Does Your Mood or Libido Need a Boost? Try Eating Beets.

When you think about beets, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Beet sugar? Borscht? The mushy red things on your Cobb Salad? Think again! There’s more to this mild-mannered, unassuming little root vegetable than meets the eye.
Beets are truly a nutritional super-star. Who knew they could be packed with such a plethora of health benefits? Or that they were one of the oldest remaining staples of the human diet?
Did you know:

• Consumption of beets dates back to prehistoric times when only the greens were consumed.
• It wasn’t until Ancient Roman times that people began to eat the root as well as the leaves.
• The Ancient Romans used beets as an aphrodisiac (in other words, natural Viagra). Why? Because they’re high in boron, a vital component in the production of human sex hormones. Best of all, beets have no known side effects.
• Despite their high sugar content, beets are naturally low in calories.
• Beets are good for your mental health. They contain both betain and tryptophan (think turkey). Betain is used to treat depression and tryptophan gives you a sense of well-being, almost like eating chocolate but with a lot less calories.
• Beets can help lower blood pressure.
• Beets lose nutrients and health benefits the longer they’re cooked. To get the most out of your beets, juice them and don’t forget the greens!
• Beet greens boost bone strength so they’re helpful in preventing osteoporosis.
• Beet greens are a natural immune booster because their nutrients stimulate the production of antibodies and white blood cells

If juicing and smoothie-ing aren’t your thing but you still want to get the most from your beets, try pickling them. Cooking time is minimal so you won’t cook away those lovely vitamins and minerals.
And for a tasty dessert, try these red velvet beet brownies to satisfy your sweet tooth without expanding your waistline.



© JESSE WATROUS
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