White beets

White beets are a vegetable crop, which is a type of beet. It is correct to call white beets white beets, because this type of root is intended for human food, as is its red "fellow".

White beets differ from ordinary, red in that it has a light, almost white color. At the same time it is characterized by an interesting and pleasant taste, which can be perfectly used in the preparation of various dishes. For example, salads, various pickles and marinades.

Of course, the housewives need to keep in mind that the white table beet will not give such a rich color as its "colleague" - the red table beet. But this feature of the root is not so significant as its taste and nutritional qualities. Conversely, the neutral color of the white beet can be used in various combination dishes, for example, as an ingredient in cooking chicken. And do not be afraid that the color of meat unexpectedly acquires a bright violet hue (which always gives ordinary beetroot).

There is another kind of beet, called white - it's white sugar beet. It is grown, first of all, for the purpose of obtaining sugar, which is directly indicated in its name. More information about sugar beet can be found in the next section.

White sugar beet

White sugar beet is a type of beet, the name of which indicates the main purpose of this vegetable. White sugar beet is a root color of light color of elongated shape and looks like ordinary white table beet.

Sugar beet is a species that breeders have successfully worked on since 1741. Work to develop a new type of beet began, thanks to the desire of scientists to use the properties of beets for sugar production. At that time, it was observed that sugar, identical to cane sugar (which at the time is the only type of sugar), is found in the beetroot. Therefore, the breeders united in their work, hoping to make it easier and cheaper to extract and deliver sugar to Europe.

The work of scientists was crowned with success. This is eloquently evidenced by the shelves of shops, clogged with ordinary sugar, obtained from sugar beet. At the same time, it is necessary to pay tribute to the breeders that they have been able to achieve the enhancement of the properties of sugar beet by their successful activity for several centuries. For example, in the 18th century, at the very beginning of research on fodder beet, the sugar content in it did not exceed 1.3 percent. At the present time, the presence of sugar in modern roots is considered to be normal and mandatory, not less than one-fifth of the total beet (ie, twenty percent).

On our territory, sugar beet came in the early 19 th century and immediately gained popularity with the then industrialists and producers.

Sugar beet is considered a technical crop. It is used, first of all, not for food, but for processing in industrial conditions in order to obtain the necessary products and substances.

First of all, one of the most light beet species is grown for the production of sugar, which is obtained during its processing. Modern varieties of white sugar beet, as mentioned earlier, contain about twenty percent of sugar, which is an important factor for its use in order to obtain a "sweet life".

At the same time, white sugar beets are grown not only for the purpose of deep processing. The livestock industry and farms are happy to use this root vegetable for pet food. More precisely, not the beet itself in its entirety, but waste in the production of sugar, which are called "pulp".

Of the waste that is obtained when processing sugar beet in a clean and crispy sugar, you can name molasses. Patok is used as a food product in the confectionery and bakery industry and is a natural sweetener. The paste, for example, gives the test a friability and unusual airiness, and the product itself is covered with a glossy crust. This product is also used to make creams and glazes, as a binder component, as well as in the production of gingerbread and other "delicacies."

Prepares molasses from potato starch (as well as from corn). Beet molasses looks like a dark brown, almost black liquid with a taste of burnt sugar. It is also called maltose molasses or molasses. Sale of molasses in stores or departments of large supermarkets engaged in dietary products and healthy nutrition.

And the last product of waste produced by white sugar beet is defecation mud. This product of processing is used as a mineral fertilizer in agriculture.

White sugar beet is quite demanding on the conditions of growth. To ensure that the sugar beet harvest was rich and qualitative, this root crop requires a lot of heat, enough moisture and plenty of sunlight.

White sugar beet grows best on soils rich in chernozem. The highest yield, as well as the maximum nutritional value of root crops is achieved precisely on chernozem soils. Therefore, one must take for granted that Ukraine is in the first place, as a producer of white sugar beet. Thus it is necessary to pay attention, that in agriculture not domestic, and import grades are applied. And a greater number of areas are occupied by varieties of hybrids of the German manufacturer.

Irrigated chernozem soils are found not only in Ukraine. Good conditions for the cultivation of sugar beet are available in Georgia, southern regions of Russia and Belarus. However, it should be noted that Western European countries that have good chernozems are also "noticed" in the cultivation of sugar beet. The production of sugar beet is also available in North America. As in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.

Properties of sugar beet

White table beet, despite the lack of important and useful substances that affect its color, is still quite a nutritious and useful root crop. Red pigments of beetroot, called anthocyanins, are absent in sugar beets. But this in some cases can be a virtue, and not a lack of root.

Many people, especially in recent times, are massively affected by allergic food reactions. Which are caused, first of all, by the presence in food products of active coloring substances. Those same anthocyanins, with whom we met a little higher. And therefore, insanely useful for all, but unacceptable for a given person, vegetables or fruits are excluded from his diet due to product intolerance. This fate is usually awarded to strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, oranges, tangerines, carrots and other bright foods. The red table beet is no exception.

It is sad that the menu of allergy sufferers is rather poor compared to the diet of an ordinary person. In fact, allergic reactions to many products make it necessary to avoid eating a lot of vegetables, fruits and berries. And such restrictions, of course, affect the quality of the body's supply of vitamins and trace elements.

The correct way out of this situation is to replace as much as possible allergenic foods with those who do not contain these aggressive properties. And at the same time it can provide the human body with the necessary set of useful and necessary substances.

In the case of the red beetroot dining room, white beetroot and white sugar beet come to her rescue. Despite the fact that sugar beet is primarily a technical crop, it has been learned to use it both for food and for treating various kinds of diseases.

Therefore, let's call the first property of sugar beet - it's hypoallergenic.

The second, but not less important quality of this food is the ability to regulate human pressure. Regular use of sugar beet for food can reduce the patient's blood pressure and bring it closer to normal.

The third quality that makes white beets a valuable food is that this root can enhance the protective functions of the body and regulate human immunity. It should be noted that sugar beet is able to remove toxins and toxins from the human body, which positively affects the strengthening of the immune properties of the body.

At the fourth most useful place is the property of sugar beet to contribute to the laxative effect. This quality of root is indispensable for permanent problems of the gastrointestinal tract of a person, associated with constipation.

In fifth place is the ability of beets to regulate digestive problems associated with low acidity. Any type of beet has the property to increase the acidity of gastric juice, which is an indispensable quality in regulating the characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract.

The above list of positive qualities of white beets is impressive, but it is worth reassuring the reader that the properties of sugar beet are not yet fully disclosed. More about them will be discussed below in the relevant sections.

Benefits of sugar beet

The intrigued reader, most likely, already aspires to learn, and in what the benefit of a sugar beet for the person consists?

Consider the chemical composition of the white table beet and its "colleagues" in appearance - white sugar beet. Let's start to get acquainted with the beetroot canteen, and finish the small "cultural enlightenment" with information about the sugar beet.

White table beet has a high content of minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus.

White sugar beet contains a rich vitamin composition: a large amount of vitamin C, all B vitamins, including PP (nicotinic acid or vitamin B3), as well as vitamin E and vitamin A.

Mineral substances in the root crop are represented by potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, iodine, cobalt. In addition, sugar beet contains a large number of various bioflavonoids and pectins, as well as a substance such as betaine.

Proceeding from the above chemical composition, the use of sugar beets is undoubted in the regulation of immune and metabolic problems, as well as in avitaminosis and other ailments associated with deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

Sugar beet treatment

Alternative medicine has long learned to use the useful properties of this root crop for its own purposes. The treatment with sugar beets is already a proven practice. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing with it more closely and more attentively.

With the help of potions from sugar beet, you can successfully treat digestive problems and metabolic disorders in the body. Enhancing human immunity is one of the feasible tasks that can be addressed by eating sugar beets for food.

In addition, sugar beet drugs regulate the functioning of the cardiovascular system by strengthening the walls of large vessels and capillaries. Regular and proper use of sugar beet for food increases the production of hemoglobin. Therefore, sugar beet is used to treat anemia and atherosclerosis, as well as hypertension and leukemia.

Representatives of the fair sex will be interested and useful to learn about the rejuvenating properties of sugar beet. This action of the root is due to the ability to remove toxins from the body. This fact positively affects the appearance and longevity of not only women, but also all those who decide to use sugar beet for this purpose.

For lovely ladies it will be important that sugar beet, thanks to the substances contained in its chemical composition, can enhance the psychoemotional tone and affect the overall psychological state of a person.

Healing properties of sugar beet

All of the above shows that sugar beet has truly healing properties in the treatment of many diseases.

For example, it can be used in cooking for those housewives who are concerned about the health of their family members. If you grate sugar beet on a small grater, it can be added instead of sugar in various culinary "masterpieces". Biscuits and cookies, pies and sweet pies, various cupcakes and other pastries will be delicious and sweet, but, at the same time, useful. And such sweet dishes as milk porridge, jam or jam, compote will not suffer from such substitution in any way, but, on the contrary, will only benefit. After all, they can manifest the healing properties of sugar beet. Some resourceful and skillful housewives can cook their sugar beet syrup, which can be watered, for example, pancakes and fritters.

So, we will summarize the healing qualities of this root crop, which has such effects as:

• anti-sclerotic,
• vasodilator,
• calming,
• hypoallergenic,
• diuretic,
• laxative,
• immunomodulating.

Substances-pectins, which are in the beet, contribute to enhancing the protective qualities of the human body from radioactive metals (this also applies to heavy metals). In addition, the same substances contribute to the removal of excess cholesterol from the body and normalize the work of the heart.

Calorie content of sugar beet

Sugar beet is not a high-calorie food. Calorie content of fresh sugar beet is forty-three kilocalories per hundred grams of product.

At the same time, one and a half grams of a hundred or six kilocalories pertain to proteins. Fat amounts to about one tenth of a gram of the above product or one kilocalorie. Carbohydrates account for the content of the largest number of kilocalories - as much as thirty-six (nine whole and one tenth of a gram).

It is possible to demonstrate the ratio of energy parameters of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in one hundred grams of the product. Proteins in sugar beets contain, approximately, thirteen percent; fat - two percent, and carbohydrates - eighty-one percent.

Contraindications to the use of sugar beet

In nature, fortunately or unfortunately, there is no such product that would be useful only to all people. Necessarily, there is a category of people to whom a certain product is contraindicated.

The sugar beet is not an exception to this rule. Dishes from it are not recommended for patients with the following diseases:

• Urolithiasis disease.
• Renal stone disease.
• Gout.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the stage of exacerbation.
• Gastritis with high acidity and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in which the acidity of gastric juice increases.
• Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, having an acute form.
• Hypotension or low blood pressure.

In this case, patients need to take into account the fact that the amount of sugar consumed per day should be minimized. Or even exclude this product from the diet, replacing it with other substances (natural), sweetening the taste of food.

Contraindications to the use of sugar beet for food concern and patients with diabetes. This should not be surprising, because these people are contraindicated in all sweet foods that increase blood sugar levels. A white sugar beet, consisting of one-fifth of sucrose, is just that, and this is a prohibited product.

Violations of metabolic processes in humans, for example, obesity is a direct contraindication to eating sugar beet. And all for the same reasons - a lot of sucrose.

It will be useful to note that the amount of sugar in the diet of patients with diabetes and obesity should be kept to a minimum. In some cases, it is necessary and at all to exclude sugar and foods containing it from the diet.

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Harm of sugar beet

Any, even the most useful product can be used not only for good, but also to the detriment of yourself. For example, sugar beet has a negative effect on patients with certain health problems. What are these problems?

First of all, diabetes and obesity, that is, problems with disrupted metabolism. In which sucrose and sugar can not be used in any case! If you ignore this warning, you can achieve an increase in blood sugar levels so as to provoke a crisis of the disease (with diabetes). With obesity, metabolic processes in a person can get so out of control that along with excess weight there will be a whole bunch of concomitant diseases.

Hypotension or low blood pressure is the next disease in which the harm of sugar beet consumption is proven. Sugar beet contributes to a decrease in pressure, and in this case, at a constant low pressure, the use of root vegetables will cause permanent ailments and health problems in the patient.

We already know from the above section that sugar beet is contraindicated in urolithiasis, and why? Yes, because the beet contains a large amount of oxalic acid, which can cause movement of stones in the bladder and kidneys. That will cause deterioration of the patient's condition and lead to unpredictable consequences.

Also, oxalic acid can provoke the formation of new kidney stones. First, with the help of oxalic acid, salts accumulate in the kidneys, which are subsequently transformed into oxalate stones. It is necessary to know that the negative properties of oxalic acid appear precisely after the heat treatment of sugar beet. In this form, the above acid most quickly reacts with calcium in the human body, with the help of which salts are formed, leading to the formation of renal deposits.

In the same way, oxalic acid in the boiled beet acts on the joints - they form salts, which leads to a violation of their mobility. This leads to an increase in injuries, both the joints themselves, and the entire bone system.

With gout and rheumatoid arthritis, that is, diseases associated with a violation of salt metabolism in the body, the use of sugar beet in food can provoke an increase in the symptoms of these diseases.

With increased acidity of gastric juice, you need to forget about the beet, as it itself allows you to increase acidity. Non-compliance with these recommendations leads to the appearance of symptoms of gastrointestinal upset, heartburn and so on.

With a tendency to a loose stool, and especially with chronic diarrhea, any kind of beet, including sugar, is contraindicated. Since, beet has laxative properties and its regular use in these problems can seriously disrupt the digestive system. After that, to restore the body will require serious treatment and a fairly long recovery period.

Recipes from sugar beet

Recipes from sugar beet for everyday use are as follows.

Recipe No. 1 - baked sugar beet

Ingredients:

• the necessary quantity of sugar beet.

Preparation:

• sugar beet is washed, cleaned and cut into pieces;
• after which the prepared beets are laid out on a baking sheet and placed in the oven for a small fire;
• bake to readiness, which can be checked by piercing a piece of beet with a fork or knife.

Recipe No. 2 - sugar beet syrup

Ingredients:

• ten kilograms of beets;
• one liter of water.

Preparation:

• sugar beet is thoroughly washed, peeled and cut into pieces;
• take a saucepan made of stainless metal and put on its bottom a grill made of soap or clay (you can, a crockery, a plate); This is a necessary measure so that the beets are not burnt during cooking;
• after which the pieces of beet are placed in a stainless cookware;
• Pour water into a pot, the beet must be covered with water;
• after the beets are cooked (the beet can be tested with a fork or knife, just nibbed with beets), juice is squeezed out of it;
• after which the resulting juice continues to cook on low heat until the consistency of thick sour cream;
• after which the syrup is removed from the fire, cooled and warmly poured into storage tanks; It is necessary to use only glassware - jars and bottles;
• it is possible to add citric acid to sugar beet, in order to avoid the sugaring of the product (from the calculation of one gram of citric acid per one kilogram of syrup);
• the obtained useful additive in sweet and flour dishes differs sweet taste and brown color;
• prepared syrup from sugar beet can be used in making compotes and jellies, jams and jams, cookies and cupcakes.

Recipe No. 3 - sugar beet salad

Ingredients:

• sugar beet - nine hundred grams,
• vegetable oil - four tablespoons,
• vinegar - four tablespoons,
• root horseradish - to taste,
• spices - ground cinnamon (to taste),
• sugar - one tablespoon,
• salt - to taste,
• sour cream - one glass,
• for decoration - chopped herbs, for example, parsley and dill.

Preparation:

• sugar beet is washed, peeled and cut into cubes or slices;
• The dishes are made of stainless steel, into which vegetable oil is poured;
• after which a prepared beet is placed in the given container and mixed with vegetable oil;
• then the pan is covered with a lid and put on a strong fire;
• Beetroot is not mixed in the dishes all the time it is cooked on fire;
• After fifteen minutes, the beets are removed from the fire and cooled;
• after which the beets are sprinkled with one tablespoon of vinegar, salted, covered with ground cinnamon and mixed;
• root horseradish rubbed on grater;
• after which it must be poured with steep boiling water, cover with a lid and allow to cool slightly;
• then to the horseradish, add the remaining three tablespoons of vinegar, sugar and sour cream;
• after which the horseradish combines with the beets and everything is thoroughly mixed;
• beets can be laid in a salad bowl cooked for this purpose and decorated with chopped greens on top.

Recipe № 4 - sugar beet with onions and cheese

Ingredients:

• sugar beet - three hundred grams,
• shallow onions - two hundred grams,
• tomatoes - one hundred grams,
• cheese - eighty grams,
• eggs - two pieces,
• butter - sixty grams,
• sour cream - two tablespoons,
• dill - to taste,
• salt - to taste.

Preparation:

• Beets are washed and cleaned;
• after which the prepared beets are cooked until ready, and then cooled and cut into cubes:
• Onion is peeled and, along with beetroot, is passaged in butter;
• The vegetable mixture is salted, but only after the onion is soft;
• at this time in the pan put peeled and cut into small pieces of tomatoes;
• cheese should be cut into strips;
• dill must be finely chopped;
• After that, in a separate bowl, chopped cheese, sour cream, eggs and dill are mixed;
• a baking dish is taken and lubricated with oil;
• then it puts a vegetable mixture with beets, which is poured over the cheese mixture;
• This dish is placed in the oven for medium heat and holds there for ten minutes;
• then the shape must be removed, and the dish should be placed in a suitable dish for it;
• As an ornament, the finished beetroot cheese dish can be sprinkled with finely chopped dill.

Recipe № 5 - candies from beets

Ingredients:

• sugar beet,
• water.
• Preparation:
• Beets are washed, peeled and cut into small pieces;
• after which the prepared beets are put in a pot and filled with a small amount of water;
• then the pot is covered with a lid and steamed in a stove or oven;
• if there is a need, you can add a little water to the pot; so you can do until the beet is soft;
• after which the beets are removed from the cast iron and transferred to a flat metal baking tray, and then put back into the oven or oven;
• for some time, pieces of beets are dried in a stove or oven on low heat until cooked.

Reviews about sugar beets

Let's give a review of sugar beets from those owners who, in their experience, assessed the palatability of this root and the useful properties of the products that were prepared from it:

• Inna, 39: "Baked sugar beet seemed to me a very tasty dish. And besides, useful. It can perfectly replace harmful desserts and sweets. "
• Victoria, 26 years old: "Syrup from sugar beet was very useful to me in the kitchen. I am a supporter of a healthy lifestyle and, therefore, I do not use sugar. But sometimes you want to eat something sweet. And immediately I get the syrup I have prepared for help. With him, I can make various jams in a hurry and jams for long storage. And as drinks use compotes of various fruits and berries with the addition of syrups from sugar beet. "
• Catherine, 31: "I'm a lover of different salads. And so I always find new and interesting recipes for their preparation. I enjoy the fact that my family also adheres to my taste preferences. Recently I managed to surprise my homemade salad recipes with sugar beet and horseradish. "
• Maria, 47 years old: "I was always worried about high blood pressure. And with age my problem turned into a disease. On the advice of a friend, I regularly eat a little sugar beet. I ate it raw, rubbed on grater or in the form of simple salads. After a while I was surprised to notice that my high blood pressure is not so worried about me, and I began to feel better. "
• Natalia, 51: "As long as I can remember, I suffered from digestive problems. I was tormented by constipation, and the state of health from this was not important. In the end, I'm tired of the fact that I'm constantly suffering, and I began to work out my health. First of all, I excluded from my diet some foods that have a fixing effect. And at the same time, I began to eat every day on an average piece of sugar beet. For about two weeks, I noticed that problems with the stool do not bother me anymore. And the appearance has changed for the better, as well as well-being. I plan to continue the treatment with sugar beet and keep to a diet, because I feel healthy ".

So, the white beet (its table version or sugar beet) is an excellent culinary assistant in the kitchen, a healing remedy for alternative medicine and at the same time a tasty and nutritious product.