Better Buy Some Beet Greens

The second type of leafy green that you might consider adding to your diet if you are changing your lifestyle to a Raw Foods Diet or have recently been diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes…such as my husband has, which is why I even know that you can eat beet green right now…

Beets, and obviously beet greens which are attached to the beets, have been grown in the Mediterranean region as far back as 2,000 BC, Eventually beet cultivation spread to Babylonia in the 8th century, then to China around 850 A.D.

Today beets and beet greens are used in many different cuisines worldwide, including Northern Africa and Asian menus.

There are basically three different categories of beets…

1. Table Beets,,,These are grown for people to actually eat at the table,..(go figure)

2. Sugar Beets…These are grown in order to make beet sugar.

3. Fodder Beets…These are grow for specifically to feed animals.

Sugar beets are the beets that are most readily available.

About 30 million tons of sugar beets are grown and harvested in the U.S. each year.

Over 12,500,000 acres of sugar beets are planted on a global basis each year…1,250,000 of these acres planted here in the United States.

Minnesota, North Dakota, and Idaho are the states that produce the most beets in general.

On a global scale, the Russian Federation, France, United States, and Germany are among the leading sugar beet producers.

Even though people can actually eat both table beets and sugar beets, sugar beets have probably been genetically engineered.

Yet table beets are much harder to find. In fact, only 700 acres are planted in the United States each year.

The leaves of all varieties of table beets are green…and are also edible.

But the veins of the leaves do depend on the color of the beet root. For example, beet greens from yellow beets will have bright yellow veins, whereas beet greens from red beets will have rich red veins, and beet greens from white beets will have distinct white veins.

As far as taste, texture, and appearance, beet greens are very similar to Swiss chard, another member of the same plant family.

Okay, so now that we know what beet greens are…why should we consider adding them to our diets…and how do you cook them?

That’s the next step in this journey…so keep reading…

Okay this may seem a little boring and who-cares-ish for most people who have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but my main goal here is to be able to print the nutritional charts of all leafy greens so that whenever I am trying to decide which one I should be using in a specific recipe or for a specific health need, I’ll already have the information at my fingertips.

I have decided that I also want to tty a “blog a book” using the raw foods diet from the viewpoint of a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic trying to rethink all of her family’s Deep Southern style of cooking that she has been mastering for the last thirty-something years from “Mom and ‘Em”…

Anyway, here’s the back of the package for easy reading as you eat your beet greens every morning instead of Froot Loops…

1. General Information

Calories…38.88

Calories from Fat…1

Total Fat…0 g…0%
Saturated Fat…0 g…0%

Cholesterol…0 mg…0%

Fiber…4 g,,,…17%

Protein…2 g

2. Vitamin Content

Vitamin A…551.09 mcg,,,61

Vitamin B1…0.17 mg…14…6.6

Vitamin B2…0.42 mg…32…15.0

vitamin B3,,,0.72 mg…5…2.1

vitamin B6…0.19 mg…11…5.2

Vitamin B12…0.00 mcg

vitamin C…35.86 mg…48…22.1

Vitamin E,….2.61 mg (ATE)…17…8.4

vitamin K…696.96 mcg…774

3. Mineral Content

Calcium……164.16 mg…16.7.6

Copper….36 mg…40…18

Folate…20.16 mcg…5…2.3

iron…2.74 mg…15…7.0

Manganese,,,0.74 mg…32…14.9

Magnesium…97.92 mg…23…10.8

Phosphorus…59.04 mg…8,,,3.9

Potassium…1308.96 mg…28…f2.9

Sodium…347.04 mg…23

There are so many reasons for each of us to start adding more and more “leafy greens,” especially DGLV, to out diets that we should consider eating a serving of leafy greens to be way more important than simply eating an apple ever couldc be.

Let’s look back over a few health reasons for adding leafy greens to our diet…

Prevents eye disorders such as muscular degeneration and cataracts

Helps strengthen the immune system

Stimulates production of antibodies and white blood cells

Is a known antioxidant that can fight the effects of free radicals in the body along with cancer and heart disease.

So how do you know which beets, and obviously the greens that are attached to these beets, to buy?

1. The Beet Root…Things to look for…

Defects…Make sure that your beet roots are not cracked, soft, bruised, shriveled, or look very dry.

Organic…Buying product that is certified organically grown will decrease your likelihood of being exposued to contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals. Look for produce that shows the USDA organic logo.

Scales…Beets with round, scaly areas around the top surface will be tough, fibrous, and strongly flavored.

Smaller beet roots…Choose smaller beet roots that are not more than 2-1/2″ in diameter. Anything larger than that will probably be tough and have a woody core.

Texture…The actual beets should appear crisp, not wilted or slimy.

2, The Beet Greens…The beet greens should appear fresh, tender, and have a lively green color.

What do you do with the beets/beet greens when you do get them home?

Cut most of the green parts from the actual beets.

Place the unwashed greens in a plastic bag, searate from the actual beets.

Squeeze as much of the air out of the bag as possible before closing and placing in the refrigerator.

Your beet greens should stay fresh for about four days.

Why do certain foods need to be refrigerated?

Refrigerating produce will maintain the nutritional value of nutrients that are highly susceptible to heat—such as Vitamin C, vitamin B6, and carotenoids—from being depleted by the following four factors…

Exposure to air

Exposure to heat

Exposure to light

Length of time in storage

There are several ways that beet greens can be prepared, but right now let’s take a look at the following four…

Salad

Saute

Soups and Stews

Lasagna and Pasta Dishes

Salad…Enjoy beet greens by themselves as a salad or with other leafy vegetables.

Toast the almonds…Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Toast almonds lightly in butter,

Make the dressing…Whisk together all remaining ingredients.

Assemble the salad…Combine the toasted almonds, salad dressing, and beet greens, and cranberries just before serving.

Saute…Another option would be to sauté the beet greens with onions—and assuming that you are not from the Deep South and absolutely refuse to give up the almighty bacon—bacon…

Beet Green, Onion, and Bacon Saute

1 pound beet greens

1 strip of thick cut bacon

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 large minced garlic clove

3/4 cup of water

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

.3 Tbsp of cider vinegar

1.Prepare the beet greens…Rinse the leaves under cold running water. Do not soak the leaves in the water as water-soluble nutrients will leach into the water. Cutt leaves off at the stem where the leafy portion end. Cut into ½” slices. Set aside.

2. Cook the “other stuff”…Sauté the bacon, onions, and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil.

3. Add the beet greens…Add the beet greens gently into the onion mixture. Cover. Simmer ten minutes, or until the greens are tender.

A third option in using your beet greens is to make a soup or stew such as this one…