Beetroot

Thebeetroot(British English) orbeet(North American English) is thetaprootportion of aBeta vulgarissubsp.vulgarisplant in the ConditivaGroup.The plant is aroot vegetablealso known as thetable beet,garden beet,dinner beet, or else categorized by color:red beetorgolden beet. It is also aleaf vegetablecalledbeet greens. 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.
It is one of several cultivated varieties ofBeta vulgarissubsp.vulgarisgrown for their edible taproots or leaves,classifiedas belonging to the ConditivaGroup.Other cultivars of the same subspecies include thesugar beet, the leaf vegetable known as spinach beet (Swisschard), and thefoddercropmangelwurzel.
Betais the ancient Latin name for beetroot,possibly ofCeltic origin, becomingbeteinOld English.Rootderives from the late Old Englishrōt, itself fromOld Norserót.
The domestication of beetroot can be traced to the emergence of anallelethat enablesbiennialharvesting of leaves and taproot.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 Platinarecommended taking beetroot withgarlicto nullify the effects of "garlic-breath".
During the middle of the 17th century,wineoften was colored with beetroot juice.
Food shortages in Europefollowing World War Icaused great hardships, including cases ofmangelwurzeldisease, as relief workers called it. It was symptomatic of eating only beetroot.
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.
InAustraliaandNew Zealand, sliced pickled beetroot is a common ingredient in traditionalhamburgers.
InEastern Europe, beetroot soup, such asborscht[Ukrainian] and barszcz czerwony [Polish], is common. InUkraine, a related dish called "shpundra" is also common; this hearty beetroot stew, often made with pork belly or ribs, is sometimes referred to as a thicker version ofborscht. InPolandandUkraine, beetroot is combined withhorseradishto formćwikłaorбурячки(buryachky), which is traditionally used 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 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, andUkrainiancuisine.
Cold beetroot soup called "Šaltibarščiai" is very popular in Lithuania. Traditionally it consists of kefir, boiled beetroot, cucumber, dill, spring onions and can be eaten with boiled eggs and potatoes.
Botvinya[ru]is an old-time traditional Russiancold soupmade from leftover beet greens and chopped beetroots, typically with bread andkvassadded. 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 sauteed, while many types of borscht typically include sauteed carrots and other vegetables. Svekolnik got its name fromsvyokla, Russian word for "beet." Sometimes, various types of cold borscht are also called "svekolnik".
InIndian cuisine, chopped, cooked, spiced beetroot is a common side dish. Yellow-colored beetroots are grown on a very small scale for home consumption.
Besides standard fruit and vegetable dishes, certain varieties of beets are sometimes used as a garnish to atart.
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.
InNorthern Germany, beetroot is mashed withLabskausor added as its side order.
A large proportion of commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilized beetroot orpickles.
Betanin, obtained from the roots, is used industrially as redfood colorantto enhance the color and flavor oftomato paste, sauces, desserts,jamsand jellies,ice cream, candy, andbreakfast cereals.When beetroot juice is used, it is most stable in foods with low water content, such as frozen novelties and fruit fillings.
Beetroot can be used to make wine.
Raw beetroot is 88% water, 10%carbohydrates, 2%protein, and less than 1%fat(see table). In a100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) amount providing 180 kilojoules (43 kilocalories) offood energy, raw beetroot is a rich source (27% of theDaily Value(DV)) offolateand a moderate source (16% DV) ofmanganese, with other nutrients having insignificant content (table).
A clinical trial review reported that consumption of beetroot juice modestly reduced systolicblood pressurebut not diastolic blood pressure.
The red color compoundbetaninis abetalainin 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.
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).
Nitrosamineformation in beetroot juice can reliably be prevented by addingascorbic acid.
Below is a list of several commonly availablecultivarsof 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.