So lets talk about beetroot. Originally cultivated for its nutritious green leaves, these days the eating trend is for the bulb itself.  My childhood memories of beetroot were distinctly picked and sliced and stacked high on supermarket shelves. With our harsh climate in mind, it was of course a necessity to preserve produce during cold long winter months but it also meant I never really tasted the fresh variety until much later on.

Beetroot is naturally sweet and therefore high in carbohydrates but used sparingly it has a myriad of health benefits which is unique to this rather lovely red root vegetable. Grated into a green salad it adds colour and that particularly earthy flavour that is unmistakably beetroot.  Juicing is another great way of extracting the nutrients – just don’t forget to juice the green leaves too as they contain anti-oxidants and useful minerals such as zink and magnesium.

What are the benefits?

Cleansing

Even in Roman times, beetroot was used as a blood purifier and a cleanser of the liver, kidneys and intestines by increasing the livers production of detoxifying enzymes.

Anti-oxidant

That which makes beetroot red (betacyanin) has anti-viral and anti oxidant properties protecting cells against free radical damage thus fighting inflammation in your body.

Iron rich

High in assimilable iron, beetroot may help anaemia, constipation, anxiety and liver toxicity. Stamina enhancer is another claim of the magic beetroot so before heading to the gym, make sure you drink a beetroot juice to maximise your work out.

This wonderful beetroot recipe comes courtesy of the gorgeous vegan blogger Deliciously Ella. She is helping a new generation of foodies understand and be inspired by vegetables and nutrition. Go check her out!

Beetroot Juice (by Deliciously Ella)

1 beetroot

1 cucumber

2 sticks celery

3 carrots

1 red apple

1″ ginger root

Juice all the ingredients and enjoy. Happy Sunday! x