Fun Beet Fact Sheet

Beets and Your Health:Beets are loaded with nutrients! A single cup of chopped beets contains 37% of your daily value (DV) of folate, 22% of your DV for manganese, 15% of your DV for fiber, 13% of your DV for potassium, and 11% of your DV for vitamin C.The antioxidants in beets are also great for your health. The study, “Betalains—a new class of dietary cat ionized antioxidants,” explored the effects of betalains, a potent antioxidant in beets. The authors found that “Red beet products used regularly in the diet may provide protection against certain oxidative stress-related disorders in humans.”Beet Tips:In a rush to prep dinner? You don’t have to peel most types of golden beets, which makes them a great timesaver.Beet greens are edible! Whirl them into your next smoothie for an extra nutrient boost.Candy cane beets look just like a peppermint stick when you slice into them, but be warned that those pretty pink stripes disappear during cooking. If you want to wow people with this lovely beet, slice it thinly and serve it raw.Most supermarkets stock containers of steamed and peeled beets, which require very little additional prep. Toss them into a salad or pasta dish for a pop of color, earthy flavor, and some serious health benefits.Did you like this resource? Did you know that the beet fact sheet is also a printable nutrition education material? Here's the free PDF handout! And here are some other wonderful vegetable resources from the Nutrition Education Store!