The best way to cook beets to retain nutrients is to steam them. Steaming beets for no longer than 15 minutes is recommended. If you have a steamer, steam them until you can easily insert the tip of a fork into the beets. If you want them to be more tender, slice the beets before steaming them.
Raw beets contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than cooked beets (yes, you can eat beets raw!). Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water.
Even more, which way is easier? Just like so many other vegetables, roasting beets in the oven coaxes out their natural sugars, creating a caramelized bite that make veggies taste even sweeter. Whereas boiling vegetables in water dilutes both their flavor and nutrients, that are left behind in the cooking water.
The oxalates found in beets can increase your uric acid level, meaning that too many beets can lead to gout. To avoid this, stick to no more than a single half-cup serving of beets per day.
The flavor and nutritional value of beets vary with cooking techniques. You can boil them, steam them, roast them or grill them. When you boil beets, you will lose a lot of nutrients into the cooking water. Steaming will retain more nutrients than boiling.
To Boil Beets
Peeling beets is not necessary. The peel will come off very easily when the beets are cooked. Place the beets in a pot big enough to hold them comfortably. Add water to cover the beets by about 2 inches.
Do you have to peel beets before roasting? No, you don't have to peel beets. If you opt to keep the skin on while roasting, they'll peel off easily after baking. If you do not peel the beets before roasting, make sure to scrub the beets very hard to remove all of the dirt from them.
You can use cooked beets in salads, to make hummus or to blend into smoothies. They can be diced for slaw, quartered for a grain bowl or mashed to make a dip or spread. Their thick and chewy texture is great in a galette or quesadilla.
“Beets are unique for their cardiovascular and heart health benefits,” says registered dietitian Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, RD. “Due to a combination of compounds found in beets, they are able to enhance blood flow, improve the health of arteries, support lower homocysteine levels and reduce LDL cholesterol.”
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Scrub the beetroots really well, then chop into wedges and place in a roasting tray. Add the vinegar, thyme and 4 tablespoons of water, then toss to coat (you may want to wear gloves!). Cover with tin foil and roast for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.
Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients.
No need to peel before or after baking. The skin, which is perfectly edible, just seems to disappear during the baking process. The trick to pan-roasted beets is to drop the temperature a bit. I always roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and pretty much all the other veggies at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yes, you can. It's completely safe to drink water that has been used to boil beetroots.
Directions. Place the beets in a large saucepan and add water to cover and the lemon juice or vinegar. This will help to keep the beets from bleeding. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Roasting beets does accentuate their sweet flavor a bit more, so that's our preferred method. But if you're in a hurry, boiling beets is the way to go! We recommend cooking up a big batch, and then keeping them in the refrigerator for the week. Cooked whole beets will keep about 3 to 5 days in a sealed container.
Researchers have concluded that one glass of beetroot juice a day is enough to significantly reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
Beetroot is also known to detox liver and promotes blood flow. It is also wonderful for constipation, digestive issues and skin health.
With only a few exceptions, canned beetroot has about the same nutritional value as fresh beetroot. Fresh beetroot has double the phosphorus, potassium and folate, but 1 cup of sliced, canned beetroot has 14 percent of the recommended daily intake of folate and 4 percent of phosphorus and potassium.
To get the most health benefits from beets, you should actually eat them raw or juice them, since cooking them depletes their phytonutrient value. Watch naturopathic specialist Pina LoGiudice, ND, explain why it's best to drink beets in juice form.
Beets are high in fiber and promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Having plenty of healthy bacteria in your digestive system helps fight disease and boost your immune system. Fiber also improves digestion and reduces the risk of constipation.
A serving of cooked beets, which is 1/2 cup, has a glycemic load of 6 (low). Per serving, beets don't contain a lot of sugar (6 grams, to be precise), and the fiber helps mitigate the rise in blood sugar that would occur if you consumed the same amount in pure cane sugar.
Boiling Method
Add enough water to cover the beets completely, bring water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and peel under cool running water.