The vibrant red color of beetroot is possibly one of the most memorable cautionary colors in the natural world—or is it? For years, this root veggie has had the reputation of being a pariah on the dinner plate, occupying the forgotten spaces in the salad bar, or at best served warm but pickled in a way that tasted like soil and not food.
We have always regarded beets as a burden rather than a delicacy. However, it must be noted that we are now in the middle of one of the largest paradigm shifts in cultural science history. The beet has been taken off the kitchen shelves and brought into the spotlight of nutritional research to claim its status as one of the most studied functional foods available today. There are multiple reasons for this turn of events, none of which are due to marketing or plant-based diets alone. The truth is, beetroot is possibly one of the keys to improved circulation, athletics, and brain function.