If you have gout, which is a condition that causes crystals to form in the joints, making them painful and swollen, avoid eating beets. University of Maryland Medical Center states that the oxalates in beets can cause gout to flare up.
Beets are also rich in nitrates, which reduce inflammation by removing harmful compounds from your bloodstream. This combination of betalains and nitrates makes beets a great choice for people with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia.
Beetroots have high nitrate content and might cause nitrate poisoning in infants if given directly. They should be avoided in infants aged three months or below. Before using beetroot for any health effects, talk to your doctor or physician about any precautions you might need to take.
Beetroot is also being considered as a promising therapeutic treatment in a range of clinical pathologies associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Its constituents, most notably the betalain pigments, display potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemo-preventive activity in vitro and in vivo.
Possible Side Effects Of Beets
Like any vegetable high in fiber, beets can cause side effects like gas, bloating, and gut pain if you start eating a lot of beets all of a sudden.
Beets, like most vegetables, are low in purine, but they are rich in another chemical compound called oxalates. Less common than purines, oxalates have the same effect in the human body: increasing uric acid levels in the blood. Add beets to your list of foods to avoid with gout.
Risks of beets
Risks of overconsumption include: Increased risk of kidney stones: Since beets are high in the compound oxalate, eating too many can contribute to kidney stone formation. Beeturia: With beeturia, urine may turn pink or red. Additionally, stool may become discolored.
Excessive consumption of beet may result in beeturia in some people. It is a condition where your urine may appear pink. Beetroot is rich in oxalates and excessive consumption may lead to a person developing kidney stones. Although in some rare cases, beetroot may cause allergies in certain individuals.
Yes — beets are a good food choice, especially for people with type 2 diabetes. A 2021 study showed that participants who ate 100 g (about ⅔ cup) of raw beets daily for eight weeks showed improvements in cognitive function, glucose metabolism, and other metabolic markers.
It is good to eat beets only 3-4 times a week, not more. If you eat daily, make sure you eat it in limited quantities due to its high oxalate content.
Dosage. Currently, there are no official dosage recommendations for beetroot juice. According to a 2014 study , drinking one 250-ml glass of beetroot juice per day may lower blood pressure. The juice did not cause any serious side effects, but the participants did report a change in the color of their urine.
Beetroot juice has traditionally been used as a remedy to activate liver enzymes and increase bile, which helps the liver's detox function. For instance, it's high in betalains and other compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation, protect against oxidative stress and reduce the risk of liver damage.
Interactions With Other Drugs:
Beetroot juice is rich in nitrates, which might negatively interact with certain blood pressure-lowering medicines, leading to a severe drop in blood pressure. Beetroot juice is used in drug formulations because of the red pigment.
Beetroot juice plays an important role in opening the blood vessels and also increases the flow of oxygen throughout the body which makes you feel more energetic and active. This is the reason why it is advisable to drink beetroot juice in the morning to help your sleepy organs wake up.
Vegetables are an excellent addition to any diet, but colorful vegetables, such as dark leafy greens, broccoli, beets, sweet potatoes, and cabbage are especially good for people with arthritis. They are loaded with good-for-you nutrients, such as antioxidants, polyphenols, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Fructose is what gives some fruits (and vegetables) their natural sweetness. Researchers report a correlation between foods high in fructose and gout symptoms, which can include chronic pain. These fruits include apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, prunes, and dates.
Indeed, in all but 1 of the studies that we conducted (which only resulted in a low level of muscle pain), consuming 2-3 bottles (250 ml) of beetroot juice for 3 days after exercise, was more effective than a placebo for attenuating muscle pain in the legs.
Nightshade Vegetables
Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are all members of the nightshade family. These vegetables contain the chemical solanine, which some people claim aggravates arthritis pain and inflammation.
Allergies, wounds, and diseases can all cause inflammation. The most common causes of joint inflammation are injuries and inflammatory arthritis. Pain and inflammation resulting from injuries usually resolve, but inflammatory arthritis is a chronic condition that may get worse with time.
With arthritis, the constant pain and stiffness often lead the body to be in a state of stress or "inflammation." Foods that cause joint pain include heavily processed foods, red meat, foods high in sugar, fried foods, alcohol and foods rich in MSG, refined carbohydrates, gluten and purines.