Beetroot is a very common vegetable known to mankind since antiquity. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, macro-and micronutrients, refers to foods with a high glycemic index.
However, few people know that a red root crop is not a completely harmless product, as it seems at first glance.
This article describes in detail whether it is possible to eat a vegetable every day, what is the norm and what threatens to exceed it. Also, the material provides recommendations on the use of root vegetables by young children.
Why is it necessary to limit the use of vegetables?
In the beet a lot:
- zinc;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- gland;
- iodine;
- phosphorus;
- carotenoids;
- folic and pantothenic acids;
- manganese;
- copper;
- cobalt.
However, there are reasons for which it is necessary to limit its consumption, and the most important of them is the high sugar content. Thus, 100 grams of beet root vegetables contain up to 8.7 grams of mono- and disaccharides. For comparison, for potatoes, the same indicator is no more than 1.5 grams.
For this reason, nutritionists refer beet to foods with a high glycemic index (it is 64 units), that is, to very quickly digestible foods that quickly raise blood sugar levels to high marks. therefore people with diabetes need to eat a red root vegetable with great care.
Do not forget that some people may be allergic to beets.
In detail about the chemical composition of beets, how it is useful and harmful to human health, we told here, and read about the healing properties of this vegetable in a separate material.
Can I eat raw and cooked root crop daily and how much is permissible per day?
Dietitians do not give an unequivocal answer to this question. However, it is believed that an adult should not consume no more than 250 grams of boiled beets per day. For raw vegetables, the rate of consumption is up to 200 grams, since the body is harder to absorb the raw root vegetable.
Children receive beets in the amount of not more than 50 grams starting from 1 year, and up to 7 years - limited to 100 grams per day. Beetroot is one of the heaviest vegetables, so it is possible to introduce a boiled root vegetable into the children's diet not earlier than six to eight months.
What happens if you eat every 24 hours?
Red root vegetable is a rich source of vitamins and microelements. His daily consumption (within reasonable limits!) Will help:
- adjust the work of the intestines;
- reduce pressure (learn how beet consumption affects pressure, here);
- reduce cholesterol in the blood (about how affects the use of beets on human blood, read here); / li>
- remove heavy metals from the body (how to cleanse the body with the help of beets, read this article).
But, regular consumption of raw or boiled beets can significantly increase blood sugar levelswhich is very dangerous for people with diabetes. Also, a raw root crop can badly affect the kidneys (oxalic acid contained in it contributes to the formation of stones), and cause inflammatory diseases of the stomach - gastritis and ulcer (see if people can eat beetroot with a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer, read here, and of this article, you will learn whether it is possible to eat a root vegetable with gallstone disease).
Consequences of exceeding the norm
Perhaps the most terrible consequence of increased consumption of beets is a possible sharp drop in blood pressure, which is especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause fetal death.
Also, a person who eats a large amount of beets every day may develop diseases of the musculoskeletal system (in particular, osteoporosis, because the vegetable actively flushes calcium out of the body), gastritis may develop due to an increase in acidity in the stomach ( we told in this article).
Fresh beet juice can cause vasospasm! Before use, he should be allowed to stand at least 2 to 3 hours.
In general, beets are a very useful vegetable, the use of which within reasonable limits can significantly improve the functioning of many body systems. The main thing - do not abuse it, and carefully listen to your health.