Beetroot has come a long way from being seen as something pickled in a jar. This fibrous, sweet and iron rich root vegetable has been used since the Roman times where it had a reputation for being a blood purifier and cleanser of the liver and intestines. Beetroot can be successfully used in juices, salads, roasted in the oven and in soups – the nutrients are as effective whether you eat it cooked or raw which makes it a rather handy root vegetable if you ask me. But why is beetroot so good for us? Here are some of the most talked about benefits:

Beetroot can be successfully used in juices, salads, roasted in the oven and in soups – the nutrients are as effective whether you eat it cooked or raw which makes it a rather handy root vegetable if you ask me. But why is beetroot so good for us? Here are some of the most talked about benefits:

Beetroot – the key benefits:

• Contains lots of iron which can help combat anaemia, constipation and a toxic liver and let’s face it, all of us could do with topping up on our iron levels. It has also been known to ease restlessness and anxiety according to Natural Wonderfoods.
• Beetroot contains naturally occurring sugars which provide easily digestible carbs. The fibre in the beet slows down the absorption of the carbs into the blood, providing a steady stream of needed energy but without the spikes.
• Contains Betacyanin (that which makes it red) which helps promote antioxidant enzymes to be produced in the body, protecting cells from free radicals. Great for immunity and anti-ageing purposes in other words.
• Rich in Vitamin B3 and B5, Folic Acid, Beta-caroten, Calcium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Silica and Zink.

If you are searching for a ‘modern’ way of integrating beetroot into your daily life then look no further than Benugo, the brilliant catering company that has a presence in most art institutions and banks in London. One of their gems is an amazing vitality box, an assembled variety of all which is good in life, such as hummus, shredded beets, edamame beans, quinoa, broccoli, avocado and chickpeas to name a few. This is a box made for the gods and luckily I get to have it every week for lunch when volunteering at the Victoria & Albert museum in South Kensington. Love, love, love this museum, the team and the healthy foods on offer. Just fantastic! If you have not been, go! If you have been, go again. There is always new exhibits, free lunchtime talks, courses and if all else fails, the best cafe in London. End of.

If imagination is not your strong point then there is a fail safe way of getting the nutrients from beetroot – juice them! I do almost daily and here is my top recipe for a delicious and nutritious beetroot juice that will zing you back into life on a gloomy day like today.

Beetroot & Carrot juice a la Green Swede

• 2 carrots
• 1 large or 2 smallish beetroot
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 LARGE piece of ginger or turmeric root
• 1 orange
• 1 chilli (or half) Chilli is fantastic for getting the circulation going.

How to:  Juice the lot and drink immediately. Some like their beetroot juice chilled in which case you can stick a couple of ice cubes in a glass OR put juice in a blender with some ice cubes and whizz until you have a chilled drink. It is all good 🙂

Enjoy!