Therapeutic Benefits of Beet Root (Beeta vulgaris)
Dr. Smeer Meharania1, Dr. Mayank Kumar Maurya2, Dr. Shashi Kumar3, Dr. Devi Shankar Rajoria4
Designation:-
- Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology & Biochemistry. MB Veterinary College, Dungarpur (Raj).
- V.Sc &A.H., Arawali Veterinary College, Sikar (Raj).
- Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Apollo College of Veterinary Medicine, Jaipur (Raj).
- Senior Veterinary Officer (SVO), Govt. Veterinary Hospital, Watika, Jaipur (Raj).
Beeta vulgaris (Beetroot) is a plant in the chenopodiaceae family. Beetroot is a root vegetable also known as red beet, table beet, garden beet or just beet. It is full of fibre, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron and Vitamin C. The father of medicine “Hippocrates” recommended the uses of the leaves of beetroot in fast wound healing. In folk medicine red beets are associated with good health. Traditional medicine in all European countries suggests using red beet juice as a source of iron for anaemia treatment.
Beetroot consists of so many active phyto-nutrients like betalains (e.g. betacyanins and betaxanthins), polyphenols, saponins and inorganic Nitrate. It is full of fibre, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin C. The main sugar in beet root is sucrose. The crude fibre content of beet pulp is considerably high and the content offast fermentable carbohydrate and extract are much lower than those of high energy grains. Betalains are unique nitrogen containing pigments. Beta vulgaris betalains include two classes of compounds: betacyanins, which are red violet and betaxanthins which are yellow. Betanin is the major betalains in red beet root.
Beets have been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years to treat constipation, gut and joint pain and dandruff. In ancient times beetroot was used locally as a sex hormone enhancer also known as an aphrodisiac substance by humans. Beet pulp is the residue left from ground sugar beet after sugar extraction. Furthermore, the milk fat depressing effect of high concentrate dairy ration is well documented. Again the bulky beet pulp in such concentrate ration as could possibly present low milk fat syndrome by keeping the proportion of ruminal volatile fatty acid favourable for proportion for proper milk fat synthesis. Recently, athletes widely use beetroot as a natural source of gaining energy in their training. Modern pharmacology shows that red beet extract exhibits antihypertensive and hypoglycaemic activity as well as excellent antioxidant activity important to maintain human health and neutralize a negative effect of oxidative stress. In humans, oxidative stress is involved in many diseases like atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, myocardial infarction, cancer as well as ageing. Betaine has the principal role in lowering the blood level of homocystein, which is the key element in cascading development of atherosclerosis.
| Vitamin A | 20 IU | Total Fiber | 87.4 gm |
| Thiamine | 0.02 mg | Fat | 1 gm |
| Riboflavin | 0.05 mg | Carbohydrate | 9.6 gm |
| Niacin | 0.4 mg | Protein | 1.6 gm |
| Vitamin C | 10 mg | Calories | 42 Kcal/100gm |
| Calcium (Ca) | 27 mg | β – carotene | 11.64 mg/100gm |
| Iron (Fe) | 1.0 mg | Vitamin- E | 0.18 mg/100gm |
| Phosphorus (P) | 43 mg | Pantothenic acid | 0.15 mg/100gm |
Source: Babarykin et al. 2019
Dried beet pulp is high in fibre (19%) for a concentrate and deficient in fat, phosphorus, carotene and certain B-vitamins. The high fibre content may make beet pulp a more digestible concentrate. The fibre imparts certain physical and chemical characteristics to rumen ingesta for avoiding digestive problems like ruminal parakeratosis, acidosis and depressed appetite often encountered with high grain rations.
Nevertheless, functionally the most important red beetroot photochemical, which provides benefits beyond normal health maintenance, are secondary metabolites betalains, betaine and nitrates. Commonly betalains are used as food colorants. The total content of betaine in red beet root juice is 0.30% to 0.40%. The principal physiological role of betaine is an osmolyte and methyl donor. As an osmolyte, betaine protects cells, protein and enzymes from environmental stress like dehydration, extreme temperature etc. Besides considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, Beta vulgaris phytochemicals provides an anti-proliferative effect in breast, liver, colon and bladder cancer cell lines, through the induction of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways.
Red beet root juice provides a hepato-protective effect and long term feeding of beetroot juice showed the protective effect against oxidative liver damage. Red beet juice brakes obese body weight, visceral fat mass, improves the blood cholesterol fraction proportion. It was reported that beetroot could be used for the treatment and prevention of alcoholic liver disease. Red beet juice show hypotensive effects are associated with nitrates. In general, nitrates provide ergogenic and cardio protective properties. Acute beet root juice ingestion can decrease central sympathetic outflow at rest and during exercise. Dietary beet root nitrate supplementation reduces the oxygen cost of low intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high intensity exercise in humans. Red beet juice is in use for improvement of stamina in race horses; especially in Arab countries. Red beet root compounds can stimulate intestinal iron absorption through several mechanisms. Ascorbic acid significantly enhances iron bioavailability and intestinal transport. The beet root is also rich in ascorbic and citric acid. Red beet root juice provides antidote on heavy metal toxicity. Ingestion of fractional red beet root juice by cadmium treated chickens prevented the oxidative impact of heavy metal and provided an immune modulating effect. Beetroot juice was used as herbal remedy in medicines to remove and reduce the kidney and bladder stones and to improve the sexual weakness. Regular consumption of red beet is contraindicated for people with urolithiasis.
Red beet is well known as an internal cleansing substance and provides a mild laxative effect. Beet fibres contain three main fractions: pectin, cellulose and arabinose polymers with a potential weight loss effect. Dietary fibres present in beet root improve intestinal peristaltic movement. The presence of both higher cellulose content and red beet fibres in the diet significantly reduced the incidence of precancerous lesions aberrant crypt foci in the colon. Beet root is a main source of iron, nitrate, sodium, potassium and betalain among vegetables. Lowering blood pressure by dilating blood vessels and relaxing smooth muscles, treating anaemia by increasing the blood count and improving blood circulation and the oxygen carrying capacity of erythrocytes, preventing birth defects by increasing folate and folic acid, preventing hypertension and stoke, cleansing the intestine, reducing kidney stones, improving rheumatoid arthritis, gout sand improving menstrual problems are the benefits of beetroot juice intake. Crude fibre of the beet pulp was highly digestible and rations digestibility increase. Beet pulp acts as a grain replacement for dairy cows and sheep. The cost of beet root is low as compared to other iron rich vegetables and it is easy to store.
Conclusion:-
The world has been ignoring the miraculous benefits of beetroot since long. The beetroot is a magical vegetable whose benefits are lesser known to humans. The beetroot stores inside it a long list of benefits, some of which can be summarised below.
- Acts as hypotensive agent and keeps blood pressure normal.
- Prevents anaemia by providing iron and folic acid to the body.
- It is full of fibre, folate (vitamin B-9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C
- Boosts athletic and sexual performance by supplementing iron and nitrates.
- It has antioxidant properties.
- It is full of fibres which help prevent constipation and promotes digestibility.
- Betalains present in it help purify the blood, skin and liver.
- Acts as grain replacement for dairy cows and sheep.
- Low in cost, easily available and easy to store.
In view of the above qualities, there is a need for intensive research on beetroot so that it can be included in dairy ration by improving the health of animal, its production and as well as increasing the income of farmers.
