebo group that received another form of glucose beverage.⁸

Beets can be consumed raw, roasted, pickled, or even juiced. However, it’s worth noting that cooking reduces the bioavailability of the beneficial nitrates in the beets.

References

1. Sadowska-Bartosz I, Bartosz G. Biological Properties and Applications of Betalains. Molecules. 2021 Apr 26;26(9):2520.
2. Hadipour E, Taleghani A, Tayarani-Najaran N, et al. Biological effects of red beetroot and betalains: A review. Phytother Res. 2020 Aug;34(8):1847-67.
3. Bonilla Ocampo DA, Paipilla AF, Marin E, et al. Dietary Nitrate from Beetroot Juice for Hypertension: A Systematic Review. Biomolecules. 2018 Nov 2;8(4).
4. Dos Santos Baiao D, Vieira Teixeira da Silva D, Margaret Flosi Paschoalin V. A Narrative Review on Dietary Strategies to Provide Nitric Oxide as a Non-Drug Cardiovascular Disease Therapy: Beetroot Formulations-A Smart Nutritional Intervention. Foods. 2021 Apr 15;10(4).
5. van der Avoort CMT, Jonvik KL, Nyakayiru J, et al. A Nitrate-Rich Vegetable Intervention Elevates Plasma Nitrate and Nitrite Concentrations and Reduces Blood Pressure in Healthy Young Adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2020 Aug;120(8):1305-17.
6. Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169145/nutrients. Accessed October 20, 2024.
7. Aliahmadi M, Amiri F, Bahrami LS, et al. Effects of raw red beetroot consumption on metabolic markers and cognitive function in type 2 diabetes patients. J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2021 Jun;20(1):673-82.
8. Wootton-Beard PC, Brandt K, Fell D, et al. Effects of a beetroot juice with high neobetanin content on the early-phase insulin response in healthy volunteers. J Nutr Sci. 2014;3:e9.