If you are anemic, should you eat beets?

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1. Nutritional composition of beetroot

Beetroot is a food widely used in the diet of many people today. It is known for its many health benefits such as reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure and improving athletic performance. Beets contain many important nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants needed by the body. Besides that, they also contain unique bioactive compounds called betalains, which help to provide many amazing effects for several aspects of your health.
You can get the above benefits through consuming whole beets or their juice. Here are some essential vitamins and minerals found in beets, including:
Vitamin B6: Helps support metabolism and red blood cell production Folate: This is an important substance for DNA and cell health Calcium: An essential mineral for bone growth and strength Iron: Helps red blood cells carry oxygen easily Magnesium: Helps support immune, muscle, Heart and Nerves Manganese: Contributes to metabolism and blood sugar levels Phosphorus: This is an essential nutrient for bones and teeth and helps repair cells Copper: Plays an important role in creating collagen, maintaining bones and blood vessels, and supporting immune function Zinc: Promotes wound healing, supports the immune system and ensures normal body development Besides, beets also contain a number of other beneficial compounds such as:
Phytochemicals: Helps provide color and flavor to plants. They also help stimulate the immune system, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Nitrates: This is a group of organic compounds that improve blood flow and promote heart health. Betalain: The substance responsible for the deep red color of beets, these pigments have effective antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-toxin properties.

2. If you are anemic, should you eat beets?

Beets are one of the foods rich in iron, an essential component of red blood cells. Without iron, red blood cells would not be able to carry oxygen around the body. Accordingly, people with low iron levels can sometimes develop iron deficiency anemia.
Some symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, including: Dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, headache, heart arrhythmia,... To reduce the risk of this condition, you can take supplements sources of iron into his diet, which include beets. As recommended by health care professionals, people with anemia should increase the consumption of beets in their daily meals so that the body can absorb more iron. This will help regenerate blood cells and provide an adequate amount of oxygen to the whole body. Moreover, beets also contain a large amount of copper, which promotes your body to produce more iron, thereby effectively improving iron deficiency anemia.

3. Some other health benefits of beets

Besides the ability to add iron to help prevent anemia in the body, beets can also bring some of the following health benefits:

3.1.Improve blood pressure level

More and more studies are showing that consuming beets can help you reduce high blood pressure levels. This may be due to the abundant sodium content in beets, which is converted into nitric oxide by the body. This compound dilates blood vessels, which improves blood flow and lowers overall blood pressure levels.
In a recent trial, researchers had participants consume about 70 ml of nitrate-rich beetroot juice and a denitrified placebo juice. Results showed that the blood pressure of those in the beetroot juice group decreased by 5.2 mm of mercury (mm Hg) - more than those in the placebo group after just 30 minutes. However, the blood pressure-lowering effect of beetroot juice concentrate diminishes within 24 hours.
Another smaller study showed that drinking 250 ml of beetroot juice daily for 4 weeks could help people with high blood pressure reduce their blood pressure significantly.

3.2.Reduce inflammation

Beets contain anti-inflammatory compounds called betalains that inhibit the pathway leading to inflammation. A 2014 study found that a betalain called phenethylamine-betaxanthin reduced the activity of certain inflammatory enzymes by up to 32 percent.

3.3.Protect the liver

Beets are also a good source of vitamins A, B6, iron and antioxidants. These compounds help protect the liver from inflammation and oxidative stress, and enhance its ability to remove toxins from the body.
In addition, beets also contain beta cyanin pigment, which has the effect of detoxifying the liver, preventing fatigue, fighting the formation of fatty layers and removing toxins from the liver. If you are overweight, you can drink beetroot juice or eat beetroot every day to achieve the desired weight.

3.4.Prevent heart disease and stroke

Experts say that drinking beetroot juice can help you lower your blood pressure, thereby preventing heart disease and stroke. Besides, beetroot is said to be an effective assistant to protect heart health because it has antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering capabilities.

3.5.Enhance athletic performance

Certain compounds in beetroot juice, such as nitrates and betalains, can help improve physical performance. According to a 2017 review, the nitrates in beets can help boost a person's athletic performance by increasing the amount of blood and oxygen reaching the muscles.

4. How to choose and use beets properly

When choosing beets, you should choose those with smooth and firm skin. Beets with round bottoms tend to be sweeter than beets with flat bottoms.
When cooking beets, you should not put them on high flame as this can lose many essential nutrients due to high heat. You should remove the skin of beets before cooking, but keep the leaves as they also contain a lot of important nutrients like folic acid, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, iron and vitamin C.

5. Dosage of beetroot juice

There are currently no official recommendations for the dosage of beetroot juice.
According to a 2014 study, drinking a cup of about 250 ml of beetroot juice per day can lower blood pressure levels in the body. Beetroot juice did not cause any serious side effects, however some study participants noticed a change in the color of their urine. In addition, experts also note that the ability of beetroot juice to lower blood pressure levels will depend on the nitrate concentration. This concentration can also vary widely between different beetroot juices.

6. Some side effects when consuming beetroot juice

Most people can safely consume beets or drink beetroot juice without experiencing any negative side effects. However, if you drink beetroot juice regularly for several days, the natural pigments in beets can change the normal color of urine and stools. You may notice your urine and stools turning pink or purple. In general, these color changes are temporary and are not cause for concern.
The nitrates in beetroot juice can also affect blood pressure. People who have low blood pressure or are taking blood pressure medication should talk to their doctor before adding beetroot or beetroot juice to their daily diet.
In addition, beets also contain high levels of oxalates, which can cause kidney stones in people at high risk of this disease.
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Reference source: medicalnewstoday.com