The health benefits of beets are wide ranging. Like most other plant-based foods, beets are high in nutrients yet low in calories. Their antioxidants also offer additional benefits, such as reduced risk of cellular damage.
Generally speaking, beets are among the group of vegetables and fruits that may help reduce your risk for chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and dementia. (7,8)
Antioxidants give vegetables like beets their bright, vibrant colors, and in the case of this food, that color is bright red. As a general rule of thumb, the more bright-colored plant foods you include in your diet, the more antioxidants you’ll consume. Even beet greens contain beta-carotene, which is also found in carrots, spinach, and broccoli. Eating more antioxidants may help reduce your risk for some cancers. (9)
The nitrate content of beets may also play an important role in blood pressure regulation. A2019 studyand2013 reviewboth found that beetroot juice decreased participants’ blood pressure. (10) This is because nitrates widen the blood vessels to improve blood flow, according to the Texas Heart Institute.
As with other plant foods, researchers have studied beets for their potential effects on inflammation. One review found beetroot supplements to have anti-inflammatory effects that could help reduce the risk for heart disease, cognitive decline, and oxidative stress from free radicals, which is linked to many chronic diseases. (11)
In another study, anemic adolescent girls in India who drank beetroot juice saw improved levels of the protein hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. A person with anemia has low red blood cell or hemoglobin levels. (12)
Still, more research is needed to understand how beets in supplemental form affect human health.
Beets have a historical reputation as an aphrodisiac. In ancient Greek tradition, the goddess of love, Aphrodite, was said to have eaten beets to make herself more attractive.
While eating beets alone won’t make you more attractive, this myth may indeed stem from those nutrients in beets that can make you feel better and possibly increase your libido. These include betaine, boron, and tryptophan. (1)
