| Beetroot | |
|---|---|
 Beetroots on the stem | |
| Species | Beta vulgaris |
| Subspecies | Beta vulgaris subsp.vulgaris |
| Cultivar group | Conditiva Group |
| Origin | Sea beet (Beta vulgaris subsp.maritima) |
| Cultivar group members | Many; see text. |
Beetroot orbeet[a] is thetaproot portion of aBeta vulgaris subsp.vulgaris plant in the ConditivaGroup.[1] The plant is aroot vegetable also known as thetable beet,garden beet, or dinner beet, or else categorized by color asred beet or golden beet. Its leaves constitute aleaf vegetable calledbeet greens. It is native to theAzores,Western Europe to theMediterranean andIndia.[2]Beetroot can be eaten raw, roasted, steamed, or boiled. Beetroot can also be canned, either whole or cut up, and often are pickled, spiced, or served in a sweet-and-sour sauce.[3]
It is one of several cultivated varieties ofBeta vulgaris subsp.vulgaris grown for their edible taproots or leaves,classified as belonging to the ConditivaGroup.[4] Other cultivars of the same subspecies include thesugar beet, the leaf vegetable known as spinach beet (Swisschard), and thefodder cropmangelwurzel.
Beta is the ancient Latin name for beetroot,[5] possibly ofCeltic origin, becomingbete inOld English.[6]Root derives from the late Old Englishrōt, itself fromOld Norserót.[7]
The domestication of beetroot can be traced to the emergence of anallele that enablesbiennial harvesting of leaves and taproot.[8] Beetroot was domesticated in the ancient Middle East, primarily for their greens, and were grown by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. By the Roman era, it is thought that they were also cultivated for their roots. From theMiddle Ages, beetroot was used to treat various conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and the blood.Bartolomeo Platina recommended taking beetroot withgarlic to nullify the effects of "garlic-breath".[9]
During the middle of the 17th century,wine often was colored with beetroot juice.[10]
Food shortages in Europefollowing World War I caused great hardships, including cases ofmangelwurzel disease, as relief workers called it. It was symptomatic of eating only beetroot.[11]
Beetroot was grown in manyvictory gardens duringWorld War II, in part because the species was seen as an indicator ofsoil pH with good growth a sign that soil acidity was not too strong.[12]
Usually, the deep purple roots of beetroot are eaten boiled, roasted, or raw, and either alone or combined with any salad vegetable. The green, leafy portion of the beetroot is also edible. The young leaves can be added raw to salads, while the mature leaves are most commonly served boiled or steamed, in which case they have a taste and texture similar tospinach. Beetroot can be roasted, boiled or steamed, peeled, and then eaten warm with or without butter; cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as acondiment; or peeled, shredded raw, and then eaten as a salad. Pickled beetroot is a traditional food in many countries.[citation needed]
InAustralia andNew Zealand, sliced pickled beetroot is a common ingredient in traditionalhamburgers.[13]
InEastern Europe, beetroot soup, such asborscht [Ukrainian] andbarszcz czerwony [Polish], is common. InUkraine, a related dish calledshpundra is also common; this hearty beetroot stew, often made with pork belly or ribs, is sometimes referred to as a thicker version of borscht. InPoland and Ukraine, beetroot is combined withhorseradish to formćwikła orбурячки (buryachky), which is traditionally eaten with cold cuts and sandwiches, but often also added to a meal consisting of meat and potatoes.
Similarly, inSerbia, beetroot (referred to by the local namecvekla) is used as a winter salad, seasoned with salt and vinegar, with meat dishes.
As an addition to horseradish, it is also used to produce the "red" variety ofchrain, a condiment inAshkenazi Jewish,Hungarian, Polish,Lithuanian,Russian, and Ukrainian cuisine.
Cold beetroot soup calledŝaltibarščiai is often eaten in Lithuania. Traditionally it consists of kefir, boiled beetroot, cucumber, dill, spring onions and can be eaten with boiled eggs and potatoes.[citation needed]
Botvinya [ru] is a traditional Russiancold soup made from leftover beet greens and chopped beetroots, typically with bread andkvass added. Botvinya got its name from the Russianbotva, which means "root vegetable greens", referring to beet plant leaves.
Svekolnik [ru], orsvyokolnik, is yet another Russian beet-based soup, typically distinguished from borscht in that vegetables for svekolnik are cooked raw and not sautéed, while many types of borscht typically include sautéed carrots and other vegetables. Svekolnik got its name fromsvyokla, the Russian word for "beet." Sometimes, various types of cold borscht are also called "svekolnik".[citation needed]
InIndian cuisine, chopped, cooked, spiced beetroot is a common side dish. Yellow-colored beetroots are grown on a very small scale for home consumption.[14]
Besides standard fruit and vegetable dishes, certain varieties of beets are sometimes used as a garnish to atart.[15]
A common dish in Sweden and elsewhere in the Nordic countries isbiff à la Lindström, a variant of meatballs or burgers, with chopped or grated beetroot added to theminced meat.[16][17][18] Swedishpyttipanna is also traditionally served with pickled beetroot.
InNorthern Germany, beetroot is mashed withLabskaus or added as its side dish.[19][20]
A large proportion of commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilized beetroot orpickles.
Betanin, obtained from the roots, is used industrially as redfood colorant to enhance the color and flavor oftomato paste, sauces, desserts,jams and jellies,ice cream, candy, andbreakfast cereals.[14] When beetroot juice is used, it is most stable in foods with low water content, such as frozen novelties and fruit fillings.[21]
Beetroot can be used to make wine.[22]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 180 kJ (43 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9.56 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 6.76 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 2.8 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.17 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.61 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 87.58g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[23] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from theNational Academies.[24] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Raw beetroot is 88% water, 10%carbohydrates, 2%protein, and less than 1%fat. In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) amount providing 43calories offood energy, raw beetroot is a rich source (27% of theDaily Value, DV) offolate and a moderate source ofmanganese andpotassium (11-14% DV), with othermicronutrients at low content (table).
Beets tend to accumulate nitrates from soil. Excessive nitrates pose a risk to health because they can be converted intonitrosamine in the human stomach. On the other hand, an appropriate amount of nitrates is responsible for the blood-pressure-lowering effect of beetroot juice (see above) and possible other health benefits. In any case, it would be desirable to have a way to remove excess nitrates from beetroot juice.[25]
Paracoccus denitrificans (Pd) bacterium can break down the nitrates, but an intermediate of the breakdown is nitrite, which leads to a risk of nitrosamine formation during denitrification by Pd. Addingascorbic acid prevents nitrosamine formation in this bacterial process, ensuring safe removal of nitrates.[26] Denitrifying concentrated beet juice requireshalophilic bacteria due to the higherosmotic concentration, withNesterenkonia halobia (formerlyMicrococcus halobius) being the most efficient out of three species tested.[25]
The red color compound betanin is abetalain in the category ofbetacyanins. It is not broken down in the body, and in higher concentrations, may temporarily cause urine or stools to assume a reddish color, in the case of urine a condition calledbeeturia.[27]
Although harmless, this effect may cause initial concern as a medical problem due to a visual similarity withblood in the stool, blood passing through the anus (hematochezia), or blood in the urine (hematuria).[28]
Below is a list of several commonly availablecultivars of beetroot. Generally, 55 to 65 days are needed from germination to harvest of the root. All cultivars can be harvested earlier for use as greens. Unless otherwise noted, the root colors are shades of red and dark red, with different degrees of zoning noticeable in slices.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Relief workers invented names for things they had never seen before, such as the mangelwurzel disease, which afflicted those who lived solely on beetroot.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Media related toBeetroot at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
