May 10, 2017
Beautiful Beets
Spring is the best time of year to cleanse the body! Our bodies are bombarded with so many environmental toxins and exposed to countless chemicals that it needs some help from time to time getting rid of it all. Our bodies are naturally detoxing all the time through the liver, the urine, and the skin. There are certain foods that are particularly helpful in aiding in this detoxification process. Beets are definitely one of them.
Beets are one of the best foods you can possibly eat to help your liver detoxify. One particular compound found in beets called betaine, helps to stimulate the removal of toxins by the liver cells. It also helps to protect the liver and the bile ducts so that the liver can function properly.
Beets also contain a very high concentration of phytonutrients which give us antioxidant protection and they also help to improve blood circulation. Another benefit of beets is that they contain a good amount of fibre. They contain a specific type of fibre called pectin which helps clear out toxins that have been removed from the liver so they can be flushed out of the body and not reabsorbed.
Now, if you are thinking how the heck am I going to incorporate beets into my diet don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Many people avoid eating them as they either don’t know how to prepare them or just don’t want the mess. I say, get a little messy and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of this great root.
Beets can be eaten raw by grating them into a salad or blending them up in a smoothie and they can also be cooked by roasting them and adding them to salads, dips or just eaten as a side dish with a meal. My favourite way to prepare them is to just scrub them up, chop them into quarters, lay them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for about an hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This will get the beets nice and soft and the skin will just slide off of them. From here I use as many as I can and if not, I just throw them in the freezer for later. The recipe that follows uses 1 and a half of these roasted beets and is fantastic for dipping veggies and crackers in. Or if you are like me, you may just end up eating it by the spoonful.
Beet Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 1/2 roasted beets
- 1/4 cup tahini or almond butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender except the olive oil. Blend or process the ingredients until they are all incorporated. Then, while running the blender or processor, drizzle in the olive oil. This will bring the hummus together. Finally, check the hummus for flavour and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Enjoy!
Stephanie
