Common Beet (Table Beet, Garden Beet)

Common Beet (Table Beet, Garden Beet)
Beta vulgaris L. (B. esculenta Salisb.)
Family Amaranthaceae

Beet Description

Common beet is a biennial herbaceous plant, 30–100 cm tall, sparsely pubescent, often with a dark purple hue, with a thick, fleshy, juicy taproot (cylindrical, spindle-shaped, or turnip-shaped, 5–20 cm long, with a flattened base). The flesh of the root is red-violet, purple, dark purple (table beet) or white, yellow (sugar beet, fodder beet). In the first year, it forms a rosette of large, juicy, long-petioled, ovate leaves (10–30 cm, blunt or with a short point, heart-shaped or rounded at the base, green or reddish, entire, slightly wavy). In the second year, a straight, branched or simple stem appears with small, short-petioled, ovate or lanceolate leaves. Flowers are small, inconspicuous, bisexual, greenish-white, 2–8 in sessile glomerules, collected in leafy paniculate inflorescences; perianth simple, greenish. Fruits are single-seeded nutlets in ternate fruit clusters (glomerules), opening upon germination. Seeds are blackish-brown, glossy, rounded-kidney-shaped, 2–3 mm, with a beak-shaped radicle. Varieties include: 'Bordeaux 237', 'Egyptian Flat', 'Detroit'. It blooms in June–September, fruits in August–October. Varieties: table, sugar, fodder, leaf (chard).

 

Habitat and Ecology of Beets

The homeland of beets is the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Near East (Armenia, Iran, Babylon, Assyria), where it has been found in the wild since prehistoric times (cultivated since the 2nd millennium BC). Wild beets grow in Iran, Turkey, and the Balkans. It is cultivated worldwide in Europe, Asia, America, and Russia. It prefers loose, fertile soils (pH 6.0–7.0), temperatures of 15–20 °C, and irrigation of 10–15 L/m² every 5–7 days. It reproduces by seeds (sowing in April–May). Yield: root vegetables – 4–8 kg/m²; seeds – 0.2–0.5 kg/m². Care: weeding, phosphorus fertilization (20–30 g/m²), protection from aphids and beet flea beetles. Environmentally, it improves the soil and is used in crop rotation after legumes.

 

Beet Raw Material

Raw materials: roots (radix Betae), leaves and petioles (folia Betae), seeds (semen Betae). Roots are harvested in August–October, stored at 0–2 °C (yield 90–95%, tolerate transport well). Leaves are harvested in June–July, dried at 30–35 °C (yield 15–20%). Seeds are harvested in August–September, dried at 25–30 °C (yield 85–90%). Quality: roots – no rot, red-violet; leaves – green; seeds – blackish-brown, moisture ≤12%. Store in airtight containers (roots: 6–12 months; leaves: 1 year; seeds: 2 years). Faint smell, sweetish taste.

 

Chemical Composition of Beets

Roots: water (82.2%), sucrose (6–16%, in sugar beets up to 14–25%), fructose, glucose, pectins (1.2–3.8%), fiber (0.7–1.4%), hemicellulose (0.7%), ascorbic acid (5–15 mg%), folic acid (0.12 mg%), pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid, pyridoxine (0.07 mg%), thiamine (0.02 mg%), riboflavin (0.04 mg%), vitamin E (0.14 mg%), β-carotene (0.01 mg%), rutin, anthocyanins, organic acids (oxalic, malic, citric up to 0.5%), betaine, betanin, proteins (1.5–4%), amino acids (glutamic acid, arginine, asparagine, tryptophan), fats (0.11%), minerals (K 288 mg%, Mg 43 mg%, Fe 1400 µg%, I 7 µg%, Mn 660 µg%, Na 84 mg%, Ca 37 mg%, P 43 mg%, S 7 mg%, B 70 µg%, Cu 140 µg%, Zn 425 µg%, Co 2 µg%, Mo 10 µg%, Al 280 µg%, V, Li). Leaves: ascorbic acid (up to 50 mg%), folic acid, carotene, betaine, coloring agents, less fiber. Calorie content of roots: 40–45 kcal/100 g. Composition depends on variety, age, storage conditions (long-term storage reduces sugars).

 

Action and Application of Beets

Beet is a therapeutic and dietary product with hypotensive, diuretic, laxative, hematopoietic, anti-inflammatory, and general tonic effects. It is used for hypertension, anemia, constipation, obesity, liver diseases, kidney diseases, thyroid disorders, atherosclerosis, diabetes, scurvy, tuberculosis, bronchitis, pneumonia, exhaustion, hypoacid gastritis, spastic colitis. Betaine and betanin strengthen capillaries, improve fat metabolism, lower cholesterol, support liver function, and slow tumor growth. Pectins suppress putrefactive processes and remove toxins and heavy metals. Organic acids and fiber stimulate digestion and peristalsis. Iodine (7 µg%) activates metabolism, magnesium (43 mg%) lowers blood pressure, potassium (288 mg%) has an antiarrhythmic effect, iron (1400 µg%) stimulates hematopoiesis. Juice is beneficial for anemia, kidney diseases, and in geriatrics. Externally, root pulp is used for ulcers, tumors, skin inflammations; juice – for rhinitis (sniffed into the nose), earwax plugs (instilled); leaves – for headaches (on the forehead), conjunctivitis, inflammations (crushed and applied). Salads, vinaigrettes, and beet soups are recommended for obesity, hypertension, liver, and kidney diseases. Boiled beets and decoction are diuretic and laxative, used in enemas for constipation. In Russia, beets were used for scurvy, tuberculosis, cancer, and toothache.

 

Caution for Beet Application

Raw juice (over 100 ml/day) can cause stomach cramps or colic. Store juice for no longer than 24 hours at 0–5 °C (risk of nitrate accumulation). Children under 3 years old should be given ≤30 g/day of root vegetables. Diabetics should limit consumption (≤150 g/day) due to high sugar content (6–16%). Avoid combining with acidic foods (risk of mucosal irritation). Long-term storage of root vegetables (over 12 months) reduces vitamin content.

 

Contraindications for Beet Application

Urolithiasis, gout, gastritis with high acidity, stomach ulcer, chronic diarrhea, allergy to Amaranthaceae.

 

Beet Recipes

1. Juice for Hypertension. Drink 100 ml of fresh juice 2–3 times a day after meals for 7 days.
2. Juice with Honey for Anemia. Mix 50 ml of juice with 50 g of honey, drink 2–3 times a day for 14–28 days.
3. Pulp for Ulcers. Apply 50 g of grated beet for 30 minutes, change 2 times a day for 7 days.
4. Gargle for Angina. 100 ml of juice, 10 ml of vinegar, infuse, gargle 3 times a day, swallowing 1–2 tablespoons, for 5 days.
5. Juice for Cancer. Drink 100 ml of juice 3–4 times a day for 4–7 days.
6. Juice as a Laxative. Drink 100 ml of juice on an empty stomach once a day for 5 days.
7. Juice for Anemia with Radish and Carrots. Mix beet, radish, and carrot juices (1:1:1), drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for 14 days.
8. Beetroot and Apple Salad. Grate 1 medium beetroot and 1 apple. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts. Mix well.
9. Roasted Beetroot with Feta. Cube 2-3 beetroots, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes until tender. Crumble feta cheese over the warm beets before serving.
10. Beetroot Hummus. Blend cooked beetroot with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a touch of cumin for a vibrant and healthy dip.

 

Beet Cosmetics

Beet is used for skin care, providing freshness and revitalizing complexion.

1. Mask for Skin Freshness. Mix 20 ml of juice with 10 ml of honey, apply for 15 minutes, rinse, 2 times a week.
2. Moisturizing Mask. 20 g of grated beet, 10 ml of yogurt, apply for 10 minutes, rinse, 2 times a week.
3. Lotion for Acne. 30 ml of juice, 10 ml of water, wipe the skin, once a day.
4. Nourishing Mask. 20 g of grated beet, 10 ml of olive oil, apply for 10 minutes, rinse, 2 times a week.
5. Beetroot Lip Tint. Gently dab a small amount of fresh beet juice onto your lips for a natural, rosy stain.

 

Beet Culinary Uses

Roots and young tops are used fresh, boiled, pickled, canned, dried for first and second courses, salads, vinaigrettes, seasonings, marinades. Young beets are often eaten raw due to their delicate taste; when boiled – to preserve color, boil with skin and root, without salt (salt spoils the taste, gives a black color). To prevent hands from staining, lubricate them with vinegar and dry before cleaning.

1. Beet Salad. 100 g boiled beets, 50 g apple (grate coarsely), 20 g onion (finely chop), 10 ml lemon juice, 10 ml vegetable oil, caraway seeds, salt, mix, serve on lettuce leaves.
2. Cold Beet Soup (Svekolnik). 500 g beets (diced), 150 g potatoes (diced), 50 g cucumber (diced), 2 eggs (chopped), 40 g green onions, 30 g horseradish (grated), boil in 1 L water for 30 min with citric acid, cool, add salt, sugar, mustard, 3 tablespoons sour cream, sprinkle with dill.
3. Botvinya. 100 g baked, chopped beets, 40 g beet leaves (boil, squeeze, chop), 50 g cucumber (fresh or lightly salted), 20 g green onions, 1 tablespoon horseradish, dill, salt, dilute with 500 ml kvass, cool.
4. Vinaigrette. 100 g boiled beets, 50 g potatoes, 50 g carrots, 20 g onions, 10 ml vegetable oil, salt, mix.
5. Borscht. A classic Eastern European beet soup, typically made with beets, cabbage, potatoes, and meat or vegetarian broth, often served with a dollop of sour cream.
6. Beetroot Risotto. Cook Arborio rice with vegetable broth, onions, garlic, and diced cooked beetroot for a vibrant and flavorful risotto. Finish with Parmesan cheese.
7. Beetroot Chips. Thinly slice beets, toss with a little olive oil and salt, then bake or dehydrate until crispy for a healthy snack.

Tips: Drizzle grated beets with lemon juice to preserve their color. Store roots at 0–2 °C for no longer than 12 months.

 

Other Properties of Beets

Used in animal feed (all parts). Sugar varieties are used in the production of sugar, ethanol, glycerin, and citric acid from molasses. Fodder varieties are for livestock farming.