If you’ve been throwing away those greens on the tops of beetroots, you’ve been missing out on some serious health benefits. Not only are they edible and delicious, but they are also a great substitute for spinach, Swiss chard, and bok choy. Beet greens are actually more nutritious than the beet itself, but many people don’t know that.
Beet greens supply you with a great amount of protein, and are rich in phosphorus, zinc, and fiber. Additionally, beet greens are packed with vitamins A, B6, C, K, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, iron, calcium, and they are low in fat and cholesterol. The vitamin K in beet greens actually has blood-clotting properties! It helps fight against Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis, and boosts bone strength.
But wait…there’s more! The amount of vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight cancer, heart disease, and free radicals in the body, in beet greens helps boost the immune system. It also helps with the development of antibodies and white blood cells.
So how do you make these beet greens? You can treat them like you would Swiss chard or spinach. While you can juice these or eat them raw, they are best sautéed or boiled to achieve better flavors. Here’s what you’ll need for delicious beet greens.
Ingredients
- 2 cups beet greens, heavy stems removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- squeeze of fresh lemon
Directions
- Wash the beet greens in cold water and strain them in a colander.
- Add the beet greens to a pot with 1-2 cups of boiling water. Keep over the stove on high heat for about 3-5 minutes. These cook very quickly so don’t walk away from the stove.
- Once the greens are wilted, season them with sea salt and pepper to taste, and squeeze a lemon wedge in the pot. Mix and serve it up as a side or your main course.
Stop throwing beet greens away so you don’t miss out on great health benefits.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
