BEET ROOT (Beta vulgaris) - Useful for Epstein Barr, Cancer Prevention

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BEET ROOT (Beta vulgaris)

Latin: Beta vulgaris

 

WHAT IT DOES: Beet root is sweet in taste and detoxifying in

action. It nourishes the liver, intestines and other internal

organs and protects them from toxins.

 

RATING: Silver, due to limitations of medicinal potency

SAFETY ISSUES: None known

STARTING DOSAGE:

• Vegetable: ingest freely

• Dried powder: two to three grams two times per day

 

Beets are cultivated worldwide both as a food and a source of

sugar. I personally think they are also a very effective herbal

medicine. Remember all fresh foods are medicinal, but only those

with a unique composition that creates a higher-than-normal activity

level qualify as medicines. The dark red color of the beet root is

due to an intensly crimson pigment called betanin, which bleeds out

if the skin is pierced before cooking. For this reason experienced

cooks usually bake, steam or boil them with the skins intact. It

also contains sugars (up to 22%), valuable fiber, anthocyans, and

betaine etc.

 

All byproducts of beet production are sold for use in livestock

feeds. Betaine is important because it can help the body regenerate

a key cellular antioxidant enzyme(methionine reductase), which in

turn is used by the body to prevent the buildup of homocysteine, a

harmful inflammatory chemical tested for by physicians as a risk

factor for heart disease. Toxins like alcohol and environmental

chemicals work in the opposite direction, damaging our liver, blood

vessels, kidneys and intestines if we are low this protective enzyme

(Barak, 1996). Although medical research on beet root is sparse, I

suspect that more evidence of it's medicinal powers will emerge. I

often mix beet root powder into herbal formulas to make them more

palatable, especially to children.

 

More on Beet root

 

Research highlights

 

• Researchers tested the inhibitory effect of beet root extract

against both the Epstein-Barr virus and mouse skin and lung cancers,

revealing a higher order of activity compared to other red-pigment

vegetables and fruits such as cranberry, red onion skin and short

and long red bell peppers.

 

Researchers concluded that " The combined findings suggest that

beetroot ingestion can be one of the useful means to prevent

cancer. " (Kapadia et al., 1996)

..

• A controlled study done in Greece of patients with colorectal

cancer showed they ate significantly more lamb and beef, and less

beets, spinach, lettuce and cabbage (Manousos et al., 1983).

 

• A rat study suggested that beet fiber could help eliminate

abnormal cells from an irradiated colon by initiating apoptosis

(programmed cell death) (Ishizuka et al., 1999).

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