I've been told that beetroot counts as a superfood that is good for people with high blood pressure*

would there be anything in beetroot that may or may not affect blood presure ? If there is would you need to eat it raw,boiled, pickled ? and how much ?

Thanks for any ideas

Steve

*(disclaimer - this is not my opinion,nor do I express it as anything with medical fact behind it)

Well Steve, it is said to cleanse the blood and lower cholesterol according to Ayurveda. It is rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron. There is a lot of stuff written on the web about its success in lowering blood pressure, but I am not sure if any of these are scientifically proven facts. May be Lapis will see this thread and give her views.

I think it is the juice you have to drink. I just microwave it and eat it with salad. I keep meaning to make mixed juice with carrots and beetroots together in my new juicer, but it is such a cumbersome machine that I find reasons to postpone it!

Thanks for that... I'm starting to add the pickled stuff to salads more and more just in case...

I did google and it made some odd reading about the beetroot mixing with saliva and then creating nitrates or something or other, then that doing something else in the stomach etc..

Steve

beetroot may be high (relatively) in nitrate, but if converted to nitrite in the saliva in the mouth, this could lead to oxidation of the iron atom in the centre of haemoglobin, forming methaemoglobin, which is responsible for 'blue baby syndrome'. However, AFAIK, there hasn't been a case reported since the 70's.

What could be more alarming is that nitites can lead to the formation of nitrosamines, which are said to be carcinogenic.

It wasn't so long ago that nitrates were thought of as nasties in the environment, I know, I used to lecture for the Open University on this very subject (T101)

having said that, beetroot contains the colourants anthocyanins, the same ones as in black grapes and other fruits, which are said to be antioxidants.

I love beetroot, and have it with freshly made mayonnaise (must give you the recipes sometime.)

When my Father was in the merchant navy, the crew were often fed a mix of pickled beetroot and onions, affectionately called "Board of Trade" - as there was a regulation it should be available to provide nutrients that would not otherwise be available in a diet lacking many fresh ingredients.

Winton

I'm glad I asked now.. things you never even considered you didn't know about suddenly come to light with a simple question !

Thanks :-)

Steve

I like beetroot boiled and roasted. But, i beg your pardon, .....even the pee changes colour, are the pigments in beetroot that strong?

yup, ;?)

A few years ago I had was given a load of beetroot and I didn't know what to do with it all. So, I looked up beetroot recipes and everything had beetroot in it. I made a bunch of chocolate and beetroot cakes (very nice BTW), beetroot and potato bake...and the list goes on... Everyone complained that their urine was bright pink LOL... I love the stuff!!

I had a lovely beetroot pie for lunch in Morocco once, deep filled in a short crust pastry , but have never been able to find a recipe :-(.

well, they called it a beetroot pie, I wonder what it really was. Lol

I love Moroccan food, but I have never heard of a beetroot pie, or short crust being used, its usually phylo or equivalent.

I am sure the chef was trained in Western cooking too. The restaurant served to tourists mostly.