The first person I shared my blog with was my mom.   After taking a look, the first thing she said (in her good intentioned way) was “Why beets? Most people don’t like beets, they taste awful!” 

Gotta love her honest feedback but the truth is, I love beets!    I eat them sliced with balsamic vinegarette, pepper and feta and I also put beet powder (found in the local health store) in my smoothie in the morning.   

It just goes to show you that you have to march to the beat (ha!) of your own drum.   What your body needs to feel groovy may not be the same as another perosn.    The key is to really figure out what your body is telling you.   Do you have digestion issues?   Do you need more energy?   Do you need to detox after the holiday?   Are you a runner that needs more cardiovascular support?   Do you have a specific autoimmune condition?    It’s called bio-individuality.    One person’s food is another person’s poison.

Sooo, back to BEETS…if you want to know whether they may be right for you –  here are some awesome things that beets can do for your health:

1. Beets are a high source of energy – they have plenty of slow burning sugar that can keep you fueled for hours but at the same time they are low in calories, unlike that soda you may have drank yesterday.   Very few foods in nature are similar to beets in this way.
2. Beets boost your mood.   They contain betaine which is the same substance used in treatments of depression.   They also have tryptophan which relaxes the mind and eases anxiety, similar to chocolate.
3. Beets are beneficial to pregnancy.   They are loaded with potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B & C, beta-cyanine and folic acid.   The B vitamins and iron in particular are very beneficial to the new growth cells during pregnancy and replenishing iron in a woman’s body.
4. Beets are nature’s Viagra.   One of the first uses of beets was by the ancient Romans, who used them medicinally as an aphrodisiac.   Beets contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones.   It’s true – science backs it up!
5. Beets are awesome for detoxing.   They purify the blood and keep toxins from building up, preventing various forms of cancer.

I hope you give beets a try…but even if you don’t like them, I’m confident you will find something that you do like by staying tuned in to Groovy Beets!

Thanks for joining my blog!

P.S. Try adding this beet powder to your smoothies!

Lean Forst, MBA, CHC — Family Health & Cancer Coach

Leann is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, holding a Master’s degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University. Leann is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. And she is an award winning author of 2 books “How to Get Your Kids to Beg for Veggies” and “100 Ways to Lose Weight.” Born and raised as an Iowa farm girl, she moved to Texas in 1998 where she met and married her husband.

Leann works with individuals one-on-one and in group settings. She is also a speaker for profit and non-profit organizations and has enjoyed speaking at Medical City Hospital in Dallas.Content goes here