Beets

The beautiful crimson color of the beet comes from betacyanins, natural compounds that also happen to be extremely powerful cancer-fighting agents. Beets also contain an amino acid called betaine, packed with anti-cancer properties and unique phytochemicals called betalains.

All of these nutrients are key to the incredible health properties of the beet. Betanin, one of the most researched betalains found in beets, has significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying effects.

According to The World’s Healthiest Foods (a website run by the not-for-profit George Mateljan Foundation, devoted to fostering a healthier world), recent lab studies found that betanin pigments can impede tumor cell growth in tissues throughout the body, including the Stomach, Nerves, Lungs, Breasts, Prostate, Testicles These findings provide a compelling case for further research into the value of betanins and other betalains in preventing and curing cancer.

Because beets contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules, it is statistically likely that they can reduce the risk of many kinds of cancers. With the high antioxidant content, beets are a great leukemia natural treatment. The World’s Healthiest Foods says, “Eventually, we expect to see large-scale human studies that show the [cancer] risk-reducing effect of dietary beet intake.”

A solid scientific basis for that work already exists. In the 1950s, a Hungarian cancer therapist named Alexander Ferenczi began putting his patients on a regime of raw or juiced beetroots in addition to their normal diet. He worked exclusively with patients who had already undergone chemotherapy and radiation, and who were primarily in the final (cachexic) stage of cancer. 



All of Ferenczi’s patients responded positively to the addition of beets to their diets. There was a clear, clinical improvement in each and every one of their cancers. The beet treatment proved to be so powerful, in fact, that in some cases patients actually overdosed on beets!

In some cases, the mass injection of nutrients — especially vitamin C — contained in the beets overloaded the patients’ livers.



So, the takeaway lessons from Ferenczi’s work are that:

Beets are a more effective cancer treatment when begun early. In fact, the regular consumption of beets might be most effective as a preventative treatment.

To avoid overwhelming your body’s waste disposal system, start with small quantities of beetroot and gradually increase. If you start to feel unwell, reduce your consumption.

Beets Fight Leukemia, Tumors, and Advanced Inoperable Cancers

The results of a later study of “red beet therapy” — the consumption of approximately 2 lbs of raw, mashed beets daily — corroborate Ferenczi’s findings and suggest that beets can help your body fight against leukemia and tumors.

• they detoxify the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, blood and lymph.
• Beets are also helpful for relieving constipation.
• Beets are high in nutrients such as folate, manganese, potassium, and vitamin C, making them an excellent source of nutrients, and a particularly good choice for pregnant women who have higher folate needs during pregnancy.
• In their uncooked state, beets also contain an important compound called betaine, which research has shown reduces several compounds linked to inflammation in the body. In other words, it’s a great anti-inflammatory food that helps protect us from the effects of aging and disease.
• Beets are one of Nature’s miracles in the prevention of cancer. The fiber found in beets seems to increase the body’s special immune compounds that are responsible for detecting and removing abnormal cells before they can become cancerous.
• Beets help fight cancer. The phytonutrients–proanthocyanidins–that gives beets their rich purplish-red hue has potent anti-cancer capabilities lab studies show that betanin pigments can impede tumor cell growth in tissues from the: Colon, Stomach, Nerves, Lungs, Breasts, Prostate, Testicles
• Beets have been recommended for many years to help purify the blood.
• Beets also help cleanse the liver–one of the most overworked organs in the body, with over 500 functions including: cleansing toxins, removing excess hormones, and metabolizing fat.
• They are versatile. They can be eaten raw (grated), steamed, boiled (although many nutrients are lost in the cooking water), or added to soups and stews. I love steamed beets tossed with a little flax oil and unrefined sea salt. Remember: the anti-cancer properties of beets lessen with heat. So it’s always a great idea to enjoy a little grated raw beetroot on your salads.

How to Get the Best Benefit from Beets

Beet juice is such a strong substance that it should not be consumed on its own. Rather, mix it into another milder juice such as carrot, cucumber or apple. Dana Herbert, a natural health blogger, offers this advice to those interested in making beet juice from scratch:

“When juicing beets, alternate between pieces of beets and pieces of carrots, otherwise the beet pulp tends to build up on the sides of the spinning extraction basket and causes the juicer to vibrate.”

Dana also recommends chilling the juice for 2-3 hours prior to consumption.

The health-promoting pigments in beets can stain your skin, so it might be best to wear gloves while preparing them. If your hands do get stained, try lemon juice as a quick and nicely scented way to clean them!

Heat diminishes the concentration of phytochemicals in beets, so if you choose to cook them, World’s Healthiest Foods recommends steaming them lightly for 15 minutes, which will maximize their nutrition and flavor.