Tid Bit(e) Tuesday

Beets

Yes I know, when you think of beets you probably don’t think about how delicious they are. You probably think of those smushy ones that come from a can. But seriously guys, fresh beets can be AMAZING! And they are pretty great for you too!

1. FOLATE- One cup of beets provides 34% of the RDV for folate
2. HEALTHY EYES- The betacarotene found in beets prevents eye problems and diseases like cataracts (1)
3. BRUISING EASILY??- Could be caused by lack of vitamin C and flavonoids which makes your capillaries weak. There two things are both found in beets!
4. HEART HEALTH- The fiber in beets helps lower cholesterol (LDL) and triglcerides by 30-40%. And it also increases HDL cholesterol (2)
5. LIVER- Something in beet juice called betaines helps with liver function and fatty liver disease (3)(4)

1)http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814605007727

2)http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1521-3803%2820000501%2944:3%3C184::AID-FOOD184%3E3.0.CO;2-P/abstract

3)http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/80/3/539.long

4)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2993168/