Nutrition Facts Fruit and Vegetables Beets Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits By Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN facebook twitter linkedin instagram Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Learn about our editorial process Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Reviewed by Reviewed by Marisa Moore, RDN, MBA on April 30, 2020 pinterest instagram Marisa Moore is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a BS in nutrition science and MBA in marketing. She is also the founder of Marisa Moore Nutrition. Learn about our Review Board Marisa Moore, RDN, MBA Updated on April 30, 2020 Print Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Nutrition Facts Health Benefits Allergies Adverse Effects Varieties When They're Best Storage and Food Safety How to Prepare Recipes Beets are a root vegetable and a relative to chard and spinach. But unlike chard and spinach, we consume both the beetroot and the beet greens. Each part of the beet plant has its own nutritional profile. The beet greens are considered a non-starchy vegetable and contain very little carbohydrate, whereas the beet bulb is starchier and therefore higher in carbs (but also fiber). Each part of the vegetable contains some different vitamins and minerals. Beet Nutrition Facts The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for 1 cup (136g) of raw red beetroot. Calories: 58Fat: 0.2gSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3.8gSugars: 9.2gProtein: 2.2g Carbs One cup of raw beets contains about the same amount of calories and carbohydrate as one serving of fruit. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, keep this in mind—depending on what your meal is composed of, you may want to keep your portion to one serving at a time. The carbohydrates in beets come from both naturally occurring sugar (9.2 grams per 1 cup serving) and dietary fiber (just under 4 grams). Fiber helps to regulate blood sugars, increases feelings of fullness, and can help lower blood cholesterol. The estimated glycemic index of beets is 64, making it a high glycemic food. However, the glycemic load (which factors in serving size) is only 4; a GL under 4 is considered low. Fats There is almost no fat in a single serving of beets. The small amount of fat is polyunsaturated fat, which is considered a healthy fat. Keep in mind that preparation methods may add fat to beets. If you roast beets using olive oil, for example, you'll consume more fat. Protein Beets are not a high protein food, but you will get a small boost of the important macronutrient when you consume a single serving of beets. Each cup provides just over 2 grams. Vitamins and Minerals Beets are a very good source of folate and manganese and a good source of potassium and fiber. Folate is important for DNA synthesis and preventing neural tube defects in pregnancy, while manganese is a component of antioxidant enzymes and helps break down glucose and proteins. Potassium may help to reduce blood pressure and fiber is important in digestive health. Beetroot leaves (beet greens) are rich in vitamin B6, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, and antioxidants. Health Benefits The beet's leaves offer the same nutritional value as other dark leafy greens, such as chard and spinach: They're very low in carbohydrates and packed with many useful vitamins and minerals. But beetroot also has a lot to offer. Fight Inflammation Beets contain phytonutrients called betalains, which give them their reddish-purple hue and provide them with antioxidants. These compounds help to reduce inflammation in the body and fight cell damage. Improve Endurance A research analysis found that those who drank beet juice prior to exercise were able to exercise longer, showing increased cardiorespiratory endurance. This is because of how the nitrates in beets turn into nitric acid, a process that may reduce the oxygen cost of low-intensity exercise as well as enhance tolerance to high-intensity exercise. Reduce Blood Pressure Beetroot juice has also been shown to help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. Again, it is the nitrates in beets that seem to be responsible for this beneficial effect. Improve Cognitive Function A study of older adults concluded that a diet high in nitrates may also help improve blood flow to the brain, which boosts cognitive health and functioning. Another study of people with type 2 diabetes, published in 2014, showed an increase in reaction time (an indicator of cognitive performance) in people who consumed beet juice. Allergies Beets are likely safe when consumed in amounts typically served in meals, as allergic reactions to beets are very rare. Adverse Effects The pigment in beets can leak into your bowels after eating them. If you are otherwise feeling healthy and notice a red tint in your urine or stool after consuming beets, you shouldn't worry. If you feel sick or the coloring does not change, contact your physician immediately, as changes in the color of stool can be an indicator of an internal issue. Beets contain oxalic acid, which when combined with calcium and/or vitamin C can form oxalates. Excessive amounts of oxalates in the body can lead to urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and even kidney failure. If you have kidney disease or are on a low-oxalate diet for another reason, your doctor may recommend limiting your consumption of beets (especially their greens). Varieties Beetroots are usually red-to-deep-purple in color, but there are also other varieties, such as golden and white beets. Some people find the flavor of golden beets to be sweeter and less earthy than red beets. The antioxidants in variously colored beets differ slightly, but all beets have similar nutritional value. When They're Best Beets are available all year. Their peak season runs from March to October. Choose beets that are small to medium-sized and that feel firm, with smooth skin. Avoid beets with hairy root tips—these beets may be tough. Look at the greens when choosing your beets. Fresh beets will have perky, crisp greens. When you cook beets, they will have a little more sodium than raw beets. They also have more sugar than raw beets (about 13.5g per cup for cooked vs. 9g per cup for raw). You can also buy jarred, canned, and pickled beets. Canned beets have a little less protein, fiber, and sugar than fresh, and more sodium. Pickled beets are also popular and have different nutritional values. According to the USDA, pickled beets have about 110 calories, 0.1g fat, 252mg sodium, 27.5g carbs, 0.8g fiber, 11g sugars, and 0.8g protein per cup. Storage and Food Safety Store fresh greens and roots separately, cutting the greens an inch or two above where they attach to the root. Avoid washing fresh beets until you are ready to use them, and store in the refrigerator in an airtight plastic bag. The greens will keep for a few days and the roots for two to three weeks. How to Prepare Beets are a versatile food that can be made in a variety of ways. Shave or grate raw beets into salads or smoothies, or roast, sauté, steam, boil, or grill them to compliment your meal. Use the bulb and the greens to get the full nutritional benefits and flavor of the beet. Recipes Healthy Beet Recipes to Try Roasted Beet and Feta SaladBeet, Carrot, and Apple JuiceRed Beet and Goat Cheese RavioliRussian-Style Red Beet BorschtRoasted Red Beet Hummus Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Beets, raw. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019. Sawicki T, Bączek N, Wiczkowski W. Betalain profile, content and antioxidant capacity of red beetroot dependent on the genotype and root part. J Funct Foods. 2016;27:249-261. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2016.09.004 Domínguez R, Cuenca E, Maté-Muñoz JL, et al. Effects of beetroot juice supplementation on cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes. A systematic review. Nutrients. 2017;9(1). doi:10.3390/nu9010043 Kapil V, Khambata RS, Robertson A, Caulfield MJ, Ahluwalia A. Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: A randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension. 2015;65(2):320-7. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.114.04675 Presley TD, Morgan AR, Bechtold E, et al. Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults. Nitric Oxide. 2011;24(1):34-42. doi:10.1016/j.niox.2010.10.002 Gilchrist M, Winyard PG, Fulford J, Anning C, Shore AC, Benjamin N. Dietary nitrate supplementation improves reaction time in type 2 diabetes: Development and application of a novel nitrate-depleted beetroot juice placebo. Nitric Oxide. 2014;40:67-74. doi:10.1016/j.niox.2014.05.003 Lopes de Oliveira LC, Genov IR, Cabral EDC, MF Mello YA, Mallozi MC, Solé D. Anaphylaxis to beetroot (Beta vulgaris): A case report. Clin Transl Allergy. 2011;1(Suppl 1):P51. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-1-S1-P51 Getting JE, Gregoire JR, Phul A, Kasten MJ. Oxalate nephropathy due to 'juicing': Case report and review. Am J Med. 2013;126(9):768-72. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.03.019 Beets, cooked, boiled. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019. Beets, canned. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019. Beets, pickled. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.