The Almighty Beet

Over the weekend I had Boston Pizza’s Powerbowl which is packed with carrots, tomatoes, peppers, rice, avocado, and most importantly, beets. Beets are a great source of antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, and fibre, as well as a source of tryptophan and boron. They were widely regarded in ancient Greece and Rome as aphrodisiacs, and their stalks were actually the part that was first cooked. The actual root part, that we now eat more commonly today, was originally used for medicine, and is still being studied today for it’s betalain antioxidants- a property thought to help fight cancer.

The first sign of beet cultivation goes back to 16th century Italy and Germany. After the popularity of the plant grew in Europe in the 18th-19th century, many other people in North America, East Europe, and Egypt began to harvest beets for beet sugar which can be used for things like molasses and beer. Many people now a day not only use beets for sugar and a source of food, but they use the colour of red beets as an alternative to red food dye!

Beet Hummus (minimalistbaker.com)

https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-beets/ https://pixabay.com/photos/beetroot-beets-beet-chopping-3590359/ https://minimalistbaker.com/roasted-beet-hummus/ https://www.coolpun.com/topic/beet#&gid=1&pid=20