What group of plants does beetroot belong to? Beetroot (Beta vulgaris). To sugar beet

Beetroot description flower formula variety

Another name: red beetroot.

Description

A biennial herbaceous plant of the haze family up to 50 cm high. In the 1st year of life, it forms a leaf rosette and a root crop. In the 2nd year, leafy stems develop, having numerous flowers on the branches, collected in a paniculate inflorescence. Blooms in July - September. Flowers green or whitish. The leaves are heart-shaped and elongated. Root crops from flat to elongated-conical. The fruit is a one-seeded nutlet, which, when ripe, grows together into several fruitlets.

Spreading

It is a widespread culture, cultivated everywhere.

cultivation

Of the vegetable root crops, table beet occupies one of the first places in terms of its importance and distribution. This is explained, on the one hand, by its relatively low demands on growing conditions, and on the other hand, by its nutritional and taste qualities.

Table beets are more demanding on heat than other root crops. Seeds begin to germinate at 8 ° C, the optimum temperature for their germination is 10 ... 11 ° C. At temperatures below 4 ° C, seeds can stay in the soil for a long time without germinating and without losing their germination. Beet seedlings withstand short-term cold snaps without noticeable damage. However, the roots formed by them usually give a lot of premature shooters (sometimes 100%). Beetroot tolerates high temperatures more easily than carrots, which, however, contribute to the intensive growth of leaves and adversely affect the growth of root crops. The optimum temperature for beets is 15-25°C. This crop is very demanding on moisture, especially in the first period of growth. At the same time, its excess negatively affects the development of plants. Therefore, beets should not be used in areas with a high level of groundwater.

Beets are a long day plant. It makes high demands on light, and the lack of lighting reduces the yield of root crops and worsens its quality. Therefore, when growing beets, it is necessary to carry out breakthroughs and weeding in a timely manner.

The biological characteristics of table beet allow it to be grown both in early spring and summer sowing. This culture is less demanding on moisture than cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers. Table beet has a rather powerful root system, which allows it to use the moisture of deep soil layers, but at the same time, it also responds well to irrigation. Table beet experiences the greatest need for moisture during the period of accumulation of the mass of root crops.

Agricultural technology

Table beets are placed after white cabbage, tomatoes and other crops. The soil is plowed (dug up) to a depth of 25-27 cm. In the spring, the soil is carefully cut with a rake and leveled. Autumn and spring tillage for beets is the same as for carrots. Beets are sown a little later than carrots, and in the summer, simultaneously with it. The depth of sowing seeds on light soils is 3-4 cm, on heavy soils - 2-3 cm. After sowing, the soil must be rolled.

Emergence of seedlings can be delayed up to three weeks, and in the first period (fork phase), plants develop and grow very slowly. Therefore, in the first one and a half to two months, the danger of weeds drowning out tender shoots of beets is especially great.

The first thinning at a distance of 2-3 cm is carried out at a time when the plants form one or two true leaves; the second (by 8-10 cm) - two to three weeks after the first. Growing beets with a larger area of ​​nutrition leads to the overgrowth of root crops and the accumulation of a significant amount of fiber in them, which reduces the quality of the crop. Round marketable roots of the first grade should be no more than 10 cm in diameter, the second - no more than 14 cm. That is why the distance in the rows and the seeding rate should ensure the production of small-sized roots.

Beetroot

Don flat-367. The variety is mid-season. Root crops are flat or flat-rounded. The flesh is tender, dark red with a purple hue, good taste. Resistant to bloom. Keeping quality during winter storage is good. The yield of root crops is from 2.6 to 8.3 kg per 1 m 2.

Bordeaux-237. Medium-early. Root crops are rounded or rounded flat, with a small head, the surface is slightly rough. The flesh is intense dark red. Taste is high. The lightness is good. It is resistant to diseases, but prone to damage by cercosporosis and peronosporosis. The yield of root crops is from 3.4 to 7.9 kg per 1 m 2.

Leningrad rounded-221/17. Medium-early. Root crops of the correct rounded shape. The flesh is dark red with a hint of burgundy. Ringing is weakly expressed. Taste is high. Relatively resistant to diseases and tsvetushnosti. The yield of root fruits is 3.3-6.5 kg per 1 m 2.

Podzimnaya A-474. Derived by individual selection from the Bordeaux variety. Root crops are round or round-oval, with dark red, burgundy flesh. Medium-early. Cold-resistant, non-flowering, in this regard, it is recommended for winter sowing. In some years, it is prone to cracking of root crops. Taste is high. Productivity is from 1.8 to 6.5 kg from 1 m 2.

Kuban borsch-43. Medium-late ripening, drought-resistant. Root crops from round to oval, large. The pulp is rough, red, with clearly expressed rings. Taste qualities are satisfactory. Productivity is high - 4.7-7.9 kg per 1 m 2.

Zelenolistnaya-42. Mid-early, high yielding, valuable for canning and cooking. Root crops are rounded. The flesh is dark red, without rings.

Chemical composition

Active ingredients

The difference between beetroot and other vegetables is that it contains a lot of alkalis and few acids. Table beet is rich in pectin, it contains a lot of iodine and calcium. Root crops contain sugars (8-10%), protein (up to 1.7%), pectins, fat (0.1%), fiber (up to 1%), organic acids, mineral salts: potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium , phosphorus, iron, iodine, cobalt, dyes (anthocyanins), vitamins C, B 1, B 2, B 6, PP, P, E, folic and pantothenic acids, antiulcer vitamin U, carotenoids, nitrogenous substances, including betaine, ammonia compounds, salts of nitric and phosphoric acids.

The autumn tops contain more proteins, carotene, vitamin C (up to 50 mg%), folic acid than the root crop, but poorer in fiber.

Application

food application

Root crops of a table beet are used in the form of salads, vinaigrettes, beetroots. Since minerals are found in alkaline compounds, beets are a good balance between meat and fish food. The plant is pickled, fermented, dried, juice is obtained from it. Leaves and petioles (young) are used for cooking botvinia, borscht and soups.

medicinal use

Boiled beets and its decoction have a laxative and diuretic effect, normalize blood circulation, and strengthen the body.

Application in official and traditional medicine

Medicinal raw materials are root crops, tops, leaves and juice. Root crops do not lose their useful and taste qualities during long-term storage.

Beetroot dishes have therapeutic and dietary properties, have a positive effect on metabolism and hematopoiesis. The complex of vitamins in combination with iron, cobalt, folic acid and amino acids allows it to be used as a treatment for anemia. It is especially useful to use beets in salads, vinaigrettes, beetroots suffering from obesity, hypertension, liver and kidney diseases.

The juice of freshly grated root crops is used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the lungs and pleura, and mixed with honey (1: 1) in hypertension.

Pectins and organic acids contained in beets contribute to increased intestinal motility, so beets are used to treat spastic inflammation of the colon and liver diseases. A significant content of vitamins and mineral salts (potassium, magnesium, iodine) allows us to recommend it as an antiatherosclerotic and antiarrhythmic agent. The inclusion of beets in the diet enhances intestinal motility, providing a laxative effect. Therefore, beets are useful for chronic constipation (on an empty stomach 100-150 g of boiled beets or an enema from a decoction of beets). Products with beets are recommended for people suffering from atherosclerosis, thyroid diseases, and metabolic disorders. Pectins and fiber contained in it help to remove harmful and toxic substances from the body. Outwardly, beets soaked in water are used for erysipelas, applied to ulcers and tumors. With a headache, cotton wool moistened with juice is placed in the ears.

Slightly fermented beet juice when instilled 2-3 drops in each nostril 3 times a day gives a good effect in chronic rhinitis. Boiled beetroot juice is used to wash the nose with a runny nose with thick discharge 5 times a day. Boiled beetroot juice or freshly grated root crops are used for poorly healing ulcers. Lotions from juice or grated root crops are applied to the affected areas and bandaged. Bandages change 3

Diluted freshly squeezed root juice (1:1) is taken for hemorrhoids (1-3 cups 3 times a day for 2-3 months), as a choleretic agent. Juice with honey is prescribed for tuberculosis (treatment for 1 month), for high blood pressure (half a cup 3-4 times a day). Water infusion (tea) from the root crop helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; in the form of rinses, it is used for fluxes and diseases of the throat.

In case of hypertension, the systematic use of sugar beet juice is prescribed (1 tablespoon 5-6 times a day). It is useful to use beets for diseases of the liver and kidneys, for beriberi, anemia (a mixture of juices of beets, carrots and radishes 1: 1: 1, 1-2 tablespoons daily before meals for several months). Dishes with beets are recommended for people with heart disease, the elderly, weak capillaries. There is information about the antitumor effect of red beet juice.

Recipes for various diseases

Avitaminosis

Collection 1. Fill the bottle almost to the top with raw grated red beets and fill it with vodka. Infuse the mixture in heat for 12 days. Drink 1 glass before meals as a tonic, especially for recuperation after an illness.

Haemorrhoids

Collection 1. Take 1/2 cup of beetroot decoction 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Collection 1. Drink raw beetroot juice, diluting 1/3 cup of juice with an equal amount of boiled water. Take 2 times a day after meals.

A laxative effect has the use of well-cooked beets with vegetable oil.

Collection 1. Mix freshly grated beetroot juice with honey in a ratio of 1:1. Drink 1/3 cup 2-3 times a day. Removes irritability.

Memory impairment

Collection 1. Take 1 / 2 cup of fresh beet juice, spreading 1 teaspoon of honey in it. Drink 3 times a day.

Cholecystitis

Collection 1. Peel the beets, cut and cook for a long time, until the broth thickens and becomes like syrup. Take 1/4 cup 3 times a day before meals.

Angina, tonsillitis

Collection 1. Grate 1 cup of raw beets, pour in 1 tablespoon of vinegar, insist, squeeze the juice with vinegar, rinse your mouth and throat with it and swallow a little (1-2 tablespoons).

Ulcers on the skin

Collection 1. Grate the peeled beets and apply this gruel to the pustules.

Headache

Put beet leaves on your forehead.

Laryngitis

Collection 1. Finely grate the beets and squeeze out 1/2 cup of juice. Pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into it. Gargle 5-6 times a day, while drinking 1 sip of the remedy.

Collection 1. Boiled or fresh beetroot juice instill into the nose 5-7 drops 2-3 times a day or rinse the nose 2-3 times a day with beetroot decoction. Honey can be added to the decoction. Help cotton swabs soaked in beetroot juice, which are put into the nostrils for 15-20 minutes 3-4 times a day.

Collection 2. Grate the beets on a fine grater, squeeze the juice. Leave overnight in a warm place. Slightly fermented juice should be instilled into the nose 2-3 drops 3 times a day.

Cold

Collection 1. Mix 1 teaspoon of honey and 2.5 teaspoons of red beet juice. Bury in each nostril 5-6 drops of the mixture 4-5 times a day.

Wounds, burns, eczema

Tie cleanly washed young beet leaves to the affected area.

Contraindications

Prevention or treatment of any disease with the help of beetroot juice should be carried out only under the supervision of a physician. The use of beets is contraindicated in people suffering from obesity, phosphaturia, oxaluria, diabetes. Beets and juice from it are contraindicated in diabetes, as they contain a lot of sucrose.

Beetroot is a biennial plant that belongs to the amaranth family. Previously, this plant was attributed to the haze family. Today, there are both annual and perennial plants of this family. The beetroot genus includes 13 plant species. But only two of them are grown in culture - ordinary and leaf beets.

To the delight of culinary gourmets, there is a wide variety of this plant. Tired of the usual colors? Do you want to diversify the vegetable table? Culinary experts recommend paying attention to the special bright varieties of this root crop in alternative colors. So, what color is beetroot?

rainbow plant

Experts say that the tissues of any beet contain various plant pigments. It is they who color the root crop. In many varieties, these shades are clogged with a dark red color, so others do not appear. Exactly according to the same principle, all components of borscht or vinaigrette are painted in bright beetroot tones.

But what color can beets really be? After all, we are used to using only varieties of dark red.

Few people know that beets can be not only red or burgundy. Today, edible root vegetables with a white, striped or golden core are common. There are varieties whose root crops change their color from white to red as they ripen. But what variety and color is the most delicious beetroot?

Not only roots, but also tops - leaves and petioles can boast of original coloring. Many gardeners will appreciate these varieties, because the beds will look very original and elegant.

Beets with golden roots

You may be surprised, but in our market you can find various varieties of beets. What color to choose a root crop? For example, yellow fruits are sold under the name "golden globe" or "golden ball". But these plant varieties are not included in the State Register. Therefore, we can assume that these vegetables are simply renamed foreign ones.

The most common varieties with light flesh include:

• Burpee's Golden.
• Boldor.
• Golden Detroit.

The oldest varieties of such beets include Burpee's Golden. The disadvantage of this plant is the low germination of seeds. For this reason, agronomists recommend sowing in several stages. The name of the variety is not accidental. The bright flesh glows like gold. Even if you do not take into account the color features, the root crop would have earned its name due to its excellent taste and rich composition of nutrients.

Among the representatives of the yellow beet, the Boldor variety occupies a special place. The flesh is a bright sunny color, and the skin is orange. The contrast of colors is especially noticeable with bright green leaves. This variety is characterized by higher seed germination compared to the previous one. And all root crops have almost the same size and shape.

Beet pulp is tasty and sweet. Young leaves can also be eaten. They are eaten raw, fried or steamed.

Another beet variety with bright flesh is the rare variety of Detroit - Golden Detroit. Fruits with golden, saturated color pulp and excellent taste. Compared to other varieties, adult roots of this beet do not coarsen and do not lose juice when damaged. The foliage of the plant is also used in cooking. They can be collected throughout the season. The leaves are used like spinach.

The variety Golden Detroit keeps well and is resistant to bolting.

White beets

What color beets can please any housewife? The answer is simple - yellow and white. After all, these varieties do not stain hands during cooking and do not leave stubborn stains on clothes.

Popular varieties of white beets:

• Albina Veredun.
• Yellow Cylindrical.

In Europe, the white beet variety Albina Veredun is considered popular. Sometimes this root crop can be seen on sale under the name Albino, Snowhite or Albino White. This variety is interesting to buyers not only because of its snow-white pulp. Its wavy beautiful leaves are very valuable.

Many housewives will say with confidence that this root crop is not suitable for making borscht. And it is. But all cooks say that soups with the addition of white beets will have a pleasant, soft and rich taste. Puree from this vegetable is served as a side dish for poultry and fish.

Leaves of this beet are also used. They decorate dishes, they contain a lot of minerals and vitamins. Therefore, greens are also eaten.

Today, the Yellow Cylindrical variety is also gaining particular popularity. It is a cylindrical root crop that is yellow on the outside. The pulp is white, tasty and very juicy.

Incredible colors

The Chioggi variety can be called a surprise. Indeed, when growing this root crop for the first time, many do not even realize what bright colors they will encounter during cooking.

Round bright root covered with orange-red skin. Foliage is glossy, dark green. Petioles ruby ​​red. But, cutting the root crop, you will see the alternation of red and white rings.

As they mature, all red rings gradually expand, while white ones, on the contrary, narrow. During cooking, the paints are mixed, and the root crop inside becomes a pale pink hue.

The attractive appearance also corresponds to the taste of the root crop - sweet, tender and juicy.

Such a vegetable in any form will be a worthy decoration of any dish.

So, we learned what color beets are. These varieties are actively used for cooking various dishes. Undoubtedly, there are technical grades that are also very important.

Sugar beet

It is intended for the production of ethanol and sugar. The roots of this plant contain up to 22% sucrose.

What a beet, everyone knows. The skin is yellowish, the flesh is white. This biennial plant is grown as an annual for a good harvest of root crops. Depending on the variety, the mass of one vegetable reaches from 300 g to 3 kg. Leaves are bright green.

This heat-loving plant is very demanding on the composition of the soil. Sugar beet grows best on black soil.

Agronomists have proven that the roots of this plant contain many useful trace elements and vitamins. In folk medicine, sugar beet treatments are also known. And the benefits of using this root crop are in no way inferior to the effect of other varieties. Today, this variety is often grown in home gardens. It is used as a sweetener in pastries, compotes, syrups and salads.

Be sure to clean the root crop before use. The peel has a characteristic unpleasant taste.

Conclusion

To date, there are many types and varieties of beets. This root crop has become an indispensable product in our lives. It contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body. So experiment, try. After all, now you know what color beets can be found on the shelves. Believe me, from a wide variety of varieties, you will find exactly the one that suits your taste the most.

Beetroot (table, red vegetable) - a biennial plant of the haze family ...

Beetroot (table, red vegetable) is a biennial plant of the haze family, a root vegetable crop. Homeland - the Mediterranean.

In the first year, the plant forms a rosette of leaves and a root crop, in the second - a flower stalk and seeds. Beets should be planted at a relative distance from each other, as varieties are easily cross-pollinated.

The shape of the root crop is different - from round-flat to elongated-conical; the color of the pulp is purple or dark red. Weight - from 400 to 900 g. Seeds remain viable for up to 8 years.

Warmly. Beetroot is a relatively cold-resistant plant. It is sown when the soil warms up to 5-7 ° C. At a temperature of 4–5 °C, the seeds begin to germinate, but in a cold spring, many plants go into flower.

Light. Beets are a long day plant.

Moisture. During all periods of growth, beets are very demanding on moisture, at the same time, they do not tolerate waterlogged cold and acidic soils with a low content of nitrogen and potassium.

16 varieties of beets have been zoned. There are early, mid-early and late-ripening varieties.

Podzimnaya A-474. The variety is intended for sowing before winter and getting an early harvest. Root crops are oval-rounded, with red-violet flesh, weighing 210–370 g.

Northern ball K-250. Cold hardy early variety. Root crops of a flat form weighing 150–350 g. The flesh is dark red.

Pushkin flat. The variety is early. The root crop is round-flat with red-violet flesh, weight 195-315 g.

Beets can be grown in any soil.

The forerunners of the culture should be tomato, onion, cucumber, carrot, legumes, potatoes. Beets cannot be planted after cabbage.

The soil for beets begins to be prepared in the fall. The remains of previously planted crops are crushed and partially introduced into the top layer. Then they dig deep into the ground, with excessive acidity they add fluffy lime, or chalk, or dolomite flour (1 glass per 1 m2).

Beetroot(not beet; lat. Béta vulgáris) is an annual, biennial or perennial herbaceous plant; kind of genus Beet family Amaranthaceae (previously the genus belonged to the Marev family). Cultivated in large areas everywhere.

In the southwestern regions of Russia, in Belarus and Ukraine, the plant is called beetroot, or beetroot.

Story [ | ]

Before cultivation, wild beets were used as food. In the 2nd millennium BC. e. leaf beet was introduced into culture (presumably on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea) as a medicinal and vegetable plant. The first root forms appeared (according to Theophrastus) and were well known by the 4th century BC. e .. To the beginning of n. e. cultivated forms of the common root beet appeared; in the X-XI centuries they were known in Kievan Rus, in the XIII-XIV centuries - in the countries of Western Europe. In the XVI-XVII centuries, it was differentiated into table and fodder forms; in the 18th century, sugar beet emerged from the hybrid forms of fodder beet. From the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century, culture spread to all continents. Folk legends say that the widespread use of beets by the peoples of the Balkans and Eastern Europe prevented the development of medieval plague epidemics [ ] .

Botanical description[ | ]

The root of wild and leaf beet species is taproot, woody, completely immersed in the soil. The wild form has a thin root; annual plant. In bred, the root is fleshy and juicy, thick (root crop), in most varieties it protrudes above the soil surface; biennial plant.

wild species :( C.Sm. Hornem.), ( Steven), ( Fisch. & C.A. Mey.), ( Waldst. & Kit.), ( Aiton) other.

In the first year, it develops only a root and a rosette of basal bare large, ovate, blunt, slightly heart-shaped at the base, along the edge of wavy leaves on long petioles; in the second year, and sometimes by the end of the first year, a leafy stem appears on a fleshy root from the middle of a leaf rosette, reaching 0.5 and even 1.25 meters in height.

Stem herbaceous, erect, strongly branched, furrowed-faceted; the leaves on it are alternate small, almost sessile, oblong or lanceolate; in the axils of the upper leaves, bunches (2-3 each) of small, dim, sessile flowers appear, forming complex long leafy spikes. The flowers are bisexual, consisting of a green or whitish cupped five-lobed perianth, of five stamens attached to a fleshy ring surrounding the ovary, and of a pistil with a semi-inferior single-nested ovary and two stigmas. Cross-pollination by small insects.

Beetroot, red, vegetable, in the first year of life forms a root crop weighing 0.4-0.9 kg of spherical-flattened, spherical-oval or flattened shape, having dark red, burgundy, red-violet flesh (red color is due to the content, primarily turn, and a yellow tint -) and a rosette of green with red veins or red leaves. The root crop is used for food (contains 13-20% dry matter, including 9-16% sugar, 1.8-3% protein, up to 0.5% organic acids, 0.7-1.4% fiber, 0. 8-1.3% mineral salts, vitamins C, B, P, PP) and young plants. Distributed on all continents. In the USSR, table beets were cultivated in all agricultural zones; in 1973, its crops occupied about 50 thousand hectares, the yield was 400-500 centners per 1 ha (up to 1000 centners). For 1974, 21 varieties were released, the best: Bordeaux 237, Incomparable A-463, Gribovskaya flat A-473, Podzimnyaya A-474, etc. In crop rotation, the crop is placed after cabbage, tomato, cucumber. Under autumn plowing, humus is applied (at least 30 t/ha), on acidic soils - lime (5-10 t/ha). Beets are sown in spring or autumn (winter sowing), in two-line ribbons or in wide rows (33 cm between rows). Seeding rate is 16-20 kg/ha, planting depth is 2-3 cm. Crop care: destruction of weeds with herbicides (spraying), double thinning, fertilizing, loosening and watering (in hot summer and in areas of irrigated agriculture). Root crops are harvested with beet lifters and, after trimming the leaves, are stored in vegetable stores. [ ] Table beet varieties, depending on the shape of the root crops, are grouped into four varieties:
Egyptian(round-flat), Bordeaux(round-oval), Eclipse(round, oval-cylindrical), Erfurt(conical). Signs of a botanical variety of beets are the shape and color of the pulp of root crops, ringiness, texture, ripening time. In terms of ripening, all beet varieties are divided into early ripe (vegetation period up to 100 days), mid-ripening (up to 130 days) and late-ripening (over 130 days).

Varieties [ | ]

As a result of breeding, various varieties of cultivated beets have been bred: biennial - leaf beet, or chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla), and common root beet (Beta vulgaris var. vulgaris), subdivided into European (groups of varieties of table, fodder and sugar beets) and Asian (usually low-cultivated groups of varieties with a poorly developed root crop) subspecies.

Agricultural technology [ | ]

Sugar beet in crop rotation is usually placed after winter wheat sown on perennial grasses, clean and busy fallows.

Seed-growing of sugar beet in the USSR was carried out by selection and experimental stations (originators of varieties), special elite seed-growing and seed-growing state farms; the latter grow factory seeds and pass them on to beet-growing farms.

Chemical composition and nutritional value[ | ]

The roots of the common beet contain sugars, proteins, organic acids, mineral salts (

Usually beets are perceived as a food crop. Its laxative and hypotonic properties are known, but the health benefits of beets are not only in these qualities. Possessing a large absorbing capacity, root crops are so saturated with vitamins and minerals in one season that they can become an excellent general tonic for the whole family. It is recommended to use beets in any form for people living in adverse environmental conditions, as well as undergoing courses of chemo- and radio wave therapy. What other secrets does this seemingly ordinary root crop hide?

Characteristics of culture

In ancient Rome and Greece, beets were a somewhat negative symbol - they meant squabbles, gossip and intrigue. It was presented to people who quarreled to ridicule them, and a wreath woven from tops was hung in a conspicuous place near the dwelling of a squabbler. As it gained popularity, beet symbolism began to be associated with love. In some countries, root crops were used in wedding ceremonies. In Russia, love for culture began to spread around the 10th century. Then the beets were brought to our territory from Byzantium. Now the plant is widely cultivated as food and fodder, and special carbohydrate varieties are used for sugar production. But until now, beets are found in the wild nature of Iran and China.

botanical signs

Beets belong to herbaceous plants of the haze family. Cultural and wild forms are different. The first is perennial and biennial, has a well-developed underground part and powerful tops. Wild beets have a thin and weak root, unsuitable for food, an underdeveloped aerial part. Most often, this herb is an annual. Beets suitable for treatment and cooking look like this.

• Roots. Beet root can have a different shape, reach an impressive size under favorable growing conditions. Its surface is covered with a thin skin, and inside there is a sweet and juicy pulp. The rings formed from the seals of the pulp are clearly visible in it. As a rule, the less visible these veins, the more health benefits the root crop provides. The color varies from light pink to purple-brown and lilac-red. On the surface of the root crop there may be thin lateral roots. Most of them are concentrated below - at the end of the underground part.
• Leaves . Cultivated beets have a well-developed aerial part. In the first year of vegetation, it is represented only by a basal rosette, formed from long-leaved leaves with a large oval or ovoid leaf blade, as well as with a solid edge. Venation is clearly visible on the plate. On the underside of the plate, the veins are pink or reddish, as are the long, fleshy petioles. In the second year of plant development, stem leaves can be seen. They are small, have a lanceolate or elongated shape, arranged alternately.
• stems. The herbaceous stem grows from the rosette in the second year of the plant's growing season. It has a fleshy dense structure, actively branches upwards and acts as a peduncle. The surface of the stem is leafy and covered with furrows. It can stiffen as the plant matures and fruits ripen on it.
• Flowers. Flowering beets are unremarkable - small paniculate inflorescences, consist of small spikelets. The flowers in them are collected a maximum of five pieces, have a greenish or whitish color. The inflorescences emerge from the axils of the leaves, and are also located at the top of the stem. The perianth is simple. The flowering of the plant falls at the end of July and lasts until mid-August.
• Fruit. They begin to ripen from the end of August, the process can be delayed until the beginning of October, under favorable climatic conditions. Beets have unusual fruits called glomeruli. They are formed by several fused one-seeded nuts.

Beetroot is a polymorphic species. Many of its varieties have been bred, including sugar, fodder and multi-colored table varieties. A deciduous beet variety called chard is very popular.

Growing and harvesting

The common beet is one of the rather demanding cultivated plants. It needs a sufficient amount of light, air, moisture, nutrients in the soil, as well as the right temperature. If all conditions are not met, there is a tendency to a sharp decrease in yield. For example, if you plant beets too early, then not root crops with leafy rosettes will begin to grow, but flower-bearing stems immediately. This is due to a failure of the two-year culture cycle.

There are several rules for successful cultivation, allowing you to make the use of beets as healthy as possible.

• Soil quality. The plant is very fond of well-drained and breathable soils. Loamy or sandy soils are best suited. In extreme cases, deep plowing of dense black soil is suitable, providing looseness of the soil. It is undesirable to plant beets in the place where legumes, zucchini and other crops that saturate the soil with nitrogen grew, since root crops absorb nitrates with particular ease.
• Drop off time. Sowing is carried out only after the soil warms up to 10 ° C. If after sowing a decrease in temperature is observed, the bed must be covered with a film.
• Place for beets. To ensure that there are enough vitamins and other biologically active substances in the root crops, the beet garden is placed on a site flooded with sunlight.
• Watering. The taste and nutritional qualities of beets depend on the sufficient water content in the root crop. Under dry conditions, the crop should be watered abundantly.

Beet root crops, as well as tops, can be used as medicinal plant raw materials and food products. Root crops are allowed to dry to obtain beetroot chips. However, along with moisture, they lose most of the nutrients. Beetroot has excellent keeping quality, especially its late-ripening varieties. At the same time, juicy pulp retains nutrients until the new season. It is rational to use root crops stored in the basement for food and medicinal purposes. Properly store beets at home as follows.

• Collection. Beets are harvested after the lower leaves of the rosette have withered. Root crops are dug up with a shovel, removed from the soil by pulling the base of the outlet. Gently shake off the ground.
• Training. Before organizing storage, beets must be prepared. Root crops are freed from the tops, cutting it off at the base of the underground part. You should not leave large areas of petioles, since they are the provocateurs of decay. Beets are dried in a cool, dry place, spread out on a fabric cut. After all the soil has dried, it is wiped with a rag or soft brush. In the process, root crops are checked for hardness - in places soft ones are subject to urgent use.
• Storage. Root crops are placed in rows in wooden or plastic boxes. Loosely fall asleep with sand or sawdust. The second option will provide better air penetration. For long-term preservation of useful substances in root crops, cellars with temperatures up to +4 ° C and humidity from 60% are suitable.

Beet tops are most often used fresh for culinary purposes - salads and soups are prepared. Leaves are added to bottles when pickling vegetables. Petioles are harvested for the winter as pickles. Salads are prepared with them.

The taste qualities of the petioles of the plant are very reminiscent of asparagus. If necessary, beet leaves can be prepared for medicinal purposes by drying the crushed leaf blades along with the petioles. Raw materials are laid out on paper, the pallet is placed in the shade. Often turn over so that the fleshy petioles do not rot.

What does the root contain

Beet roots are classified as dietary products. Almost 80% of the total mass is water. About 14% falls to the share of various sugars. Amino acids are contained in beets in the amount of 2% of the total mass, 1% is assigned to hard plant fibers. The rest is a storehouse of useful substances that have a complex beneficial effect on the human body. Among them are such components.

• Vitamins. Beets are rich in vitamin C, vitamins A and E, nicotinic, folic, pantothenic acid, vitamins B1, B2, and vitamin P. This set provides beets with general strengthening and immunostimulating abilities, as well as a positive effect on the state of the vascular system. The combination of ascorbic acid, biotin, retinol and tocopherol endows beets with high antioxidant activity. Vitamins are contained in beets in a balanced amount, so the positive results of using this product manifest themselves first on the skin condition - after one to two weeks.
• Minerals. Beets are saturated with them from the soil from the very moment of germination. It is not surprising that it contains all the necessary macronutrients (magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, iron), as well as trace elements, including quite rare ones (cobalt, molybdenum, fluorine, arsenic, manganese, copper, chromium, zinc, selenium). All substances are involved in metabolic processes and enzymatic synthesis, and therefore are necessary for the body to function properly.
• Amino acids. Represented by glutamic acid, asparagine, lysine, valine, histidine. They are used by the body in the processes of energy metabolism and the synthesis of fibers of various tissues. One of the most important amino acids is betaine, a substance that activates the renewal and restoration of liver cells. Thanks to him, beets have a pronounced hepatoprotective effect.
• Saponins. They are stimulants of bile formation, urinary excretion, have a mild laxative effect, and also stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, positively affecting the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
• organic acids. Represented by citric, oxalic and malic acids. They have an antimicrobial effect, stimulate lipid metabolism in the body, in combination with saponins remove salt deposits from tissues.
• Glycosides. The beets owe them their hypotensive effect. Beet glycosides have sedative, anticholesterolemic, and analgesic properties.
• Pectins. There are even more of them in beets than in apples. It is thanks to pectins that beetroot cleanses the body of toxins, and the intestines - of decay products, harmful bacteria. Beet pectins are so active that they remove lead compounds from the body.
• Anthocyanins. The dyes that provide the rich color of the root crop and its juice have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. They are not able to cure malignant tumors, but they clearly assist drugs in this process, and also prevent the appearance of atypical structures in a healthy body.

The medicinal properties of beets are not only root crops. The above-ground part of the culture contains even more vitamins C and K than the underground part. It is also rich in plant fibers and chlorophyll, which has antiseptic properties.

It is characteristic that all the harm of beets for health lies in the composition of the lower part of the petioles and the upper part - the root crop. These places can accumulate toxic products, nitrogenous substances, pesticides and other "garbage". That is why, both for medicinal purposes and for food, these parts must be disposed of.

Health Benefits of Beets

It is not for nothing that the general appearance of a table root crop has some similarities in shape with the human heart - beets have the most pronounced positive effect on the cardiovascular system. It appears in the following properties:

• vascular condition- beets have the ability to normalize the permeability of the vascular walls, strengthen them, and prevent fragility;
• pressure regulation- the vegetable eliminates spasms of smooth muscles, normalizes the resistance of the vascular walls, which leads to a decrease and stabilization of blood pressure;
• cardiac activity- beetroot relieves increased myocardial tone, eliminating tachycardia, regulating the strength of heart contractions;
• fight against atherosclerosis- the root crop cleanses the body of excess cholesterol, and also stops the formation of fibrous thickenings in the vessels;
• blood composition - the culture improves hematopoiesis, including the synthesis of hemoglobin, which is especially useful in oncology and anemia;
• blood sugar- moderate consumption of beets in diabetes prevents vascular complications (retinopathy and cataracts);
• peripheral circulation- improving it, beets prevent trophic ulcers, as well as Alzheimer's disease.

Due to the natural propensity of the male population to atherosclerosis and circulatory disorders, beets are considered especially beneficial for men. Regular consumption of beetroot dishes will prevent prostate adenoma and potency disorders of vascular origin.

The root crop is also useful for women. It reduces the pain that occurs during menstruation, and also provides a normal blood volume during heavy bleeding. By regulating the hormonal background, beets fight cycle disorders, slow down the onset of menopause and reduce its symptoms. With mastopathy and mastitis, healers recommend applying beetroot compresses to the nipples, which “pull out” inflammation.

For metabolism and digestion

Many metabolic regulators make beetroot an essential dietary product for people with metabolic disorders - obesity, diabetes. Biologically active substances stimulate the process of digestion of food, the work of the stomach, intestinal motility, reduce the absorption of fats and increase - proteins. When following a diet, beets make a tasty base for low-calorie meals.

Positive effects on the gastrointestinal tract are manifested by the following effects:

• increased acidity of gastric juice;
• improving the secretion of enzymes by the pancreas;
• increased secretion of bile;
• elimination of dysbacteriosis;
• increased intestinal motility;
• anti-inflammatory effect.

Such a complex will positively affect the condition of a patient with hypoacid gastritis, pancreatitis, and chronic constipation. With hemorrhoids, even enemas with preparations from beets are possible. The use of beets is especially good for the condition of the liver:

• it is cleared of toxins;
• damaged cells are regenerated;
• excess fat reserves are eliminated;
• prevents fatty degeneration of liver cells.

For skin and mucous membranes

Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic properties make it useful to use beets externally, with:

• angina;
• toothache;
• psoriasis;
• wounds, scratches;
• trophic ulcers;
• festering wounds;
• subcutaneous inflammation.

Beets are actively used for a runny nose, ear and headache. The sedative properties of the root crop increase the body's resistance to stress, normalize the state of the nervous system with increased physical and emotional stress. A general strengthening and vitaminizing effect is appropriate for a breakdown, seasonal depression, as well as for protracted illnesses and during the recovery period after them. The ability of beets to remove radionuclides is useful in the treatment of malignant diseases.

Is the product safe

If you listen to traditional healers, then beets are simply a necessary product for adults and children of any age and all professions. In fact, the use of the root vegetable should be limited for some segments of the population. Beet contraindications include:

• hyperacid gastritis;
• peptic ulcer;
• gastroduodenitis;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• chronic diarrhea.

Situations when the use of beets requires caution:

• in diabetes - due to the risk of increased sugar, and the need to add the amount of insulin;
• during pregnancy- due to the risk of lowering pressure and loss of consciousness with a tendency to hypotension;
• when breastfeeding- due to the possibility of an allergy in a child, up to asthma;
• with urolithiasis- the content of oxalic acid in beets can aggravate the situation;
• with osteoporosis - beets can interfere with the absorption of calcium in the body;
• with gout - because of the risk of growth of salt deposits in the joints.

It is important to know that elderly people with hypotension should use the product with caution and moderately. Children under the age of one year are not given a root crop.

How to use for therapeutic purposes

Beetroot treatment in folk medicine most often involves the use of beetroot juice. This product has a rather specific taste, requires caution at the beginning of therapy and strict adherence to dosages. This is provoked by an increased concentration of active substances and a specific effect on the body. At the beginning of the application, the juice is diluted with water. This is done until the body gets used to this product. Due to the content of triterpene compounds that volatilize in the air, traditional healers advise drinking juice after it has been in the refrigerator for two to three hours. Options for using beet pomace:

• for migraine - mix equal amounts of beetroot juice and honey, use a tablespoon three times a day;
• with rhinitis - mix juice and honey, in a ratio of 2: 1, drip a couple of drops into each nostril, once a day;
• with hoarseness - irrigate the throat and tonsils with boiled cooled beetroot juice;
• when coughing - take orally a quarter cup of juice, up to four times a day.

The last regimen for taking beetroot juice can be considered standard, indicated for beriberi, anemia, and hypertension. In case of poor tolerance of the product, traditional healers recommend squeezing juice from boiled beets, diluting it with water, and using it in smaller quantities, but more often.

To replace beetroot juice, you can eat raw beetroot. The daily dosage for an adult is 100 g. For better absorption and a milder effect on the body, it is recommended to chop the beets on a fine grater, mix with grated carrots, herbs and, of course, with a small amount of olive oil.

Recently, a recipe for beets with kefir for weight loss has been popular. In fact, there is a diet recipe for kefir and beets: one kilogram of each product per day, consumed in random order and form, for three days. According to reviews, this approach allows you to get rid of a couple of kilograms by cleansing the body and refers to emergency weight loss methods.

Boiled beets are useful for their mild effect on the body. You can use it for a variety of diet at least every day. If there is a desire to preserve the benefits of the root crop, it is better to bake it in the oven.

The beneficial properties of beets are in the ability to improve the state of health, as well as the appearance and mood of a person. It is important to use the product moderately, rationally, and maintain a balanced diet. In this case, the healing properties of the root crop will manifest themselves with maximum force.