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You can simply cook beetroot – best in summer and autumn from local harvest. Here you can find out how to cook beetroot properly and which dishes you can make from it.

Beetroot is not only beautiful to look at with its dark, strong color, but also very healthy and tasty. Its earthy, sweet taste makes it suitable for both savory and some sweet dishes. Beetroot tastes particularly good when boiled or steamed – it takes a few minutes, but it is very uncomplicated.

In addition, you can get local beetroot either fresh from the field or from storage almost all year round. It is best to buy them fresh at the market between July and November.

Cooking beetroot: prepare the vegetables

The beautiful color of the beet also has a disadvantage: it leaves stubborn stains. That’s why you should always wear an apron when cooking. If a squirt of beetroot juice gets somewhere, you can remove it with hot water and citric acid. You can also use these home remedies to clean your cutting boards. Otherwise, you can protect the boards from the red dye by placing greaseproof paper underneath.
To ensure that as little of the healthy ingredients as possible are lost during cooking, you should not peel the beetroot before cooking. Instead, wash and brush them gently without damaging the skin. After cooking, you can simply rub off the skin of the beetroot with a knife.

Instructions: Cook beetroot properly

There are many different ways you can cook beets: in a pot, in the oven, in a pan, or in a salt crust. Cooking in a pot is particularly suitable if you want to make a puree or soup from the beetroot.

How to cook beetroot:

Place the unpeeled tubers in a saucepan and cover them completely with water.
Let the water boil with the lid closed.
Then remove the lid and let the beetroot simmer until cooked. Depending on the size of the tubers, this will take 30 to 50 minutes. The beets are done when you can easily pierce them with a knife.
Do not salt the cooking water until just before the end of the cooking process, as the salt draws out the color of the beetroot.

Alternative: Steam the beets with a little water

You can also gently cook beetroot with just a little water.

Then you should cut them into small pieces and cook with the lid closed.
So that you don’t lose all the taste and healthy ingredients in the process, you can save the beetroot cooking water. Cook until it has a creamy consistency.
The resulting dark red cream tastes very intense and sweet. For example, you can add them to a salad dressing or use them to flavor sauces. Combined with raspberry or ginger syrup, the beetroot concentrate is also an exciting ingredient for a dessert or a cocktail.

What to do with the cooked beetroot?

You can use the cooked beetroot in many delicious dishes. Here are some inspirations:

Process them into a soup or puree. You can also add other vegetables like potatoes or carrots. Horseradish or ginger give the vegetables a delicious spiciness. By the way, you can also make delicious vegan spreads from beetroot in pureed form.
Cut the beetroot into thin slices, add some lemon juice and honey and cover a tarte flambée.
Slice the cooked beetroot and sauté them in oil with onions. Deglaze the vegetables with some balsamic vinegar and let them boil down. Season the beets with salt, pepper and rosemary. This goes well with risotto and polenta slices.
Let the beets cool, cut them into thin slices and use them to line plates. Drizzle the slices with a fresh dressing, sprinkle some rocket or lamb’s lettuce and roasted pumpkin seeds / walnuts on top and you have a delicious carpaccio. Organic goat cheese also goes well with this.
By the way: It is also very healthy to eat beetroot raw, for example grated in a salad or as a juice. Only do this occasionally, though, because raw beets are high in oxalic acid. Cooking beets also makes them taste less earthy.

Beetroot is healthy and versatile, and therefore a very popular vegetable in Germany. But can beetroot also be eaten raw? We explain what you should consider.

Raw beetroot: A superfood full of vital substances

Beetroot is full of important micronutrients such as phytochemicals, iron, vitamin C and B vitamins. Just 200 grams cover around 50 percent of your daily folic acid requirement.

However, this only applies to raw beetroot. When you boil or fry them, many important nutrients are lost. Most adults should therefore eat the power vegetable raw from time to time. For example, you can enjoy the beet in a salad, as a beetroot carpaccio or in a smoothie. But not everyone should eat raw beetroot – because unfortunately the vegetable also has a few disadvantages.

Eating beetroot raw: the disadvantages

In addition to many positive ingredients, beetroot also contains oxalic acid. If you eat too much of it, kidney stones can form. The acid also makes it harder for your body to absorb calcium. Cooking the beets lowers their oxalic acid content.

Beetroot also contains nitrate. The salt is initially completely harmless to health. However, if it is stored unfavorably or has to be transported long distances, it converts to nitrite. This substance is very dangerous, especially for infants. Therefore, children should only eat nitrate-rich vegetables in moderation.

Conclusion: The dose makes the poison!

Beetroot is a very healthy food that provides your body with many important nutrients. The beetroot is particularly rich in nutrients when it is raw. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with eating the vegetables raw from time to time.

To keep your food low in oxalic acid and nitrate, you should buy fresh, local produce and not store it for too long. You can get beetroot from German cultivation between June and March. If you only cook or blanch the vegetables for a short time, the oxalic acid content will already drop significantly. However, be careful not to cook it for too long – otherwise valuable ingredients will be lost.

Note: Raw beetroot is less suitable for people with kidney problems and small children. In this case, seek medical advice beforehand.

Vegetables called beetroot are grown all year round. However, October is still the main harvest time. The tuber comes in different colors and shapes. Whether round, cone-shaped, dark red, yellow or white, the palette is large. The beet also varies in taste depending on the variety. The classic red tuber is characterized above all by a sweet, slightly earthy aroma.

Why is the red tuber so healthy?

The beetroot is actually very healthy and is rightly part of a balanced and healthy diet. It is full of important vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and vitamin C. It is also rich in folic acid, which makes it a valuable vegetable, especially for pregnant women. Among other things, folic acid is responsible for the formation of new cells and prevents iron deficiency, as it also promotes the formation of red blood cells. In addition, the red root vegetables are very high in nitrates, which can temporarily lower high blood pressure.

Not only does it contain many important nutrients, beetroot can also be used in many ways in the kitchen. It is best to pre-cook them so that the earthy taste wears off. To avoid losing too much of the ingredients, it is advisable not to peel them before cooking. After cooking, it’s easy to remove the skin with a knife. However, you should wear gloves when doing this, as the red dye is difficult to wash off again.
Now there are no limits to your imagination: as a soup.

What’s the truth: Can beetroot prevent cancer?

Although the red root vegetable has so many positive properties and is particularly healthy because of the antioxidant effect, its effectiveness against cancer has not been confirmed. Scientists and doctors also warn against making one-sided “anti-cancer diets”. Rather, the unbalanced nutrition of such diets leads to nutrient deficiencies and weight loss.

If you already have cancer and are undergoing therapy, nutritionists recommend eating a wholesome diet.

Beetroot is actually a real regional superfood that should not be underestimated. Not only pregnant women or people with iron deficiency should therefore put the red tuber on their plates regularly.

Beetroot also tastes delicious when boiled. We’ll show you how to quickly and easily preserve the fresh vegetables. So you can still enjoy beetroot after the season.

Beetroot can not only be combined in a variety of salads or as a side dish, but is also a real vitamin bomb. Vegetables are in season from September to November

Boil beetroot: You need these ingredients

For 3-4 mason jars you need the following ingredients:
1 kg beetroot
1 small onion
400ml of water
200 ml balsamic vinegar
20 grams of sugar
1 pinch of salt
cloves
peppercorns
10 g fresh horseradish
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

Boil beetroot: this is how it works

Wash the tubers thoroughly with water and remove the leaves.
Boil the beetroot in a closed saucepan with water and add salt.
Let the beetroot cook for about an hour over medium-high heat.
Take the tubers out of the water and rinse them with cold water.
The skin should now peel off easily. Slice the peeled beets. Warning: beetroot juice can stain heavily. So it is best to wear gloves when you process the tubers.
Peel the onion and
Set the beets aside and bring the water to a boil with the vinegar, salt, sugar and onions in a saucepan.
Peel the horseradish and the
Put the beetroot in screw-top jars that you have rinsed out with hot water beforehand
Add horseradish, ginger, cloves, onion, and pepper to taste.
Fill the glasses with the brew.
Sterilize the jars by placing them in a pot of boiling water for about half an hour. The glasses should be half covered with water and not touching each other.
Take the glasses out of the water and let them cool. Beetroot can be kept for several months in a dark, cool place.

Beetroot is high in healthy nutrients and vitamins and low in calories. Here you can find out what effects the beet can have on your health and how best to prepare it.

These nutrients make beets so healthy

Beetroot contains many vitamins and minerals and is quite low in calories. 100 grams of beetroot contain just 41 kilocalories.

Among other things, beetroot contains:
Folic acid, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C and beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A
the minerals potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphate, iron and zinc
Vitamins support the body in maintaining all bodily functions. Since they are essential, your body cannot produce them on its own and you have to get enough of them through food.

The vitamins in beetroot support important bodily functions such as visual performance, bone formation, protein metabolism and the function of your immune system. Folic acid plays a key role in blood formation and cell growth, and vitamin C supports the immune system and many of the body’s metabolic processes.

Like vitamins, minerals are essential and especially important for muscles, teeth and bones. In combination with vitamins, they keep your body running. Deficiency symptoms can have serious health effects.

Beetroot is high in antioxidants and helps with high blood pressure

The pigment betanin, which gives the beetroot its characteristic color, is one of the flavonoids (secondary plant substances). Antioxidant properties are attributed to betanin. According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), these support the cardiovascular system and prevent heart disease. In addition, the plant substances in the body should intercept free radicals.

Folic acid and iron are also significantly involved in the formation of red blood cells, which is why beetroot also has a positive effect on the blood balance. Beetroot also contains nitrate and nitrogen compounds, which some studies have shown may help fight high blood pressure and diabetes. Nitrate is converted into nitrite in the body, which is said to have a relaxing effect on blood vessels. In addition, beetroot is said to boost nitrogen production in the body in diabetics, which means that blood sugar can be better controlled.

Health note: Too much nitrate can be harmful to infants. You should therefore not eat beetroot. Also, people prone to kidney stones are advised not to consume too much beetroot as it contains a lot of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is said to increase the risk of kidney stone formation.

In this way, the nutrients are retained during the preparation of beetroot

In order to preserve as many ingredients as possible, the beetroot should not be cooked for too long. It is best to prepare the beets without water. You can also use them raw in salads or as a vegetable side dish. If you would like to prepare the tuber warm, it is a good idea to cook it in the oven with the skin on and peel it later.

If you do want to cook the beetroot, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Always cook the beets with the peel so that fewer ingredients are lost.
You should not cut off the leaves and roots, just twist them off.
In boiling water, the beets will take about 30-45 minutes to soften.
Salt should only be added shortly before the end of the cooking time, otherwise it will take away the colour.

Beets are healthy and delicious! You can also prepare the red tuber in many different ways. Here you will find information about the ingredients and delicious recipes for beetroot. You will also learn how to preserve and store beetroot.

Are Beets Healthy?

Beets are also known as red beets. And these are true nutritional miracles. Because they contain valuable nutrients that are good for your body and strengthen its health. In order for the beetroot to be able to develop its effect, you should regularly include it in your menu. You can add variety by serving them both cooked and raw. The valuable ingredients support your organism in many ways. For example, betaine is said to reduce the risk of heart disease, while anthocyanins are considered to prevent cancer.

How to cook the beetroot?

You can boil the beetroot very well. The valuable ingredients are preserved if you proceed gently. Either you boil the red tubers in water, as shown in the video below for how to preserve beetroot. Or you pack the tubers in aluminum foil and let them cook in the oven at 160 degrees for 30 minutes. Then rinse them with cold water and remove the shell.

Then cut the vegetables into the desired shape (cubes or slices) and start pickling. To do this, make a brew of high-quality vinegar and water in a ratio of 1 to 1. Then add sugar, salt, and some spices and let the brew boil up briefly. Put the spices (e.g. chili, cloves, peppercorns) in a teabag. Because if you put the cut tubers in a sterile container and pour the broth over them, the spices should be removed. Finally, close the jar tightly.

Store beetroot properly

After you have finished cooking the beetroot, you should store them in a dark and cool place. They can be kept in a sterile glass for up to six months. If you want to eat them earlier, you should let them rest for at least two weeks. If you don’t boil the beets but want to store them untreated, you should store them at around 4 degrees in the basement or storage room. High humidity is also beneficial here. Additionally, you can store the beets in a box with damp sand or sawdust. So they keep for about half a year. Also, note other tips for storing food and preserving it.

Beetroot as a home remedy

Beetroot is healthy and has beneficial effects on the body. Therefore, they serve as a good home remedy that can prevent health problems. Consequently, you can eat the beet regularly and achieve the following effects:

1) Miracle tuber strengthens the body’s defenses

The tuber’s red color is due to the secondary plant substance betanin. This acts as an antioxidant and scavenges free radicals in the body. Consequently, this can strengthen the immune system. The valuable vitamin C is also found in the beet and has an antioxidant effect. Thus, with regular consumption, you protect your body from damage.

2) Is good for liver and bile

The betadine it contains also stimulates the liver cells. It also strengthens your gallbladder. Consequently, this ensures improved digestion, which means that toxic substances are flushed out of the body more quickly. And that’s what makes eating beetroot so valuable. Also, note home remedies to lower liver values.

3) Helps you detoxify your body

It is important to detoxify the body and eliminate toxins. Therefore, a colon cleansing makes sense. And this can be done without medical help. Consider natural home remedies for colon cleansing. The red tubers are a good way to accelerate the cleansing of the intestines.

4) Beets to regulate blood pressure

You can also support the regulation of blood pressure by regularly eating beets. Accordingly, you should drink two glasses of beetroot juice every day to lower high blood pressure. These results are confirmed by medical studies. In addition, note other home remedies for high blood pressure.

5) Use as a mood enhancer

Betaine is also considered a mood enhancer. Because it can increase the happiness hormone serotonin. Consequently, regular consumption can improve your bad mood. So it’s worth a try. After all, other vitamins also have a positive effect on bad moods, read our useful tips for depressive moods.

Tasty recipes with beetroot

As already mentioned, you can use the beetroot both cooked and raw. In its cooked form, it tastes particularly delicious as a soup, while you can transform the raw version together with apple into a nutritious salad. Below are our personal four best beetroot recipes. No matter which recipe you want to cook, don’t forget to peel the tuber well before further processing and to wear gloves.