Simply unbeetable!
Buckets I hauled in of celery, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, green onions, rutabagas, and of course beets!
Nothing “beets” fresh produce from the garden. This weekend, I had the pleasure of spending the morning collecting literally buckets of produce. Although the beans and cucumbers are done for the year, we have oodles of celery, carrots, beets, and peppers. Most people are pretty familar with most of these vegetables, but I want to highlight beets.
No, this is not Hannibal Lecter, but a happy (and messy) child after eating beets.
I have found people either love or hate beets. The sweet earthy vegetable is one-of-a-kind. My kids are in the “love” category - often begging to eat beets.
Beets are loaded with antioxidants, nitrates, and vitamins and there are countless articles touting the health benefits. Not only are beet roots super healthy, but the greens are also considered a superfood.
Our family started eating the beet greens a few years ago. I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan of the taste, so I try to hide it in soups, stir fry, casseroles, and even on top of homemade pizza. I always remind my husband that “Your colon will thank you!” According to the a study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, only 5% of Americans get the recommended amount of fiber! The same study went on to say that if half of adults increased fiber intake by 3 grams per day, they could save $2 billion in health care costs. That’s the amount of fiber in less than a cup of sliced beets or 3/4 cup of beet greens.
One beet experience I’ll never forget was in middle school was the scare I had after having pink pee from eating beets. Now I make sure I always let the babysitter know that the kids ate beets and there is nothing to worry about! In fact, their colon will thank them!
Are you a beet lover (or hater)? Tell us what you love (or don’t love) about beets below.