Beets are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and minerals such as Iron, Potassium, and Magnesium. Beets contain 20% of the daily recommended amount of folate, which is a mineral that is important for heart health. They are also high in manganese, which aids bone and brain health. Beets also contain copper which is used to improve energy production in the body.
FUN FACT: Beets have more potassium than bananas!
The health benefits beets bring are impressive, but sometimes the flavor of beets are not impressive. We’re here to help you enjoy this un-beet-ably healthy food. If you haven’t fallen in love with beets yet, try these tips before you give up on them.
Roast Beets Whole in Balsamic Vinegar
Preparing fresh whole beets for a salad is a step up from canned beets. In Bonnie’s Winter Kale Salad recipe, she recommends coating the whole beet with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and wrapping it in foil before roasting. Roasting beets whole is easier than slicing raw beets into pieces to roast them. Once Bonnie realized you could simply roast them whole and cut them up later when they are nice and soft, it was a game-changer for her.
Pickle Your Own Beets
If you are nostalgic for the soft texture of canned beets from childhood but not the taste, you can give pickling beets a try using your roasted beets as a base. Apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt transform and preserve these earthy roots and bring out their sweetness even more. Toss them in salads or keep them in the fridge as a healthy snack.
Shredded Beets
Something as simple as cutting the vegetables in a different way can change how they pair with other flavors. Raw beets shredded with a cheese grater are great in salads. Add your shredded beets to a salad with other shredded veggies, fresh leafy greens, and your favorite salad dressing. One bite will have nutrients and a delicious combination of flavors. A shredded salad could be just the right combination you need to be sold on this veggie.
Sometimes you just need the right flavor to go with beets to compliment their sweet, earthy taste. Tag us and use #4PKitchen on Instagram, so we can see your kitchen creations.
Beets and Citrus
Beets and citrus both hit peak season during the winter months, so it’s not surprising that their flavor profiles enhance each other. The acid in citrus brings out and balances the sweet notes of peak season beets. Try this citrus and beet salad for yourself and let us know how it tastes. If salads aren’t your thing, try a beet and citrus juice drink.
Beets and Goat Cheese
Goat cheese has a mild earthy profile with a tartness that both compliments and balances out the earthiness of beets. Roasted beets have a soft texture that goes well with the creamy texture of goat cheese especially in salads with crisp greens.
Beets and Strawberries
Beets and Strawberries are another favorite for summer salads. The sweetness of strawberries brings out the sweet flavors in roasted beets. Did you know that strawberries and beets are also good companion plants? Planting beets next to your strawberries in your garden loosens the soil creating healthier conditions for the strawberries.
The different varieties of beets have slightly different flavor profiles, so choosing the correct beet for you could be a game changer.
Red Beets
Red beets have the strongest earthy flavor and through roasting produce the sweetest flavor notes. Red beets have the highest amount of geospin, which gives beets their earthy flavor. If you are sensitive to this flavor, red beets might not be for you.
Golden Beets
Golden beets are less earthy-tasting than red beets. They have a mild, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor. Golden beets have a lower amount of a compound called geospin which gives beets their earthy flavor. So if the earthiness is too much for you, try golden beets for a less intense flavor.
Chioggia Beets
Chioggia beets with their bright pink and white stripes have a milder flavor than red beets. A lot like golden beets, chioggia beets have less geospin than red beets which lessens the earthy flavor. Chioggia beets have mild flavor profiles, so they will take on more of the flavors of produce you pair them with. These beets also don’t “bleed” as much as red beets, so they're not as good for juicing or providing that deep beet color to dishes.
If none of these tips work for you, there could be a scientific reason why. Similar to cilantro, there are some people who are more sensitive to the flavor in beets. Beets contain an organic compound called geospin. Geospin creates a strong dirt-like smell and taste. If you have tried beets in different ways and still feel like you are eating mud, it could be that you are just more sensitive to geospin.
