A member of the amaranth family, beta vulgaris is a root vegetable known as the beet. Beets are typically cultivated for culinary use. The vegetables are considered useful in a number of homeopathic herbal remedies. They can also be grown for decorative purposes.
Traditional folk medicine has made use of beta vulgaris in many ways. The vegetable was used in treating constipation, wounds, and fevers in ancient Roman history. Beetroot juice was sometimes used as an aphrodisiac. Digestive and blood illnesses have also been treated with the root vegetable.
Europeans have used beta vulgaris to protect their bodies against oxidative stress. This use, however, has not been definitively proven in medical studies. As a food, beta vulgaris may prove useful in fighting cancer, protecting against heart disease, and preventing birth defects.
Depending on the variety, beets can be red or purple in color. They are typically bulbous and round, with a thin root protruding from the bottom. The top of a beet is a thin, cord-like strip of stem topped with heart-shaped green leaves. Some stems can be red while others may be yellow, white, purple, or pink.
The flowers of the beet plant grow in thick, small spikes. Each flower has five petals that are green or red in color. Beets, which are wind-pollinated vegetables, also produce fruits in the form of hard nutlets. Herbaceous biennial plants, beets can grow up to six feet (two meters) in height.
Beta vulgaris is also known as the garden beet or beetroot. Other common varieties of beets include sugar beet, chard, mangelwurzel, and spinach beet. Sugar beets are used in the production of table sugar, while mangelwurzel is a common crop fodder. The other two types are vegetables used in cooking. Garden beets are a popular food of Europe in particular.
Swiss chard is typically eaten boiled, though the plant can also be steamed, stir-fried, or eaten raw in salads. Borscht, a soup made from beets and other vegetables, is a popular recipe in Russia and Eastern Europe. In the American South, pickled beets are a common food. Beets can also be shredded or used as condiments.
One serving of raw beets is approximately three and one-half ounces (100 grams), or two beets. Beets are a low-calorie food, with one serving containing 44 calories. A full serving also contains over half an ounce (two grams) of fiber. Beets also contain small amounts of calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, copper, folate, phosphorus, and iron.
