Beet is dark red in colour, with long bunch of green leaves. Its tender leaves are used in salad, but main portion is obtained and used in salads and for juicing purposes. It resembles turnip (shalgam) in shape but its content is not so watery but when juiced out, it gives sufficient extract for use. It should not be used in summer months, as it can disturb sleep and also raise blood pressure. In winter season, it keeps the body warmed up and provides sufficient heat to ward off cold and its effects. It is an excellent tonic for nervous system. Juice of red-beet helps to emulsify and dissolve brain tumours in the body.
It is rich in vitamins ‘C and ‘A’, riboflavin and iron. Water constitutes 82.8% of its total content, other important nutrients are, protein 10.7%, carbohydrates—13.6,vitamin ‘C-88 mg, vitamin ‘B’, Iron—-1 mg (per lOOgms) calcium 0.20%. It has very negligible percentage of vitamin ‘A’.
In western countries, sugar is extracted from beet roots but their sugar is of an inferior and coarse quality. Its sugar content is not considered good for human heart. It is eaten as vegetable and salad and also serves as an aphordiasic. It is sweet juice provides nourishment and enriches blood. It removes mental dementia and healing of wounds. It also promotes general health; is diuretic and purges out foreign-body deposits from the body.
Nutritive and Curative Uses
(1) For anaemia: Extracted juice of beet-root may be mixed with carrot juice, adding some tomato juice and a few leaves of podina (Peppermint). It may be taken in cold season only (November-January), for raising blood level in the ailing body. It will rejuvenate blood and improve circulation. It is a advisable not to cook or boil beet-root so that its nutrients are preserved. The mixture of juice (200-250 ml) may be taken 2-3 times daily, depending on an individual’s own requirement and condition. Further, it is suggested, no or very little ghee, oil or spices are used while boiling or cooking, if at all it is necessary to boil/cook.
For Menstrual Disorders: It is useful in scanty or delayed menstruation, especially amongst weak and anaemic women. If menstrual problem is due to weak health and anaemic’ conditions, administer, as indicated for ‘anaemia’. Otherwise, boil beet-root, squeeze the pieces to turn all the pieces into a pulp; then strain the contents through a strainer and take a glass 3-4 times a day, without being diluted or garnished with any other condiment. First of all try to remove anaemia and when it has been treated, other attendant problems will automatically disappear. It may be also used, as part of regular salad, in your dietary menu.
Gall-Bladder Stones: Stones are generally formed in kidney or bladder, or even in ureters. Excess of bile in bile-duct and resultant blockade thereof gives rise to accumulated bile in the gall-bladder, thus paving the way for gall-stone formation and also gall-stone colic. To get rid of stones in gall-bladder, boil already cutout small pieces of beet-root in water, after they soften, crush them in the water itself. After the contents have cooled down, strain the contents and drink a glass (at least twice daily)— (say about 200-250 ml). After regular use of 7-10 days, the stones will dissolve into sandy concretions and, thus, passout with urine.
Unnatural Colour of Nails: Nails reveal health status, blood condition of a person. Generally white or patched nails are indicative of lack of vitamin ‘D’ and calcium. Take juice of beet-roots in winter and thereafter bask in the sun to gain deficient content of vitamin ‘D’. Beet may be used in salad or as a part of vegetable diet or may be taken independently as raw vegetable.
Cracked Hands and Feet: In fact, unhealthy and careless upkeep of hands and feet result in cracked skin. Those ladies or labourers who work in water logged places, ponds, wet or moistened surfaces, ashes, ™”gh land, and remain often untidy are likely to contract the symptoms of cracking in hands and feet. Precaution and proper care are the forerunners of any curative device, Those who are uncaring, medicines and other methods won’t take care of them. First requisite is to keep the parts clean, avoid all irritants and other allied causes.
Dice 3-4 beetroots into small pieces and boil them, when they are soft and tender, crush them with hands or with help of a chumer and, when reduced to a unifonn pulp, add some water, and then again boil it. After that, cool it and strain through a strainer or then cloth. When the decoction is ready, wash hands and feet with it or it may be. diluted further, adding some more water. Keep your hands and feet immersed in the diluted decoction for some time, before you wash them. After use, as suggested, for a few days, skin will assume a glowing softness. If the face is always dry and rough, the same decoction may be used therefor too.
Ear-ache: Putting 3-4 drops in the aching ear, of beetroot leaves will relieve the ache/pain at once but, the juice must be slightly heated, before being inserted into the ear(s).
Eczema: Sticky and adhesive discharge of pus or water, or both, inflammation on skin, fissured and scaly appearances thereon are indicative of eczema, with or without itching. Crusts form on the skin, with watery content under them. Juice of beet-root leaves be extracted, adding some honey to it, and applied on affected site will make aczematous symptoms disappear.
Baldness: If baldness is due to hereditary factors, cure is not possible but if the cause is due to after-effects of typhoid or some local inagreeable medicine, cure is possible. Lack of requisite and proper diet makes up for the food and dietary deficiencies enabling restoration and sprouting of new and healthy hair.
Boil green and tender leaves of beet-root in water. When the leaves become soft and tender, separate them and prepare a pulp. Now extract juice, by straining, from the resultant pulp. Do not throw away or destroy the water, rather use it while preparing the pulp. Add some turmeric and henna (mehandi) to it and make a homogeneous compound, and apply the paste on the bald head (or bald portion thereof). After the paste application has got dried, it should be washed with lemon-mixed lukewarm water. When some improvement has been noticed, the frequency may be reduced to once in a week. This application, on suggested lines, won’t affect if the baldness it caused by hereditary factors, as mentioned earlier.
Due to its extreme red color, some people abhor use of beetroot juice and decoctions and thus avoid it, bearing in mind that its dark red tint does not colour the clothes, hence it is removable. Readers are warned that, in rare cases, persons with sensitive skins may have some skin reactions. So, such persons use beet-roots with caution.