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Beetroot or Red Beet
Scientific Name: Beta vulgaris rapa
Family:
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Known as Beets in the United States, and called Beetroot in the British Isles, has been cultivated for many centuries and used not only as food for humans and animals, but also, as in the case of some varieties, for distillery purposes. It is also a medicinal and curative plant, believed three or four centuries ago to be an antidote against yellow jaundice and many other illnesses. The beets described by Horace and Cicero must have been vastly different from the ones used today. Those grown in Roman times were probably more appreciated for their leaves than for the rest of the plant. Our red beet, with the roundish root, cannot therefore boast a long history. Red beets in the wild state grow along the coasts of western Europe and North Africa. The plant is rather slender, and the cultivated varieties differ in the size and color of the root. The stem is so short and condensed that the leaves and the floral scape (the latter is formed during the second year) seem almost to grow out of the top of the root. The cultivated red beet originated in Germany and was then introduced into Italy around the fifteenth century. The yellow beet was favored first and only later was there an increase in the cultivation of the red beets that are the most used now. There are several varieties of red beets and they can be classified into three groups: (1) with round roots, as for example the Naples early with sweet and tasty pulp and wine-red color; (2) with flat-roundish root; (3) with long roots reaching sometimes up to 12 inches. The beets of the first group are the most popular as they are sweeter, tastier, and more tender. Red beets generally arrive on the market already cooked. When prepared at home, they should be neither cut nor peeled because the infiltration of water inside the root during cooking causes a loss of the nutritive substances and color. From a dietetic standpoint, the cooked beet contains up to 10% carbohydrates, mostly in the form of sucrose. This is a considerable amount, not found in other vegetables. The quantity of protein, between 1.5% and 2%, is good, the percentage varying in relation to the chemical composition of the soil and the different varieties analyzed. The high protein content makes the red beet one of the most valued vegetables. Beets also contain mineral salts, such as iron and calcium compounds. The calories supplied by 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) of beets are 46, more than double the average of other vegetables. The amount of vitamins is, however, very low, and in the case of vitamin C it is reduced to less than half by cooking. The red beet can be regarded as a nutritious plant, although some find it rather indigestible. This depends on the manner of cooking and on the tenderness of the root. Because of the presence of sugar, the red beet is not advised for diabetics. Some excellent varieties for cultivation are: Crosby's Egyptian, Burpee Red Ball, Early Wonder, Detroit dark Red, Burpee's Golden Beet, Dark Red Massy, Dark Red Globe Early and Dark Red Turnip-rooted Egyptian. [Bianchini, Francesco, Corbetta, Francesco, Pistoia, Marilena, The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables, United States Translation: Crown Publishers, New York, 1976; Originally published in Italy as I Frutti della Terra, Arnoldo Mondadori Publisher, Italy, 1973]