Beets are winter plants (part of the Amaranth family), and a very popularly consumed vegetable, in particular the red-rooted garden beet. They are very nutritious and used in many different types of cooking. They can be grown in the cooler seasons, including autumn and spring (they do very poorly in hotter weather, so growing them in the summertime is not an option).
Benefits
Beets have some terrific nutritional benefits. They have detoxification qualities and are a great source of folate, which is essential for a healthy cardiovascular system, as well as for thriving fetal development. It is a good idea for pregnant women, or women who are thinking about becoming pregnant soon to eat a lot of beets in order to get the folate. Beets are also very low in fat and calories. Additionally, beets are a good source of fiber, and is known to help protect against colon cancer, birth defects and heart disease.
Types
Garden beets, although by far the most popular, are not the only variety of important and essential beets out there. Other types of beets include chard (aka Silverbeet and Crab beet), spinach beet, sugar beet (vital to the production of table sugar) and Mangelwurzel (a crop for animal feed).
History
Beets originate in the Mediterranean region. However, beets started off being used primarily for medicinal purposes. They were grown solely for their leaves. It wasn't until approximately the 1800s when beets became a common food (creative chefs in France then realized their amazing culinary potential).
Potential
Beets have a lot of potential when it comes to cooking. There are countless recipes in which beets are the main ingredient. Some popular beet-based dishes include borscht (very common Eastern European vegetable soup), pickled beets, beets Parmesan, beet roesti with rosemary, summer beet soup and Russian potato salad.
Time Frame
Beets can be found and purchased all year round, but they are primarily a winter vegetable and thrive most when grown in cooler temperatures. Beet season runs from June through October, so you will be able to eat delicious beets all through the hot summer and into the early fall. Summertime is when the most tender, youngest beets are available everywhere.
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