A deep crimson taproot with an earthy, sweet flavor, rich in nitrates and folate; the same plant gives us chard from its leaves.
One plant, three crops
Beta vulgaris is the same species that gives us Swiss chard (cultivated for its leaves, with no swollen root) and sugar beet (cultivated for the white refined sugar in its root). Beetroot cultivars are bred to swell into a deep red taproot full of betalain pigments.
The pigment
The intense color comes from betalains — water-soluble nitrogen-containing pigments rare in the plant kingdom. Betalains break down at high temperatures, which is why boiled beets fade while raw or briefly roasted beets stay vivid. The same pigments stain hands, cutting boards, and (occasionally) urine — a harmless condition called beeturia.
A blood-pressure ally
Beetroot is high in dietary nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide — a vasodilator. Several small studies have shown that beetroot juice reduces blood pressure modestly within hours of consumption, a finding that has put beet juice on the menu for endurance athletes too.
Borscht
Eastern Europe built an entire culinary culture around beets. Borscht (Ukrainian) is a sour beet soup that ranges from chunky and meat-filled to clear and ruby. Russian, Polish, and Lithuanian versions all differ. The Belarusian kholodnik is a cold pink summer borscht.
Find more vegetables by letter
Beetroot starts with B and ends with T. Browse other vegetables along the same letter.
Vegetables that contain a letter from "Beetroot":