Beet short description. Characteristics of beets

Other plant names:

table beet

Brief Description of Beetroot:

Beetroot (table) - This is a biennial root plant with wide succulent leaves, the Chenopodiaceae family.

Beets are cultivated in large areas everywhere.

For medicinal purposes and in cooking, the roots of the plant are used.

The chemical composition of the common beet:

Beet roots contain proteins, fiber, sugars, fats, dyes, mineral salts (magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, iodine), ascorbic acid, vitamins B1, B2, P, PP, folic acid, betaine (an alkaloid-like substance).

The leaves of the plant contain ascorbic acid, carotene, dyes, betaine.

All these active substances form the basis of the chemical composition of the common beet (table beet).

The use of beets in cooking:

All parts of the beets are used for animal feed, and the root crops of sugar varieties are a source of sugar.

Table varieties of beets are widely used in everyday nutrition due to the fact that they are kept fresh for a long time, are available in all areas and tolerate transportation well.

Prepared from beets various dishes, use it in dried, salted, pickled and canned form.

The use of beetroot in medicine, beetroot treatment:

Beetroot dishes have therapeutic and dietary properties and are successfully used in the treatment of many diseases.

Fiber and organic acids stimulate gastric secretion and intestinal motility, which is used in spastic colitis. The combination of a large amount of vitamins with iron has a stimulating effect on hematopoiesis. Beets are indicated for people suffering from thyrotoxicosis, atherosclerosis with accompanying cardiovascular disorders due to low calorie content, the presence of a large amount of vitamins and mineral salts (especially potassium, which has an antiarrhythmic effect, magnesium, which has a hypotensive effect, and iodine, which has a positive effect on cholesterol-lipid metabolism). ).

Beetroot juice is widely used as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent in geriatric practice.

Or

Beta vulgaris

Family - Amaranthaceae (Amaranthaceae)

The popular name is chard, beetroot.

The parts used are root vegetables and beet leaves.

Botanical description

Buryak or Beetroot is a biennial garden herbaceous plant. In the first year, it develops a rosette of large long-leaved leaves and a fleshy root (root crop) with juicy burgundy-red pulp, of various shapes and sizes. In the second year, tall, branched, leafy stems with leaves and flowers develop.

The flowers are inconspicuous, green or whitish, five-membered, with a simple perianth, sitting in bunches of 2-5. The fruits are one-seeded nuts, when ripe, grow together 2-6 each with each other and with the remaining perianths and bracts, forming infructescences - glomeruli. Blooms in June - August. The fruits ripen in August - September.

Numerous varieties of beet fall into three groups according to the nature of the use of root crops: sugar, table and fodder. In everyday life, they all have a common name - beets.

Collection and preparation

For therapeutic purposes, root crops and beet leaves are used. Beet leaves are harvested in June-August, root crops - in September-October.

Active ingredients

Sugar, protein, fat, fiber, organic acids (malic, citric, etc.), mineral salts (magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, iodine, etc.), dyes, vitamins C, B1, B2, P, PP and folic acid.

Healing action and application

Buryak or Beetroot has diuretic, mild laxative, antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

The healing properties of beets have been known since ancient times, initially the root was used only as medicine. In folk medicine, beets are used for the prevention of cancer, for the prevention and treatment of anemia, for the prevention of rickets in children. For the treatment of infectious diseases, hypertension, scurvy, anemia, liver diseases, anemia and atherosclerosis, fever, diseases of the digestive tract, lymphatic vessels, for the treatment of putrefactive and malignant ulcers of the rectum, bladder.

Crushed beet leaves are used externally as an anti-inflammatory agent, they are applied to inflamed parts of the body. Sometimes, to mitigate inflammation, fresh gruel of root crops is periodically (as it dries) applied to ulcers and tumors.

Raw beetroot juice has a hypotensive effect, it is taken as a means of improving metabolism and strengthening the body. Beet juice, mixed in half with bee honey, is taken with and colds. Beetroot juice is put into the nose with ulcers in the nose and paralysis of the facial nerve, allowed into the ear, it soothes the pain. Wash your hair with juice for dandruff and pediculosis. Juice lubricates warts. You can’t drink juice immediately after preparation - you must stand for at least 2 hours.

Beetroot dishes have therapeutic and dietary properties, have a positive effect on metabolism and hematopoiesis.

Pickled boiled beets have long been considered a good remedy for scurvy and anemia. Boiled beets are used for prolonged constipation. Pieces of raw root vegetables are kept in the mouth to relieve toothache.

A decoction of beets is used externally for a runny nose with thick discharge. With persistent long-term constipation, enemas from a decoction of beets are used. With persistent habitual constipation, enemas are made from a decoction of beets.

Cosmetologists recommend taking it regularly to maintain the freshness and beauty of the face. In addition, in cosmetics, it is recommended to use beet juice masks to acquire natural freshness and revitalize facial skin.

For treatment, you need to use beets of a densely saturated color, almost dark brown.

Recipe

1. Daily take 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day before meals for 2-3 months mixed in equal amounts, juices of beets, carrots and radishes. (Anemia).
2. Raw beets must be kept for 2-4 hours in running water. Then grate on a fine grater along with the peel. Squeeze. The cake is applied to the chest or lower abdomen and left overnight in the form of a compress. In the morning, remove the mass and put it in a cold place (you can use it 2 times). Wash chest and abdomen. Repeat the procedure the next night. 3rd night - break, 4-5 - treatment, 6th night - break. The course of treatment is 20 treatment nights. A month and a half is a break. Repeat the treatment. (Mastopathy, fibroids).
3. Mix red beet juice in half with honey and drink 1 tablespoon 7 times a day. (Hypertension).
4. On an empty stomach in the morning, take juice with honey - 0.5 cups of juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. (Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes).
5. Drink raw beetroot juice, diluting 1/3 cup of juice in half with water. Drink 2 times a day after meals. ( ).
6. Mix the juice in half with honey. Take 1/3 cup 2-3 times a day. Relieves hot flashes and irritability. (climax).
7. Drop 2-3 drops of beetroot juice into the ear. Grated beets, wrapped in gauze, put in the ear, but so as not to flow. (Trigeminal neuralgia).
8. Eat boiled beets 100-150g on an empty stomach. (Constipation).
9. Take 1st spoon 4-5 times a day a mixture of beetroot juice and honey in equal parts. (Hypertension).
10. Mix 2.5 teaspoons of raw beetroot juice and 1 teaspoon of honey and instill 5 drops into each nostril 4-5 times a day. For young children, it is better to bury the juice of boiled beets without honey. (Runny nose).

Contraindications

You can not use half-cooked and boiled beets with gastritis with high acidity, as well as with diabetes, diarrhea, with alkaline urine with the formation of kidney stones.

Fragment from the book:
A wise tale about beets. Recipes using beets

Varieties and values ​​​​of beets: beets contain the protein betaine -
remedy for tumors, and beetroot juice with honey for headaches.
Boiled beets will heal the heart, blood vessels, liver and intestines.

THREE SISTERS

In one basement where vegetables were stored, three beet sisters settled in three cozy compartments: fodder beet, table beet and sugar beet. One day people loaded all the sugar beets into baskets and carried them away. Only one beetroot remained, accidentally forgotten in the corner. She rolled out to her sisters and said to them:

You see, they have already taken me away: people need sugar beet most of all, they make sweet sugar from it.

Do not think, sugar, that you are the only one needed. You can't cook borscht or vinaigrette without me, - the beetroot responded.

People need me no less than you, - fodder beets said offendedly. - Although I am not as sugary as sugar, and not as tender as a dining room, but I am much larger in weight than you. In winter, cows will not give milk to people without me.

The sisters almost quarreled, but at that moment the Fertility Fairy looked into the basement. In winter, she sometimes looks into cellars and vaults to admire the labors of her hands. The fairy heard the argument of the three sisters and suggested to them:

Dear sisters, with my magic wand I will turn you into girls. Let each one prove her importance to people with her work.

The Fairy of Fertility touched the three sisters with a magic wand, and at the same moment they turned into girls. The oldest, large and angular, wore simple peasant clothes. On the middle one - round and ruddy - a raspberry sundress and a green caftan. And the youngest - the most slender, with a face as white as sugar, was dressed up by a fairy in a crimson silk skirt and a white short fur coat.

Three sisters went along the road and ended up in a rich house. The older sister was taken to the barnyard to work, the middle sister was accepted as a cook, and the younger sister was taken to look after the children.

The elder sister of the cows began to feed the fodder beets. Cows with appetite ate a couple of large root crops a day and an armful of straw for a snack, and milk flowed like a river. Chickens also did not refuse beetroot treats, pushing each other, they pecked out their juicy pulp. In winter, the owner's geese without fresh greens often suffered from indigestion, but as soon as chopped beets were added to their feed, they immediately recovered.

The owner said to the rather new cowgirl:

You, girl, have magical hands. In previous winters, we did not have enough milk, but now we have enough of everything: milk, and cream, and eggs.

These miracles are not done by me, but by my assistant - fodder beets, - the girl answered and showed the owner a huge, rough beet.

The family also rejoiced at the new cook. They used to eat unpretentiously: lean cabbage soup, porridge and turnips, and the new cook began to feed everyone with fragrant borscht and delicious vinaigrettes.

The cook not only treated, she began to treat with beets. The hostess, a fat woman, often had a headache. Once, when she could not move because of pain, the cook brought her a cup of beet juice with honey, and the pain gradually disappeared.

What wonderful medicine did you give me? the hostess asked the girl.

This is beetroot juice. Boiled beets with your obesity should be eaten as often as possible. She will heal your heart, blood vessels, liver and intestines, - the girl explained.

Maybe you can treat my sister with beets too? - asked the hostess. She has a tumor on her chest. The healer spoke - it did not help, the grandmother soared - it did not pass. The doctor said that the tumor needs to be cut off, but she is afraid. My sister is furious, I don’t know who she was born into, but I still feel sorry for her.

I can't promise, but I'll try. In my beets there is a protein betaine - a sure remedy against tumors, - the girl said and went to the mistress's sister.

She began to solder the patient with beetroot juice, and to soften the tumor, apply gruel from raw beets. She ordered her to boil the beets every day in a peel and with a tail. Cut off the third part of an inch, as unhealthy, and eat the rest immediately, while warm.

Will you leave me, finally, with your nasty beets? - the patient whimpered.

If you want to get better, you must obey me. The beet healer should not be scolded, but you need to thank every day so that her treatment helps, - the cook calmly explained.

It was difficult for the patient to squeeze gratitude out of herself, but she really did not want to die. A few months later, when things were on the mend, she began to smile for the first time in many years. It turned out that beets not only cure diseases, but also correct character.

The peasants gathered for a village gathering and decided to plant table beets in the vegetable gardens. Most of all, the peasants were struck by the fact that the beets are not afraid of time. By spring, carrots and turnips became flabby, cabbage was no longer good, only beets lay fresh.

The youngest beet sister also tried. The children of the soul doted on her. The hostess noticed that the new nanny was rewarding the children with some white pieces for obedience, and asked:

What are you feeding your children?

I indulge in sugar, - the girl answered. - You give honey to children only on holidays and sickness, but kids want sweets.

Where do you get sugar from? - the hostess was amazed. - Sugar heads are expensive, they say they are made overseas from sugar cane. We are not poor people, and we cannot afford such a luxury.

I have no money, and I have not been overseas, and I made sugar from sugar beets myself. Try it, it is no worse than overseas, - the girl suggested, holding out a piece of sugar to the hostess.

The hostess tried it and told her husband about everything. Then a peasant went to a village gathering and proposed to the peasants that they set aside several fields for sugar beets, and then build a sugar factory in order to have their own sugar. The peasants doubted at first, but when they drank tea with sugar beet sugar, they immediately gave their consent.

The sisters did not decide which of them was more important for people, because people liked all of them, and all of them still serve them.

Questions and tasks for the fairy tale about beets:

What beetroot dishes are cooked in your family?

Which of the three sisters did you like best and why?

What did you learn about the three types of beets from this fairy tale?

Who in your family needs beets the most?

Draw beet sisters and tell us about how they did miracles with their beets.

Children are divided into three groups. One group writes a laudatory hymn to the table beet, the other - fodder, and the third - sugar.

One of the children is a beet fairy. The children stand in a circle and take turns telling the fairy something nice about the beets. In response, she must “give” everyone a beet gift. (Vitamin, healing property, beetroot dish). Then the children draw their beetroot gifts.

Tell a story about how the beet sisters invited you to a beet feast.

Salad of beets and apples with cheese

Beets - 1 pc.
- apples -2 pcs.
- cheese -100 gr.
- sour cream - 200 gr.
- herbs, sugar or honey to taste.

Boil the beets. Peel apples. Grate beets, apples and cheese on a coarse grater, pour over sour cream, mix. Sprinkle with parsley. Add sugar or honey to taste.

beetroot cookies

Beets - 3 pcs.
- flour - 100 gr.
- sour cream (cream) - 300 gr.
- sugar or honey - 3 tbsp. lies.
- vanillin - 0.5 tsp.
- cinnamon - 0.5 tsp.
- soda - 0.5 tsp.

Boil the beets, peel and grate. Mix with sour cream, cinnamon, vanilla, flour, soda and sugar. Knead the dough and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Grease a baking sheet with butter and put the dough on it in equal portions with a dessert spoon. The cookies are baked in the oven for 20 minutes.

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 flesh. 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. Thanks to their wealthy palatability 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, nephrolithiasis. 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 a 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