Give Beets a Chance!

Despite their nutrient rich red beauty, beets have a bad reputation. They are labeled as “yucky,” “gross,” and even “inedible,” if someone wants to be fancy with his disgust! At Kindred Ground Farm we want to give all vegetables and fruits a fair chance, so this summer we will be talking about some of those classic veggies seen as disgusting. We know almost all vegetables can taste delicious as long as you know how to prepare them! Before we prepare them let’s learn a little about beets.

It is believed that the wild beet (the ancestor to today’s beets) grew in prehistoric times when people ate the greens from the beet versus the actual beet root. The ancient Romans were among the earliest people to begin using the beet root as the source of food. The importance of beets became known in the 19^th century when it was “discovered that beets were a concentrated source of sugar.  At this time the first sugar factory was built in Poland. When access to sugar cane was restricted by the British, Napoleon decreed that the beet be used as the primary source of sugar.” ¹ It was in the 19^th century that beets were brought to the United States and began to gain popularity here.

Beets are best prepared with a gentle hand. In other words, don’t overcook them! Whole Foods recommends roasting for no longer than an hour and steaming for no more than 15 minutes. When cooked too long the red betalain pigments lose too much of the benefits of this phytonutrient. These nutrients have been demonstrated to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification properties.

A few ideas for preparing this delicious root vegetable (and remember you can prepare and eat the greens too!);

Steam your beets for 15 minutes, test doneness with a poke of a fork, remove the skins by placing the steamed beets on a cutting board and gently rubbing them with a napkin.

Once steamed you can serve them whole or in slices with salad dressing. Trying dicing them to place into a soup. Marinating in oil, lemon juice, and your favorite spices is another delicious and quick serving idea.

You can also use grated raw beets in a salad

Cooks.com has many recipes for both beets and beet greens. To make Sunshine Beets (and who doesn’t want to eat something with the word sunshine in it?) visit their website here.

Beets may have a bad reputation, but give them a second chance this summer. You might discover that you and your family have a new favorite to add to your summer days!


To learn more about beets visit Whole Foods.
1. Beets, Whole Foods, Retrieved 06/08/2012 from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49