Beet short description. Characteristics of beets

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19.10.2018

(lat. beta vulgaris, Amaranth family) is one of the most important vegetable crops. It is a biennial (rarely perennial) herbaceous plant with a height of 0.2 to 1.2 m with a rosette of long-leaved, oblong-oval or oval-heart-shaped leaves, painted in shades of green and purple. Flowering occurs only in the second year of the plant's life, in July - August. On stems-peduncles 0.5 - 1.25 m high, with small alternate lanceolate leaves, paniculate inflorescences are formed from axillary, bisexual, greenish flowers. They are pollinated by small insects and wind. The fruits ripen at the end of August - September and are one-seeded boxes fused into seed-balls (2 - 6 pcs.).

Since the beginning of historical times, beets have been a valuable food product in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Wild forms of the plant are still common today on the coasts of Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Western Asia and India. Beetroot remains have been discovered during archaeological excavations at a Neolithic coastal settlement in northern Holland. At that time, only juicy petioles and beet leaves were used for food, since the root was very dry and hard. The culture was known in ancient Greece: Aristotle's description of red beets has been preserved. In ancient Rome, the plant was more used for medicinal purposes. Black and white varieties of beets were grown, which can be called the early forerunners of modern culture.

A large varietal variety of root beet varieties appeared only after the 16th century, and ordinary beet is firmly gaining the position of a valuable vegetable crop. Thanks to the discovery of the German chemist Marggraf (1747), which confirmed the identity of the sugar crystals (sucrose) of sugar cane and beets, targeted breeding work began to be carried out to obtain a culture with a higher content of sucrose - beets sugar . Also, since 1750, special plant varieties with yellow and fleshy roots, bred in the Rhineland, have been identified as a subspecies as fodder beets. In 1753, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus first classified the plant.

Most cultivated subspecies ( beetroot or vegetable, sugar beet, fodder beet) form a fleshy root of a cylindrical, round or fusiform shape. They are grown in favorable climatic zones almost all over the world. Best of all, the plant grows and develops in a cool climate, at a temperature of +15 ... 19° S. (chard) can also live in hotter areas. Beetroot is a light-loving plant, it does not tolerate negative temperatures (seedlings die at -4° FROM). Prefers pH-neutral or slightly alkaline, loose, rich in nutrients, especially nitrogen, soils. Needs sufficient amounts of sodium and boron. It is able to withstand long dry periods, and is also salt-tolerant - it can grow and develop in saline areas.

Sugar beet has the greatest economic importance among all varieties of the crop. Sucrose obtained from its root crops accounts for more than 20% of the world's sugar production, and processing by-products are used in the manufacture of yeast, vinegar, and also in pharmaceuticals (as a component in antibiotics).

Table beets, characterized by red, pink, purple, purple color of root crops, are very popular in many cuisines of the peoples of the world. It can be boiled, fried, stewed, baked, marinated, salted, fermented, dried. All parts of the plant are used for food: leaves, petioles, roots. In addition to useful nutritional qualities, beets have very valuable dietary and healing properties. This is due to its unique biochemical composition.

In raw root crops, water is 88%. They also include carbohydrates (10%), proteins (2%), fats (less than 1%). The calorie content of the product (100 g) does not exceed 43 kcal. Beets are rich in folic acid and manganese. It also contains macro- and microelements (potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, boron, vanadium, zinc, iodine), ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B 6, folate), P, PP, organic acids, dyes (anthocyanins), etc. In beet leaves, the amount of ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and folic acid is greater than in root crops.

Substance contained in beets betaine well known in traditional and folk medicine for its hepatoprotective and metabolic effects. Along with folic acid and vitamins B 6, B 12, betaine strengthens the walls of blood vessels. It has a protective property in atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke. Betaine has a positive effect on the metabolism in the body, increases productivity. Recent studies have confirmed the oncoprotective effect of betaine, and the possibility of its use in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is also being studied.

In folk medicine, beets have long been used to treat peptic ulcers, remove toxins and eliminate constipation. It improves blood composition, helps to get rid of chronic inflammation of the nasal and frontal cavities, and normalizes the microflora in the gastrointestinal tract. Thanks to the iodine contained in beets, the plant is indicated in the diet of those who have thyroid diseases.

Along with many useful qualities, beets also have a number of limitations in use. It should not be used in case of diabetes mellitus, allergic reactions, as well as in case of individual intolerance. In case of low blood pressure, nephrolithiasis or renal insufficiency, it is necessary to limit or completely abandon the product.

Growing beets in home gardens, summer cottages, garden plots is not particularly difficult. The site should be chosen in a sunny place, protected from cold winds, with a low level of groundwater. It is important that by the time the seeds are sown, the soil is well moistened, and its temperature at a depth of 10 - 12 cm is about +8 ... 10 C. The best predecessors for beets are cabbage, onions, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, nightshade eggplants, peppers, potatoes) and legumes (peas, beans) crops.

You can sow beets both in spring (end of April - May) and in autumn (end of October - November). During spring sowing, the seeds are placed in shallow grooves located at a distance of 20–25 cm from each other, to a depth of 3–4 cm, and sprinkled with soil on top. To accelerate germination, they resort to pre-treatment of the seed with growth stimulants. Emergence of seedlings at temperatures below +8° C can be expected within three weeks. Seeds germinate much faster at +10° C - in a week. Care at this time consists of watering, loosening and weeding between rows.

In addition to the seed method of growing beets, seedlings are also used. As seedlings, you can use plants removed after thinning seedlings. Weeding of seedlings is carried out twice: in the phase of the appearance of two true leaves, leaving stronger plants every 3–4 cm, and after the formation of four, five leaves, leaving a distance of up to 8–15 cm between plants, depending on the variety.

During the period of development of the leaf rosette and in the second half of summer, it is necessary to carry out regular feeding of crops. At the earliest stage of development, the beet needs a sufficient amount of nitrogen fertilizers, and with the beginning of the formation of the root crop, the culture should be provided with potassium. The need for phosphorus is maintained in beets throughout the growing season.

For the first feeding, the approximate consumption rate of nutrients per 1 m 2: 25 g of nitrogen, 20 g of phosphorus, 15 g of potassium. The next one is carried out in the second half of summer, using 15 g of nitrogen, 20 g of phosphorus, 30 g of potassium per 1 m 2. Highly great importance in successful development, plants have timely watering during seed germination, rooting of seedlings and the formation of root crops. At least 2-3 buckets of water are required for each square meter of cultivated area.

Of the best varieties of table beet, one can name: mid-season varieties "Mulatka", "Negress", "Smuglyanka", "Bordeaux" and "Borschevaya"; early ripe varieties "Bohemia" (does not require thinning), "Vinaigrette Marmalade", "Red Ball"; very early ripening variety "Libero" (ripening time 80 days); mid-late varieties "Detroit", "Egyptian flat". Also interesting is the high-yielding mid-season variety "Forono" with cylindrical roots (Syngenta company).

Harvested beets in the phase of technical ripeness of root crops. To ensure the safety of the crop, harvesting is carried out in dry weather. After removing the tops, the root crops are dried under a canopy or in an open space (under favorable climatic conditions), and then stored in cool, well-ventilatedvacated premises.

beta vulgaris
Taxon: family Amaranthaceae ( Amaranthaceae)
Other names: sugar beet, fodder beet, chard, beetroot, beetroot
English: Sugar Beet, Swiss Chard

Description

Biennial garden plant. Previously, the species belonged to the haze family. In the first year, the beetroot develops a standing rosette of large petiolate elongated elliptical leaves and a fleshy root (root crop) with juicy burgundy-red pulp. In the second year, a branched stem with leaves and flowers develops from the root crop. The flowers are inconspicuous - green or whitish, five-membered, with a simple perianth, sitting in bunches of 2-5. The fruits are single-seeded nuts. Blossoms in June-August, beet roots ripen in August-September.
There are also wild species: creeping beets ( Beta procumbens), large-rooted beetroot ( Beta macrorhiza), beetroot ( Beta lomatogona), intermediate beetroot ( Beta intermedia), three-column beets ( Beta trigyna), seaside beetroot ( Beta maritima), sprawling beets ( beta patula) and etc.
In the wild-growing form, the root is thin, the plant is annual, in the cultivated form, the root is fleshy, thick, the plant is biennial.

Beetroot subspecies:
Sugar beet has an elongated root with white pulp rich in sugar (up to 23%).
fodder beet has a large (up to 10-12 kg) root crop of various shapes, is used as a succulent feed, the leaves are also ensiled.
Beetroot forms a root crop weighing 0.4-0.9 kg. Due to its rich taste, beets are widely used in the cuisines of many peoples of the world. Leaves are used to make salads, rhizomes - for salads, soups, snacks, drinks (including kvass) and even desserts.
Chard- a herbaceous plant, unlike beets, the leaves and stems are edible, and not the rhizome.

Spreading

Beetroot has been known in culture for many centuries BC, and is now widely cultivated as a valuable fodder, food and sugar crop.

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For therapeutic purposes, root crops and beet leaves are used.

The chemical composition of beets

Beet roots contain proteins, fiber, sugars (8-20%), fats, vitamins B1, B2, C, P, PP, folic acid, provitamin A - carotene, alkaloid-like substance betaine, organic acids (citric, malic), many trace elements (iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iodine, etc.), dyes.
Additional information on the chemical composition, nutritional and energy value and.

Pharmacological properties of beets

Fiber and organic acids contained in beets stimulate gastric secretion, intestinal motility, which helps with spastic colitis. The combination of a large number of various vitamins with iron stimulates the processes of hematopoiesis, so the use of beets is useful for anemia, and the accompanying cardiovascular disorders, and aging.
Beets are actively used in diets in the treatment of hypertension, scurvy, diabetes mellitus, and kidney stones. Fresh juice is especially effective for application.

The use of beets in medicine

The healing properties of beets have been known since ancient times, initially the root was used only as medicine. The rich content of natural antioxidants allows the use of beets for the prevention of cancer, B vitamins and iron for the prevention and treatment of anemia, zinc and phosphorus for the prevention of rickets in children. The natural antiseptics contained in the rhizome make it possible to suppress and even treat some infectious diseases, prevent the development of gastric and intestinal pathogenic microflora, cleanse the oral cavity, and improve the condition of the skin microflora.
In folk medicine, beetroot juice is used as a sedative and for liver diseases. Beets are recommended for use in scurvy, and the leaves of the plant are also used for the same purpose.
Salads from boiled beets are recommended for spastic constipation, especially in old age, with, and liver diseases.

Medicinal preparations of beets

When boiled beets help, it should be eaten 100-150 g on an empty stomach.
With hypertension, a mixture of beetroot juice with honey in equal parts is recommended. Use 1 tbsp. l. 4-5 times a day.
In the treatment of the common cold, a mixture of 2.5 tsp gives good results. raw beet juice and 1 tsp. honey. The resulting mixture is instilled into each nostril 4-5 times a day, 5 drops. For young children, it is better to bury the juice of boiled beets without honey.
When it is recommended to put cotton wool moistened with beetroot juice into the ears, and put a piece of raw beetroot on the aching tooth.
Beetroot leaves, if boiled, help with burns, and in the form of an ointment with honey, lichen is treated.
A fresh cut of the rhizome or crushed beet leaves is used to heal wounds.

Photographs and illustrations

Beetroot - Beta vulgaris L. - a two-year cross-pollinated herbaceous plant from the haze family. In the first year, it develops a rosette of large long-leaved ovoid leaves and a fleshy root - a root crop. Depending on the variety, root crops have a different shape: from turnip to elongated-conical. The flesh is dense, sweet, juicy, with a dark purple or red-violet hue, with light or pink-red rings on the cut.

In the second year, a powerful, erect, herbaceous, leafy, branched, flower-bearing stem develops from the planted root crop, woody as the seeds ripen. Basal leaves petiolate, entire, cordate-ovate; stem - alternate, small, oblong or lanceolate, with a sharp apex. At the top of the stem and branches there are numerous flowers collected in paniculate inflorescences, consisting of long leafy spikelets, in which the flowers sit in bunches of two to five. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, green or whitish, bisexual, five-membered, with a simple perianth. The fruits are one-seeded nuts, growing together when ripe in two to six, and together with the remaining pericarp and bracts forming seedlings - glomeruli. Blossoms in July - August, fruits ripen in August - September.

In the wild, beets are still found in Iran, India, China, on the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. For 2 thousand years BC, wild beets began to be cultivated in ancient Assyria, Babylon, Ancient Persia and used as a medicinal plant for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and, much less often, as a leafy vegetable, since it was considered a symbol of quarrels and gossip. In ancient Greece, this plant also enjoyed a bad reputation. Relatives and acquaintances, wishing to ridicule the quarreling spouses, sent them beets as a gift, and at the entrance to their dwelling, the neighbors hung a wreath woven from beet leaves. In ancient Rome, they also adhered to this symbolism, but this did not stop the Romans from including beet roots among their favorite foods. The Roman emperor Tiberius ordered the barbarians conquered by Rome to grow beets and supply them as tribute. Among the ancient Germans, in addition, this vegetable played an unusual role in wedding ceremonies. If the bride's parents presented boiled beets on a dish to the groom, this meant a decisive refusal. During the Middle Ages, beets were widely and widely cultivated on the European continent.

Beetroot was brought to the Slavs in the 10th century from Byzantium, and already in the 16th century vegetable dishes made from the leaves and roots of this plant were very popular in Rus'. At present, beets are widely distributed in the USSR from the subtropics to the regions of the Far North. According to the nature of the use of root crops, beet varieties are divided into three groups: table, sugar and fodder. Since 1935, the Soviet Union has firmly occupied first place in the world in terms of the cultivation of sugar beet and the gross output of beet sugar. In advanced farms, its harvest exceeds 500 centners per hectare.

Common beetroot is widely cultivated in fields and gardens as a food plant. Soviet breeders have bred drought-resistant, cold-resistant and salt-resistant varieties of table beet, which do not lose their useful properties during storage and palatability. The most widely released varieties in our country are: Bordeaux 237, Gribovskaya flat A-473, Egyptian flat, Kamuoliai, Leningrad round 221/17, Incomparable A-463, Odnorostkovaya Gribovskaya, Podzimnyaya A-474, Polar flat K-249, Pushkinskaya flat K-18, Northern ball K-250, Siberian flat, Cold-resistant 19, Erfurt.

The plant is demanding on soils and the best for it are: loamy, sandy, rich in humus, slightly acidic or neutral, with a deep arable layer. Beets are sown after carrots (seeding depth, depending on the soil, 2.5-4 cm), while there is still enough moisture in the soil. Zoned beet varieties do not form flowering plants at early sowing, and the yield of root crops at early sowing dates is much higher. For faster germination, seeds are usually soaked in water for one and a half to two days, and after sowing, the soil is rolled. Weeding weeds is carried out as they appear. The first thinning of seedlings is carried out when the beets have 1-2 true leaves. For the formation of standard root crops, distances of 8-10 cm are left between plants. During the period of beet growth, row spacings are loosened, watered, and fertilized with fertilizers. Root crops are harvested at the end of August - the first half of September before the onset of autumn frosts, since a significant part of the root crop protruding from the soil may suffer from them, and frozen beets are unsuitable for long-term storage. For storage in cellars or cellars, healthy standard root crops with a diameter of up to 10 cm are laid. They are stored at a temperature of + 1-2 ° C, stacked and sprinkled with sand. Beet roots have good keeping quality, which ensures their year-round consumption.

Characteristics of biological additives

Table beet roots contain 8-12% carbohydrates (including up to 9% sucrose, as well as starch, glucose, fructose), 1.7% protein, 1.2% pectin, 0.9% fiber, 1% ash, up to 0.1% organic acids (citric, malic, oxalic, etc.), dyes, nitrogen-containing compounds (betaine, hypaphorin, hypoxanthine, xanine, etc.), vitamins (carotene-0.011 mg%, B1 - 0.022 mg%, B2 -0.042 mg%, C -20 mg%, PP -0.23 mg%, P - 40 mg%, biotype, pantothenic and folic acids), amino acids (arginine, aspartic acid, valine, histidine, glutamic acid, lysine and etc.), triterpene saponins, minerals (potassium - from 288 to 336 mg%, calcium - 37 mg%, phosphorus - from 26 to 43 mg%, sodium - from 17 to 86 mg%, magnesium - from 8 to 22 mg %, iron - 1.4 mg%, trace elements (iodine - up to 8 mg%, manganese - 0.64 mg%, zinc - 0.9 mg%, strontium - 0.36 mg%, copper - 0.12 mg%, chromium - 0.03 mg%, molybdenum, nickel, arsenic and fluorine - 0.02 mg% each, cobalt - 0.004 mg%) Flavonoid glycosides were found in beet leaves, and ntocyanins, vitamins, proteins, mono- and disaccharides, minerals, betaine.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Under natural conditions, it occurs in the form of ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid and ascorbigen, which have vitamin activity. The human body does not synthesize these substances. With prolonged consumption of food only of animal origin, subjected to heat treatment, a person runs the risk of getting scurvy. This disease was especially rampant in the XV-XVIII centuries during the era of great geographical discoveries, as well as during the years of exploration of the Arctic. Here is how the last days of the life of the brave explorer of the North Georgy Sedov, who died of scurvy, Arctic veteran Pinegin in the book “Notes of a Polar Explorer” describe: and four nights without sleep. In recent days, Sedov did not eat or drink anything.

The effect of vitamin C on the body is very diverse. It takes part in some redox processes and the metabolism of nucleic acids, affects the metabolism of carbohydrates by acting on the hormones of the adrenal glands and pancreas, activates many enzymes, participates in the synthesis of the most important connective tissue protein collagen in the endothelial wall of blood vessels, increases the elasticity and strength of the walls of blood vessels. blood vessels, provides a stimulating effect on the process of hematopoiesis and the production of full-fledged erythrocytes, affects the metabolism of cholesterol, reducing its content in the blood and preventing deposition on the walls of blood vessels, promotes the fixation of glycogen in the liver and the normal functioning of the gonads and adrenal glands, stimulates the formation of steroid hormones of the adrenal cortex and thyroid gland, antibodies, absorption of glucose from the intestines, secretion of the pancreas and bile, accelerates the processes of tissue regeneration. in bone fractures, wounds and burns, exhibits antitoxic properties against a number of potent drugs and industrial poisons, increases resistance to infectious diseases and improves the general condition of the body.

Hypovitaminosis C is the most common form of vitamin deficiency. Its main signs are: general weakness, fatigue, reduced physical and mental performance, apathy, poor appetite, decreased body resistance to cold, susceptibility to diseases of the upper respiratory tract and acute respiratory viral infections, impaired cardiac activity, then petechial hemorrhages appear on the skin of the lower leg and hips, gums loosen and bleed even with a slight mechanical impact, the skin becomes rough and rough.

The main natural sources of vitamin C in human nutrition are plant foods, especially green parts of plants, and among vegetables, cabbage and potatoes. The daily requirement of an adult for ascorbic acid is 70-100 mg, children under 1 year old - 30 mg, from 1 year to 6 years old - 40 mg, from 6 to 12 years old - 50 mg, from 12 years old and older - 70 mg. Much more vitamin C is required for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding (up to 120 mg per day), as well as patients with thyrotoxicosis and infectious diseases. When performing heavy physical work and great mental stress in a cold or hot climate, the need for vitamin C is up to 150 mg per day, and when working in hot shops or in hazardous chemical industries, it increases by 1.5-2 times.

Vitamin P (bioflavonoids).

A group of substances (their number has now reached 150) with P-vitamin activity, the main role of which is to strengthen the capillaries and reduce the permeability of the vascular wall. Currently, the following bioflavonoids are most often used in medicine: rutin - obtained from the leaves and flowers of buckwheat, as well as from the flower buds of Japanese Sophora, catechins - from green tea leaves, hesperidin - from citrus fruits, anthocyanins - from ordinary beets, chokeberry , cherries, shells of grapes. Vitamin P preparations are used as a capillary strengthening agent for hemorrhagic diathesis, capillary toxicosis, retinal hemorrhages, allergic diseases, infectious diseases (measles, scarlet fever, typhus, influenza), glomerulonephritis, arachnoiditis, hypertension, rheumatism, septic endocarditis, thrombopenic purpura, radiation diseases, to reduce the side effects of salicylates and anticoagulants. Vitamin P has a positive effect on digestion, liver and gallbladder function, circulatory system, together with ascorbic acid, has the ability to activate oxidative processes in tissues, stimulates the reduction of dehydroascorbic acid into highly active ascorbic acid, thereby significantly increasing the content of vitamin C in the body.

The approximate daily requirement of an adult healthy person for vitamin P is 25-35 mg. The highest content of bioflavonoids in the following vegetables: sweet red pepper, sorrel, leaf parsley, leaf celery, carrots, common beets, white cabbage.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine). Normalizes the activity of the nervous and muscular systems, improves metabolism in various pathological processes (with abundant consumption of food rich in easily digestible carbohydrates, and with a sedentary lifestyle, insufficient intake of this vitamin leads to obesity), has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, has positive effect on the function of the digestive organs (improves the activity and secretory function of the intestine, increases the acidity of gastric juice, stimulates the production of acetylcholine, which enhances the tone of the smooth muscles of the intestine, contributing to its contractile activity), participates in the synthesis of nucleic and fatty acids, phosphatides, sterols and a number of hormones .

With insufficient amounts of vitamin B1 in food, fatigue appears, weakness in the legs, apathy, loss of appetite, persistent constipation, shortness of breath, tachycardia; sensitivity to cold increases, the process of splitting and assimilation of carbohydrates is disturbed, lactic and pyruvic acids accumulate in tissues in excess.

For medicinal purposes, thiamine preparations are prescribed for the initial manifestations of hypovitaminosis B1, as well as for neuritis, radiculitis, neuralgia, peripheral paralysis, peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum, intestinal atony, liver disease, myocardial dystrophy, endarteritis, neurogenic dermatoses, eczema, itching of various origins, pyoderma, psoriasis.

The daily requirement of an adult for vitamin B is about 2 mg, and with great physical exertion and under extreme conditions, as well as with a large amount of carbohydrates in the diet, the need for it slightly increases. The main sources of vitamin B are grain products that are not freed from the germ and shells, as well as yeast and liver. From vegetables, thiamine contains: sweet red pepper, green peas, sorrel, potatoes, onions, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, beans, soybeans.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

In humans, riboflavin can be synthesized by the intestinal microflora. The most important property of this vitamin is participation in the growth processes of the body, in connection with which it is necessary for children in early and adolescence. Vitamin B2 is involved in metabolism, normalizes vision, is one of the important components in the process of hematopoiesis, protein and fat synthesis, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, serves as an integral structural part of flavoproteins necessary for the normal function of life-supporting systems and organism as a whole. Vitamin B2 preparations are prescribed in the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems, skin and infectious diseases.

The human body's need for riboflavin averages 2.5 mg per day. With hypovitaminosis - B2, loss of appetite occurs, efficiency decreases, anemia, headache and inflammation of the oral mucosa, lips, tongue (stomatitis, glossitis), eyelid and cornea membranes (conjunctivitis, photophobia) occur. Riboflavin is found in tomato fruits, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, beans, sweet peppers, sorrel, buckwheat.

Vitamin PP (nicotinic acid, niacin).

It takes part in redox processes, enzymatic reactions, has a regulatory effect on the secretory and motor function of the stomach, increases the digestibility of vegetable food proteins, and stimulates cardiac activity. The daily requirement of an adult for nicotinic acid is 15-20 mg, and with large physical and excessive neuro-emotional stress, it should be increased to 20-25 mg. With a lack of vitamin PP, appetite and memory worsen, nausea, pain in the stomach, diarrhea, severe weakness appear, and later, in combination with inadequate protein nutrition and a lack of vitamins B5, B2, B6 in the diet, pellagra may develop, the main symptoms of which are: rough skin, dark brown age spots, severe disorders of the digestive system (persistent diarrhea, lack of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice, bright red varnished tongue, physical exhaustion) and the central nervous system, up to the occurrence of serious mental disorders (delusions, loss memory, dementia). Nicotinic acid and nicotinic acid amide are used in medicine in the treatment of atherosclerosis, skin and eye diseases, diabetes mellitus, gastric and duodenal ulcers, respiratory and nervous system diseases.

Vitamin PP enters the human body from three sources: it is partially synthesized in tissues from the essential amino acid tryptophan, it is produced much less by intestinal bacteria, and it mainly comes from food products of plant and animal origin. Particularly rich in nicotinic acid are buckwheat and barley groats, peas, beans, soybeans, lentils, red peppers, potatoes, rowan fruits, white cabbage, wheat bread, cereal bran.

Vitamin H (biotin).

Participates in metabolism, including the synthesis of nucleic and fatty acids, has a regulatory effect on the activity of the nervous system, but primarily plays a special positive role in the metabolic processes of human skin.

For an adult, approximately 0.15-0.3 mg of biotin per day is sufficient, although there is practically no deficiency of this vitamin in adults, since it comes from food and is partially created due to biosynthesis by the intestinal microflora. In young children, biotin deficiency manifests itself in the form of skin inflammation with peeling and ashy pigmentation on the neck, arms and legs. Children become inactive, their appetite disappears, the tongue becomes inflamed, nausea appears, skin sensitivity increases, the number of red blood cells and the concentration of hemoglobin in them decrease.

Trace elements are biological catalysts of metabolic processes in plants, animals and humans. Microelements are included in the composition of tissues and organs of living organisms in the form of enzymes and their content is calculated in milligrams or even fractions of a milligram.

The greatest contribution to the study of the role of trace elements in biological systems was made by Russian and Soviet scientists - academicians V. A. Vernadsky and A. P. Vinogradov, as well as their students and followers - V. V. Kovalsky, P. A. Vlasyuk, G. A. Babenko, A. I. Venchikov and others. They proved that without microelements the normal life of a person, animals and plants is impossible, that living organisms in each biogeochemical province are characterized by a certain composition of chemical elements.

It has been established that human tissues and organs contain more than 70 trace elements, many of which play an important role in enzyme systems. The absence, deficiency or excess of even one microelement in food can cause dysfunction of the body and lead to serious illness. It has now been established that in the occurrence of a number of diseases with unclear etiology (toxicosis of pregnant women, fetal deformities, metabolic diseases, eczema, malignant tumors, diseases of the endocrine system, diseases of the blood and hematopoietic organs, etc.), microelement metabolism disorders play a certain role. So, for example, with hypertension and liver diseases, the content of cobalt in the patient's body decreases, and with atherosclerosis - vanadium and zinc; with gastric and duodenal ulcers, the content of iron and cobalt sharply decreases, but the content of zinc increases, and with stomach cancer, the picture is reversed; with eczema, the content of silicon and titanium decreases, and with pulmonary tuberculosis - copper; in some infectious diseases, the iron content in the blood decreases by 1.5-2 times, and copper increases accordingly.

Trace elements are part of more than 100 enzymes that have a catalytic effect on many biochemical processes occurring in the body: they stimulate metabolism, normalize hematopoiesis, growth and reproduction, regulate redox reactions, participate in the metabolism of vitamins, increase the protective functions of the body, etc. d.

The main sources of trace elements for humans are vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants, which absorb chemical elements from soil and water and often accumulate them in significant quantities. The highest concentration of trace elements is most often observed in the shell of fruits, green leaves, embryos and shells of cereals. Therefore, the more carefully vegetable products are cleaned (polished rice, biscuits, sugar, premium flour, etc.), the poorer they are in terms of microelements and vitamins. It is best to consume the trace elements necessary for the body with various plant products. Aluminum is present in almost all human tissues and organs, but most of all it is adsorbed by tissues of bones, kidneys, liver, spleen and brain. Aluminum is involved in the processes of bone tissue regeneration, in the exchange of phosphorus, increases the acidity and digestive capacity of gastric juice, participates in the synthesis of epithelial and connective tissue, increases the activity of digestive enzymes, but in large doses inhibits the activity of these enzymes. With prolonged use by patients, especially elderly and senile people, as well as with impaired kidney function, aluminum preparations (white clay, aluminum hydroxide, almagel, etc.), toxic complications are possible: severe dysfunction of the central nervous system (speech and memory disorders, dementia, psychosis, muscle twitching, convulsions); the occurrence of a negative calcium balance due to increased excretion of calcium from bone tissue under the influence of aluminum; suppression of fluoride absorption, which leads to demineralization of bone tissue; the occurrence of microcytic and hypochromic anemia; violation of vitamin D metabolism; liver dysfunction.

Aluminum is found in most vegetables, as well as in berries, fruits, grain processing products. The daily requirement of an adult for aluminum is 49 mg.

One of the most important hematopoietic trace elements. It is part of the hemoglobin of red blood cells - erythrocytes and respiratory enzymes of cells (catalase, peroxidase and cytochromes - redox enzymes involved in tissue respiration), causing their catalytic activity.

The need for an adult in this trace element is 12-15 mg per day with an average weight of 70 kg, and the daily need for a six-month-old child is 12-16 mg. In humans, approximately 1/4 of all the iron that cycles in the body is in the form of the iron-containing protein ferritin, i.e., in the depot, and about 3/4 is in the blood hemoglobin. Such depots for iron are the spleen, liver and bone marrow. Iron preparations are used to treat hypochromic and iron deficiency anemia. In therapeutic preparations, iron is absorbed better if it is in the form of a doubly charged ion. Therefore, for example, ascorbic acid promotes the absorption of iron, and calcium carbonate, burnt magnesia, sodium bicarbonate and phosphates inhibit absorption. Significant amounts of this microelement are found in horseradish, spinach, rutabaga, beetroot, carrots, tomatoes, radish, white cabbage, lettuce, beans and other vegetables and fruits.

Takes part in the formation of the thyroid hormone - thyroxine, increases the absorption of calcium and phosphorus by the body, has a positive effect on atherosclerosis and obesity. The daily human need for iodine is 0.1-0.3 mg. The main depot of iodine in our body is the thyroid gland. Lack of iodine in food leads to goiter.

Of the vegetables, the most iodine-rich beets, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, celery, asparagus, white cabbage, carrots and others, as well as cereals and legumes, berries, feijoa.

One of the most important hematopoietic trace elements. The main role of cobalt in humans and animals is in the microbial synthesis of the anti-anemic vitamin B12 in the digestive tract. With a lack of cobalt, the synthesis of this vitamin slows down and at the same time the transition of iron into the blood hemoglobin is inhibited, which leads to the development of pernicious anemia. Cobalt is also involved in the synthesis of proteins, nucleic and amino acids, the transformation of fats, promotes the absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium, and stimulates growth. With a lack of cobalt, the development of goiter is accelerated, and with an excess, tissue respiration is disturbed. This microelement shows its biological activity only with a sufficient amount of iron and copper. In plants, cobalt has a positive effect on yield increase in acidic soils. Of vegetable plants, garlic, lettuce, common beets, potatoes, white cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes, parsley, spinach, sour sorrel, as well as legumes and cereals are the richest in cobalt. The daily requirement for cobalt for an adult is 0.1-0.2 mg, and for children - one and a half to two times higher. In the body, cobalt mainly accumulates in the spleen and pancreas.

It is part of all plant and animal organisms that cannot function normally without it. Silicon is found in all human tissues and organs, but its highest content is noted where nerve fibers are poorly developed or absent: in the lungs, epidermis of the skin, hair, nails, and kidneys. This microelement affects the formation of connective and epithelial formations; without it, the process of hair and nail growth is impossible.

A decrease in the intake of silicon compounds in the body (with hypovitaminosis D) leads to diseases of the skin and bones. Moreover, in such pathological processes as malignant tumors, goiter, pulmonary tuberculosis, nephrolithiasis, dermatitis, etc., there is always a violation of silicon metabolism. So, with goiter in the thyroid gland, silicon accumulates 3-4 times more than in a healthy gland, and in malignant tumors its content increases by 3-6 times. However, the role of silicon in the life of humans and higher organisms has not yet been fully elucidated.

Silicon is found in most food plants (sugar beet, oats, millet, wheat, rice, etc.), and also accumulates in huge quantities in such medicinal plants as horsetail and mountaineer. The daily human need for this trace element has not been established.

Manganese.

Participates in the synthesis of nucleic acids, activates a number of protein metabolism enzymes, as well as vitamins C, B1 B2, Be and E, has a positive effect on hematopoiesis, tissue respiration, immunity, growth and reproduction, and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

In the life of plants, manganese takes part in such an important process as photosynthesis, accelerates plant growth and seed ripening. In experiments on animals, it was found that insufficient manganese in their diet leads to growth retardation, impaired development of the bone skeleton, joint deformities, infertility and high mortality in young animals, and large doses of manganese caused menstrual irregularities, spontaneous abortion and infertility. In humans, excessive intake of manganese compounds also has a toxic effect.

The highest manganese content was noted in garden dill, horseradish, eggplant, potatoes, onions, garden parsley, lard, common beets, garlic and other vegetables. It is also found in the shell of legumes and cereals, fruits and berries. The daily requirement of an adult for manganese is 5-10 mg, and children - on average 3 times higher (per 1 kg of weight).

One of the important hematopoietic trace elements. Without copper, hemoglobin synthesis and iron metabolism are impossible. The copper-containing protein ceruloplasmin, found in the blood plasma of humans and many animals, catalyzes the oxidation of ferrous ions into ferric ions, accelerates the oxidation reactions of polyamines and polyphenols, and complex copper ions are involved in many other oxidation-reduction reactions of substances in the body. Copper is associated with the metabolism of vitamins A, C, E, P, complex B. In plants, copper is involved in the processes of respiration and photosynthesis, affects protein, carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, and participates in redox processes.

The lack of copper in food reduces the catalytic activity of such oxidative enzymes as lactase, oxidase, tyrosinase, phenolase, in which it is included, and can lead to various forms of anemia and cause profound disturbances in the process of hematopoiesis; accelerates the development of goiter and slows down the formation of callus in fractures. With a lack of copper in a more severe form, scarlet fever, diphtheria, pulmonary tuberculosis, Botkin's disease and some other infectious diseases occur, and toxicosis occurs more often in pregnant women. However, an excess of copper is no less harmful than its deficiency.

Among vegetable plants, horseradish, onion, pumpkin, lettuce, and beetroot are the richest in this microelement; carrots, tomatoes, as well as cereals and some fruits. The requirement of an adult for copper is on average 0.035 mg/kg per day (2-3 mg for a person of average weight), and for infants it ranges from 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg.

Molybdenum.

In humans and animals, molybdenum is closely associated with enzymes and vitamins B2 and E. In plants, this microelement takes part in the accumulation of ascorbic acid and chlorophyll in cells, in the absorption of nitrogen. Small doses of molybdenum in food products help to neutralize toxins, and an excess of molybdenum in soils and, accordingly, in food products leads to anemia, gout, diarrhea and endemic goiter (in the latter case, also with a lack of iodine in soils and plants).

The daily requirement for molybdenum is 0.5 mg. This microelement accumulates mainly in the liver, kidneys, endocrine glands and skin. Molybdenum is found in lettuce, parsley, spinach, potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes, radishes and other vegetables, as well as legumes and cereals.

This trace element is considered to be probably vital, but its physiological role is still poorly understood. In medicine, preparations containing arsenic are used for neurosis, neurasthenia, myasthenia gravis, nutritional decline, mild forms of anemia, exacerbation of chronic leukemia, psoriasis. In high doses, arsenic inhibits the synthesis of leukocytes.

The daily requirement for arsenic has not been established. In the body, this microelement accumulates in the spleen, kidneys, liver, lungs and in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

Arsenic is found in beets, potatoes, horseradish, onions, white cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes and other vegetables, as well as in cereals.

The physiological role of nickel is still not completely understood, although it is considered, probably, an indispensable microelement for the body. It has been established, for example, that with age its content in human blood changes, that it takes part in the process of hematopoiesis, that it is an activator of certain enzymes - trypsin, carboxylase and others. In nature, there are plants and microorganisms that contain this trace element thousands of times more than their environment.

The human requirement for nickel is 0.6 mg per day. The largest amount of nickel is concentrated in the liver, kidneys, pituitary gland, pancreas and thyroid gland.

Among vegetables, lettuce, beetroot, garlic, and carrots are especially high in nickel. It is also found in potatoes, onions, tomatoes, radishes, radishes, parsley, spinach, berries and fruits, cereals and legumes.

It has some effect on enzymatic processes, carbohydrate metabolism, thyroid function, but its main role in the body is associated with the development of teeth and bone tissue. With a lack of fluorine, dental caries occurs, and with an excess - fluorosis, which manifests itself in a violation of the processes of ossification and spotting of tooth enamel. The daily requirement of the human body for fluorine is 1 mg. Most of all this trace element accumulates in the teeth, nails and hair. Excess fluoride in drinking water and food has a depressing effect on the thyroid gland. In clinical practice, the fluorine-containing drug "Zitaftor" is used in a complex of therapeutic and preventive measures in children to improve the formation of tissues of permanent teeth and in case of dental caries. Among the vegetables, lettuce, parsley, celery, potatoes, white cabbage, carrots, and common beets are the richest in fluorine. It is also found in many grains, berries, fruits and tea leaves.

It contributes to the maximum manifestation of the activity of the hormone insulin, and with a lack of magnesium in the body, it activates the enzyme phosphoglucomutase, stimulates growth and increases glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. With a lack of chromium in the human body, life expectancy is reduced, carbohydrate metabolism is disturbed (which can lead to diabetes), an eye disease occurs, growth slows down. However, the mechanism of action of chromium and the process of its assimilation by the body remain unclear. The daily human need for chromium has not been established. This microelement is found in the highest concentration in the brain. At the same time, as shown by the results of studies by American scientists, chromium was absent in tissue preparations of people who died from atherosclerosis. It should be remembered that tri- and hexavalent chromium compounds (chromates and bi-chromates) are very toxic: they cause lung cancer and various allergies. These compounds are absorbed not only by inhalation of dust, but also through the skin. In the body, the trivalent chromium ion actively combines with proteins, nucleic acids and accumulates in the lungs. Chromium is found in carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, white cabbage, onions, as well as in some grains and legumes - corn, oats, rye, barley, beans and others.

Participates in the synthesis of proteins, RNA, is included in a number of enzymes (carboanhydrase, alcohol dehydrogenase, dipeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, etc.), is an activator of the hormone insulin and some metal-enzyme complexes (arginase, lecithinase, etc.), takes part in the mechanism of cellular division, has a normalizing effect on carbohydrate metabolism, skeletal development and weight of animals and humans, has a strong effect on sexual development, reproduction of offspring, fertilization processes and the rate of wound healing. The daily requirement of an adult for zinc is 0.2 mg / kg (10-15 mg with an average weight of 70 kg), infants - 0.3 mg / kg, and during puberty - 0.6 mg / kg. In the highest concentration, zinc accumulates in the pituitary gland, pancreas, gonads, liver, kidneys and muscles. Zinc deficiency in humans manifests itself in the form of dwarfism, delayed sexual development, anemia, loss of appetite, and reduced food intake. At the same time, the increased content of this trace element in the body has a carcinogenic effect.