Bright Berry Beet Smoothie

I promise, roasted beets are awesome in smoothies. Not only do they make the prettiest color, beets are really good for you! When roasted their natural sweetness comes out and they also taste more delicious. Add berries and a few other ingredients, and you get a super nutritional, good-looking and tasty smoothie!

Health Benefits of Beets:

1. Rich Source of Vitamin C and other Valuable Nutrients

Beets are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas). Beets also contain the B vitamin folate, which helps reduce the risk of birth defects.

2. Rich Source of Betaine

Another nutrient that red beets are a rich source of is betaine; betaine is vital to good cardiovascular health. Betaine’s purpose is to lessen your body’s concentration of homocysteine, a substance which is hurtful to your blood vessels in the sense that it can contribute to peripheral vascular disease, stroke and heart disease.

3. Beetroot Juice Benefits – Lower High Blood Pressure

The effects on high blood pressure are apparently so potent that information published in the journal Hypertension, a publication from the American Heart Association, established that consuming 500 milliliters of beetroot juice resulted in a measurable reduction in hypertension in just an hour. These beneficial results lasted even up to 24 hours after such beetroot juice drinking. Scientifically, the credit goes to the high content of nitrate that is present in the beetroot juice. (1)

*How to Roast Beets

1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2 Coat beets lightly with oil.
3 Wrap beets in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 to 60 minutes.
4 Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, and then peel with paper towels.

Enjoy!