While people are exploring ways to eat more greens, many are overlooking the beet; the root vegetable attached to the leaves. Beets are a great way to expand your vegetable choices and get the bonus of two vegetables in one. Beets are a cool season vegetable available year-round in the supermarket. In Florida, the planting season is from August to January, depending on the variety.
Beets are a super healthy vegetable; a real winner when it comes to fiber, folate and potassium.
| Beets, ½ cup sliced cooked, boiled, drained |
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| calories | 37 | |||
| protein | 1.5 g | |||
| fat | 0 g | |||
| carbohydrates | 8.5 g | |||
| fiber | 2.0 g | |||
| folate | 68 mcg | |||
| potassium | 259 mg | |||
| sodium | 65 mg | |||
Key: g grams mg milligrams mcg micrograms Reference - USDA Nutrient Database
When available, choose fresh beets with the green leaves attached. Select beets that are round, smooth and firm with no bruises. The green leaves should be healthy with no signs of browning or wilting. Leave two inches of the stem on the beets and remove the green leaves. Unwashed beets and greens should be stored separately in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator. Beets will keep in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Greens are more perishable and should be cooked within two to three days.
When ready to prepare, rinse beets under cool running tap water and scrub with a vegetable brush to remove surface dirt. To eat raw, remove skin with a peeler. Grate or cut into different shapes for salads. To eat cooked, leave the skin on until after cooking and it will easily slip off. Small and medium size beets are more flavorful and cook quicker than larger ones.
Wash Your Beet Greens
Greens need to be thoroughly washed before eating to remove grit and dirt. Place greens in a large bowl filled with lukewarm tap water in the sink. Gently circulate greens and water to help loosen residue. Drain water, rinse leaves and repeat process about three times until there is no more grit or dirt in the bottom of the bowl. Cut off any roots and stems before use. Greens can be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a side-dish or in soups and stews. Click here to visit the Leafy Greens Council’s website for more information on different types of leafy greens.
Besides eaten raw, beets can be baked, boiled, microwaved, pickled, roasted, sautéed and steamed. Click here to visit Oregon State University Extension Service’s website on how to select, prepare and cook beets along with tropical beets and beet and carrot salad recipes.
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