Root Cause

It's easy to be inspired by the seasons. Fall is in full swing here in the NE and the farmer's markets reflect a bounty of familiar fall foods: root vegetables, squashes, apples and pears. While we think about summer showing the full spectrum of colors, let's not forget about the bright colors you'll find in the fall. The deep oranges of squashes, the red and greens of apples, the myriad of colorful carrots and the stunning ruby purples from beets! The color not only intrigues us visually, but provides substantial health benefits, such as antioxidants, bioflavanoids and essential vitamins and minerals.

One particular root vegetable has gained substantial attention recently, the humble beet. Scientist are excited about this vegetable for the potential benefits it may provide. The reason is two fold:

1. One study showed significant blood pressure lowering properties in people who drank one 500 ml (that is 16.5 ounces) dose of beet juice. Another found results with 250 ml (about 8 ounces), which was sex dependent, with the males benefiting.
2. Recent research is showing that beet juice may be helpful in cognitive function by increasing blood flow to the brain.

Why beets? Well, beets, along with other fruits and vegetables contain nitrates. Nitrates are converted to nitrites in the body, which is a precursor to nitrous oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator (widens blood vessels), which lowers blood pressure and also increases blood flow. Though these are the same nitrates found in your hot dog or sausage, they are beneficial rather than harmful because the package (ie - fruit/vegetable) they are delivered in contain so many other health promoting compounds.

So does this mean that we should all drink beet juice for the rest of our lives? Well, it may be helpful if you do have high blood pressure or notice decline in brain power. Because fruits and veggies already have naturally occurring nitrates, eating more of them may offer a solution as well. Take home message: including fruits and vegetable in our diet is a wise choice. Let food be your medicine. And if you include beets in your diet already, well great!