Is a Beet a Root?
Beets are indeed roots. Beets belong to a group of edible tubers commonly known as root vegetables, which includes carrots, radishes, rutabagas, turnips, salsify and daikon. Beets are earthy in flavor and come in a variety of colors, most notably red. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Beet varieties include the red, white, golden and candy-stripe beets. Beets may be sold fresh, pickled or canned. Beets are sweetest when they are young, hence the "baby beet" varietal, which refers to beets which have been harvested early.
Features
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Beets tend to taste slightly sweet but hearty. They are low in calories but rich in folic acid, potassium, calcium and antioxidants. Red beet juice is very dark and may cause stains. Beet tops, which are sometimes called beet greens or chard, are also edible.
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Uses
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Beets may be roasted, pureed, juiced, boiled and pureed. A popular preparation for beets is the Russian soup borscht. Beet juice is sometimes used as a natural dye.
Benefits
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Beets contain vitamins B1, B2 and C.
History
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Beets are native to Africa, Asia and Europe. While their tops were popular with ancient peoples, it was the Romans who first began eating the beet root as well.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of darwin Bell
