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Beetroot is an excellent source of folate and a good source of manganese, and contains betaines which may function to reduce the concentration ofhomocysteine, a homolog of the naturally occurring amino acid cysteine. High circulating levels of homocysteine may be harmful to blood vessels and thus contribute to the development of heart disease, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease. This hypothesis is controversial as it has not been established yet whether homocysteine itself is harmful, or whether it is just an indicator of increased risk for heart disease.
The red colour compound betanin is not broken down in the body, and in higher concentration may temporarily cause urine and stool to assume a reddish colour; in the case of urine this is called beeturia. This effect may cause distress and concern due to the visual similarity to hematuria (blood in the urine) or blood in the stool, but is completely harmless and will subside once the food is out of the system.
Basic research on rats as well as pilot studies on humans have shown betaine may protect against liver disease, particularly the accumulation of liver fat deposits caused byalcohol abuse, protein deficiency, or diabetes.
In preliminary research, beetroot juice reduced blood pressure in hypertensive individuals and so may have an effect on mechanisms of cardiovascular disease.
Dietary nitrate, such as that from consuming beets, may be a source for the biological messenger nitric oxide which induces the endothelium of arteries to signal smooth muscle, triggering vasodilation and increased blood flow.
One study found positive effects beetroot may have on human exercise performance, showing that distance runners ran 5% faster times after consuming baked beetroot.
A 2012 study tested the influence of dietary beet intake as a source of nitrate supplementation on resting heart rate and sustained apnea. Drinking beetroot juice, containing approximately 5 mmol of nitrate, was found to reduce resting blood pressure by 2% and increase the maximum duration of apnea by 11% in experienced divers, relative to a control group receiving a placebo. |
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