Health Benefits of Beets

Beets can lower your blood pressure 

High blood pressure is a leading cause of death, not just in the United States, but worldwide. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that hypertension accounts for nearly 13 percent of all global deaths. 

Enter beets. “Beets are rich in healthy nitrates, which are converted to nitric oxide inside the body,” says Jackson-Blatner. Nitric oxide, she explains, can help dilate blood vessels and lower your blood pressure. 

Beets can boost your energy 

Because nitric oxide can dilate your blood vessels, it can also help bring more oxygen to your muscles, says Jackson-Blatner. The upshot: “Beets might allow people to exercise longer,” she says. Beets may help boost your brainpower 

Along with shuttling more oxygen to your muscles, beets may also usher extra oxygen to your brain,

Beets can keep you regular 

One cup of beets contains about 3.5 grams of fiber—and much of that is made up of the insoluble kind, which can help prevent constipation. “Insoluble fiber keeps food moving through the digestive tract and increases stool bulk, which helps with elimination. Plus, insoluble fiber could also prevent hemorrhoids, which are more common in people who have chronic constipation or eat a low-fiber diet, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. How to add beets to your diet 

Bonus: Beets are surprisingly easy to add to your diet, says Bonci. “You can purchase shredded beets or beet noodles [at the store],” she says, “and use them in a salad with arugula, grapefruit sections, olive oil, and a little salt or pepper. Or you could snack on dehydrated beet chips, which are delicious.

you start upping your beet intake a lot, your pee could turn pink.” But don’t freak: “It’s not blood in your urine—it’s actually just beets.” Same goes for your number-twos: if you notice red in the toilet bowl, you’re not bleeding; it’s just the beets making their way through your digestive tract.