Fruits

4 Health Benefits of Beet for Cholesterol with Cautions

Beet or beetroot is a fruit that belongs to Chenopodiaceous family. It has been used as an ingredient that you can put in salads, soups, and pickles and also acts as a natural coloring agent. Although it available over the year, but it still considered as seasonal fruit until now.

Except for an actual food item, beet is known as a source of sucrose or in order to replace tropical sugar cane. Moreover, it also makes beet plays a role as refined sugar because it is safe enough or you can read in health benefits of beets for diabetics.

The health benefits such as to treat anemia, indigestion, constipation, piles, kidney disorders, dandruff, gallbladder disorders, cancer, and heart diseases. It also can prevent macular degeneration, increases blood circulation, acts as skin care, prevents cataracts and treats respiratory problems or you can read in health benefits beets and health benefits of eating canned beets. In addition, the benefits are followed by nutrients, vitamins, and minerals which are:

  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Iron
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin C
  • Carbohydrate
  • Protein
  • Antioxidants
  • Soluble fiber
  • Carotenoids,
  • Lutein/Zeaxanthin
  • Glycine
  • Betaine
  • Dietary fiber
  • Copper
  • Phosphorus

According to a study in “Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology” that is published in 2009, vegetables, in general, are commonly known to lower cholesterol. No wonder that beet also one of the fruit that is related to the benefit and it is including for dogs that you can read in health benefits of beets for dogs.

Cholesterol is a fatty chemical or known as a lipid, which is necessary to make the function of our body works normal. It mainly comes from the liver, but also contains in some food with two different cholesterol. Those two cholesterol are good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL).

Excessively of lipids through your blood (hyperlipidemia) can probably affect your health. High cholesterol itself doesn’t usually shows any symptoms however you have to concern because it might lead you to serious health conditions or you can read in health risks of high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol:

  • Narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) – or usually called as a “mini stroke”
  • Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

Due to the conditions, keeps your cholesterol in a normal level is important. Change your lifestyle such as taking exercise regularly and stop smoking (for those who smoke) might help you to reduce cholesterol.

One thing that is important you can take to reduce cholesterol is by consuming healthy foods or you can read in foods that lower cholesterol level. However, it is actually including to consume beet. Here are the details health benefits of beet for cholesterol:

  1. Increases high-density lipoprotein

A study in 2011 published in “Farmacia” showed that rats with high cholesterol that ate an extract made from beet lowered their total cholesterol as well as triglyceride level. It also increases high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol.

  1. Reduces heart problems

High of fiber in beet helps to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. It is because the fiber increases HDL or good cholesterol as well as it took away bad cholesterol back to the liver. Moreover, a high level of triglycerides can lead to heart-related problems. So, that also means, consume beet can prevent us from the conditions.

  1. High in soluble fiber

It is also proven by a study that beet or vegetables with soluble fiber can lower low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol. It based on a study in December 2008 published in “Current Atherosclerosis Reports”. In addition, a cup of beet contains 3.8 grams of fiber, or 15 percent of the daily value. In that case, the cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber is about 1.6 grams.

  1. Contains phytonutrients

Researchers also assume that the potential health benefits of beet for cholesterol is probably due to its phytonutrients such as flavonoids

 

Cautions

Beet has oxalates, where if it is in excess it can crystallize your bodily fluids. Moreover, for those who are having problems with kidney or gallbladder should not consume beet because it probably makes your kidney exacerbate including bladder stones.

In addition to the health benefits of beet for cholesterol, beet can also be the reason of fever. That fever might affect due to a detoxification or a reaction of allergic to the fruit. Furthermore, consult the doctor before you consume beet to reduce cholesterol is recommended.