Surprising beetroot health benefits revealed after Therese Coffey advised affected families to buy British vegetables to combat rising costs and food shortages

Due to vegetable shortages, the environment secretary said yesterday that Britons should consider eating turnips.

It saw Therese Coffey mocked mercilessly on social media.

But maybe their claim isn’t so bad after all…

Here, MailOnline rounds up some of the surprising potential health benefits of the versatile root vegetable.

Anti-cancer properties

In some circles, beets are credited with anti-cancer properties.

For example, they are rich in glucosinolates.

The same sulfur-containing chemicals responsible for the bitter taste and pungent aroma break down into compounds that have been shown to starve crops.

However, human studies show mixed results.

a german file, Published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research in 2009, they indicated a powerful effect in the fight against cancer in animals.

And it was branded Anti-carcinogen in a 2018 review published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention.

Registered nutritionist Dr. However, Duane Mellor of Aston University in Birmingham said that these compounds may look better in a test tube than they actually are.

He said: “Because many of the beets are related to the cabbage family, they contain similar compounds that have been shown to have interesting properties in the test tube.

“But to say that these compounds, known as glucosinolates, can help fight cancer in humans is perhaps a bit of a stretch.”

Helps you maintain a healthy weight

The plump vegetable, which was a staple of English farmers’ diets before the arrival of the potato on British soil, might not be the first diet food that springs to mind.

But beets are a great way to cut calories and according to dr. Mellor even substitutes potatoes.

He said: “Beets can be a good vegetable to mix into mashed potatoes to reduce calories and carbohydrates, which can help some people with their health goals.”

The root vegetables contain only about 28 kcal per 100g.

For comparison: a potato contains about 75 kcal per 100 g, three times as much.

But it’s not just low calories that support a healthy weight.

The vegetable can also help control your appetite and help you with portion control.

Beets are not starchy like potatoes and they have a low glycemic index, meaning they don’t affect your blood sugar as quickly.

The NHS says these foods “can help you feel fuller for longer” because they break down more slowly.

“You son! Run away and bring me back the biggest turnip in all of London’: Therese Coffey faces merciless taunting on social media after urging Britons to eat turnips while fruit and veg are in short supply in supermarkets

“You son! Run away and bring me back the biggest turnip in all of London’: Therese Coffey faces merciless taunting on social media after urging Britons to eat turnips while fruit and veg are in short supply in supermarkets

Increase your immunity

Packed with vitamin C, beets—when eaten in large enough quantities—have the ability to boost your immune system.

According to the NHS, vitamin C has not been proven to be an effective treatment for reducing colds.

according to Dr According to James DiNicolantonio, a leading American cardiovascular researcher, however, a vitamin C deficiency can make it more difficult for our body to fight infections.

In his new book, The Immunity Fix, he explains that vitamin C helps the body’s immune cells boost their ability to fight infection.

Just 100 g of a beet contains 21 mg of vitamin C, or half of the recommended daily amount.

Although we can also get vitamin C from oranges, peppers and tomatoes, seasonal winter vegetables are just as good.

Dr. Mellor said: “Hads might not make a great salad.

“But maybe we should try to eat a wider variety of vegetables to increase the health benefits of our diet through more variety.”

“It could mean that we eat more seasonally and eat some vegetables that we as a society may have forgotten.”

It’s good for your heart

Eating beets can also help your heart.

Beetroot is also full of minerals such as potassium, says Dr. Mellor.

100 g of beetroot contains 191 mg of potassium, which is five percent of the recommended daily dose.

Beets are also part of the DASH diet, which is scientifically designed to help control blood pressure and stop high blood pressure.

The root vegetables make the list along with other potassium-rich vegetables, including cabbage, potatoes and kale.

According to the charity Blood Pressure UK, foods high in potassium can help lower blood pressure.

And high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and strokes, according to the NHS.

Adults need 3,500 mg of potassium per day to stay healthy, which is only possible through a healthy diet.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Alkaline meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain granola crackers, 2 thick slices of whole grain bread, and 1 large baked potato with skin on

• Offer dairy products or milk alternatives (eg soy drinks) and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options

• Eat beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one of which is fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small amounts

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water daily

• Adults should consume less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide