"Beet It, Fool!"

Ahh the beet...an often hairy looking root with a rat like tail and scars across the body. I can see why you'd brush right by it at the market without a second glance. But why in the world are beets so ugly?

Well (sorry Friends) this question i can't answer for you, but perhaps it has something to do with the old saying 'don't judge a book by it's cover' or 'beauty is only skin deep'. Red Beets are one of the most AHHH-mazing root veggies out there and i'm gonna give you at least 20 reasons why you should eat them...and make sure they make it onto your grocery list. So here goes:

1. beets regulate digestion by controlling peristalsis therefore aiding constipation

2. beets are a great source of folic acid (Hey Preggers - Eat Yo' Beets!)

3. beets cleanse your liver and stimulate the liver cells while protecting liver and bile ducts
(hear that Wino's? CLEANSE YOUR LIVER!!)

4. beets are detoxifying and also cleanse your blood

5. beets are low fat and are easily assimilated carbohydrates (our diets should be 55-60% carbs)

6. beet juice, especially in combination with cucumber & carrot juice is one of the finest therapies for sexual weakness, kidney and kidney stones, gall bladder, liver and prostate troubles. (so eating beets = MORE SEX...oh yeah, and health & well being)

7. beet juice is highly alkaline making it a great tonic to aide acidosis. (MEAT EATERS: EAT BEETS!)

8. beets may help in normalizing blood pressure ("Doc, can ya get me off these meds? I'm eating beets!)

9. Beet root contains the amino acid betaine which has anti-cancer properties.

10. beets are high in anti-carcinogens, antioxidants, and carotene

11. beets are good for general weakness (feeling weak...slow...debilitated? eat beets!)

12. beet (after carrot) is the cheif juice in the science of natural healing all over earth

13. beets contain the antioxidant betacynin. Betacyanin can increase the oxygen carrying ability of the blood by up to 400%

14. when consumed regularly beets aide the elasticity of arteries and can help prevent varicose veins.

15. beets slow the developement of tumors

16. beets can be eaten RAW therefore obtaining their full enzymatic and nutrient quality. Just grate and add to your salads. You can also use the shredder attachment on your food processor to grate beet, carrot, and apple, to make a slaw. Finish the slaw with chopped onion, a little EVOO, and apple cider vinegar (just a pinch). Consider adding a few dashes of cinnamon for a warmer taste.

17. beet greens (the tops) are full of beta-carotene and can be juiced or prepared like spinach or swiss chard (steamed, sauteed)

18. beets juiced will give any 'green juice' a lovely reddish or pinkish color and offer sweetness

19. beets (when boiled two hours) may lose some vitamins BUT the minerals retain and become concentrated! MORE MINERALS??? how can that be? don't ask...i don't know. i just deliver the information.

20. uncooked beets hold better than other veggies (preventing waste from over buying produce)

Hopefully 20 sound reasons is enough for you to get your beet on. However, if you need one more, here goes:

21. BEETS ARE DELICIOUS!

Juice this:

2 med beets
1 green apple
1 lemon (peeled)
3 large swiss chard leaves (or 5 smaller)
6 or so stalks celery

(You can always add more apple to sweeten...beets contribute to the sweetening of this juice too. Red apple will give you a sweeter juice, but green is more alkalizing on the body)

DRINK UP AND GET YOUR BEET ON, FOOLS!

*image sourced from google images