Save the Humble Beet!
Beetroot, we need you! This purple vegetable is said to fight cancer, lower blood pressure, fight dementia and some are starting to think it’s as good an energy drink as a Red Bull. Purple superfoods are the way of the future, or at least we hope they will be.
Australian entrepreneur, Dick Smith was on the right track when he recently championed the cause of an Australian beetroot grower who couldn’t get a fair price for his produce. Smith canned the entire harvest for him, but then found himself unable to sell the 100,000 cans to the major food chains without financial loss. This weekend he was giving beetroot away at Sydney’s tourist hotspot, Manly Beach. Beetroot mightn’t be everyone’s favourite vegetable, but let’s hope the local industry isn’t doomed, as Smith warns. And please, spare a thought for the farmers.
Maybe it’s just a matter of marketing keeping up with the times. On the back of research which extols the virtues of this purple vegetable for cardiovascular health and stamina, beetroot juice is beginning to capture the imagination of healthy eaters worldwide. Annual sales of beetroot juice recently rose more than 80% in one British supermarket chain, although all beetroot products reported higher turnover. If it’s taste that puts some of us off, it’s good to know that work is in progress to improve the taste of beet juice for the average palate.
Best, though, to make your own super beet juice.
Read more about beetroot’s effect on stamina and endurance here.
Speak Your Mind