You may or may not like beetroot but certainly can’t ignore it because of its bright red color. Beetroot and Beetroot powder is in the limelight recently because of their numerous health benefits.
Why beetroot powder? How to make it? What are the side effects of it? How to consume beetroot powder? We will discuss every aspect of it in this blog. So read till the end.
Comparison of the nutritional value of Beetroot vs. Beetroot powder-
Table 1 below shows the approximate nutritive value of 100 g of the edible portion of beetroot and beetroot powder.
Generally, beetroot contains 88% of moisture. Change in the moisture content in beetroot powder makes a huge difference in the overall nutrient content of beetroot powder.
The protein, carbohydrate, minerals, fiber, fat, vitamin content increases many folds in its powder form.
Table 1: Nutritive value of beetroot vs beetroot powder (approximate value of 100 g of edible portion)
| Nutrients | Beetroot* | Beetroot Powder** |
| Moisture | 87.7% | 6% |
| Energy | 43 kcal | 328.50 Kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 8.8 g | 67.60 g |
| Protein | 1.7 g | 13.40 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g | 0.50 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g | 6.20 g |
| Mineral | 0.8 g | 3.20 g |
| Sodium | 59.8 mg | 1300 mg |
| Potassium | 43 mg | 1500 mg |
| Calcium | 18.3 mg | 240 mg |
| Iron | 1.19 mg | 4.8 mg |
| Phosphorous | 55 mg | 219 mg |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | Negligible | 2.2 mg |
| Vitamin C | 10 mg | 40 mg |
*Data Source – C Gopalan, Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2016
** Data Source –Label of packaged beetroot powder
15 Benefits of beetroot powder you can’t ignore –
It is a powerhouse of nutrition –
Beetroot powder is the concentrated, dehydrated form of beetroot. To prepare 100 g of beetroot powder, you may need approximately 1-1.2 kg of beetroot.
The powder is rich in fiber and minerals. It’s a good source of folate, iron, sodium, and potassium.
It is loaded with antioxidants –
Beetroot is a bioavailable source of several bioactive phenolic compounds like epicatechin, rutin, caffeic acid, etc which are powerful antioxidants. It protects against oxidative damage to cell membranes and DNA. It helps in scavenging free radicals and thus shows a fantastic antioxidant property. (1) (2)
Beetroot powder helps to reduce blood pressure –
Beetroot contains nitrates which get converted into nitric oxide in the body following a series of biochemical reactions. Nitric oxide helps to relax and dilate the blood vessels and thus reduce blood pressure. (3)
If you wish to control your blood pressure, start taking beetroot powder drink daily.
It improves athletic performance
If you lack the stamina for long hours of athletic training or gym session, beetroot powder juice may help you to do better. For a similar reason – containing nitrate and eventually relaxing the blood vessels and improved oxygen supply – beetroot powder drink helps to enhance stamina, increase muscular efficacy and athletic performance. (4)
It boosts your brainpower
If you are a student, beetroot powder juice may help to improve your academic performance.
Since beetroot juice helps to dilate and relax the blood vessels, it promotes better oxygen and nutrient supply throughout the brain. This leads to better attention, concentration, stronger memory, improved cognitive function, and the ability to solve complicated problems. (5)
Beetroot powder may reduce inflammation and prevent cancer
Beetroot contains betalain – betaxanthis and betacyanin- another bioavailable and bioactive compound that is responsible for its bright red color. This compound along with other antioxidants present in beetroot helps to reduce chronic inflammation in the body. There are several studies showing how beetroot juice prevents cell proliferation and the development of malignant tumors. (5)
It may improves liver health
Beetroot juice helps to activate the liver enzyme and bile production. It’s because of the presence of vitamin A, B complex, and betalain, beetroot juice helps to reduce inflammation, protect the liver from oxidative stress, and reduce the risk of liver damage.
So if you are struggling with fatty liver or poor liver function, start consuming beetroot juice regularly. (5)
It helps to reduce weight
Beetroot powder is rich in fiber and other micronutrients. It is also low in calories. Having a glass of beetroot juice as a snack helps to satisfy the appetite as well as provides ample nourishment. The study suggests beetroot drink helps to control the post-meal blood glucose level and provides better insulin response. (6)
If you are trying to lose weight, consider drinking beetroot powder drink in between two meals especially the time you feel like munching something.
It is good for controlling blood sugar level
Beetroot is rich in photochemical that has a positive impact on regulating blood glucose and insulin level. Since beetroot powder is also rich in fiber, it keeps a better control on the sudden spike in blood sugar level.
Uncontrolled diabetes, in the long run, tends to damage the blood vessels and often leads to retinopathy (damage of retina), neuropathy (damage of nerves), nephropathy (damage of kidney), and cardiac disease.
The powder is rich in various bioavailable, bioactive compounds – betalain, phenolic compounds, etc – assists to control oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Therefore beetroot juice can help you from various aspects to manage your diabetes better. (5)
Beetroot powder is good for constipation
Beetroot powder is a good source of soluble as well as insoluble fiber. Having beetroot powder drink on empty stomach may help you to soften your stool, smooth evacuation, and relieve constipation.
However, if you are suffering from IBS, please consult a nutritionist before taking beetroot powder.
It may help to fix erectile dysfunction
First thing first, there is no scientific study that proves that beetroot can fix erectile dysfunction (ED). However, there are anecdotes that point outs the benefits of having beetroot juice.
ED may cause due to high blood pressure. As mentioned above beetroot drink can help to reduce your blood pressure. Therefore indirectly it may help to manage ED to some extent.
Beetroot powder is great for skin health
Beetroot is a good source of vitamin C. As we all know vitamin C helps in collagen formation thus preventing early aging, wrinkles. In addition, vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in nature which protects our cell membrane from oxidative stress and may also prevent acne formation.
Thus, having a glass of beetroot drink on an empty stomach may help to improve your skin quality.
It’s convenient for regular use –
Imagine peeling, chopping, and grinding beetroot every morning for your vegetable juice. Does it sound doable for every day? Mornings are one of the busy hours in almost every household. Therefore you need some convenience to match your time with your health goal.
It is like an instant drink. All you need to do is take a teaspoon of powder and stir in water. That’s all, the basic beetroot drink is ready.
Generally good in quality –
As I always mention – be an informed and aware consumer. Beetroot powder available in the market is mostly a single-ingredient product. That means it contains only dehydrated beetroot and nothing else. Therefore you can be assured of the quality of the powder. However, don’t forget to check the ingredient list.
It’s pocket friendly –
There is a various range of beetroot powder available in the market. It may cost starting from rupees 60 to 210/- for 100g . You may pick any as per your choice.
You may think that you will get a kilo of beetroot in just rupees 50/-. Then paying this much for only 100 g may sound very expensive.
Remember, to get 100 g of beetroot powder you may need 1 – 1.2 kg of fresh beetroot. Then also consider the hassle of making it into powder. So the cost is not that high comparing the convenience and health benefits you are going to avail.
Does beetroot powder really work?
Don’t expect overnight magic from any food. That happens only in advertisements. It takes about 2-3 weeks to see a result. Therefore patience is the key here.
You may or may not feel any visible difference. However, good food will always give you some benefits that you may not even realize immediately.
How to make beetroot powder at home ?
Making beetroot powder at home is not a complicated process. However, it’s time-consuming for sure. If you are planning to prepare the powder at home, consider the following steps –
- Wash the beetroots well under running water and clean the soil and dirt.
- Soak the water using a clean kitchen towel.
- Peel the beetroots.
- Grate it well using a mechanical grater.
- Spread the grated beetroot on a clean plate.
- Keep it under the sun for few days for drying.
- Do check the beetroot in between to ensure complete drying.
- Once fully dried, pour the beetroot flakes in a grinder and grind it.
- Your beetroot powder is ready.
- Collect and store it in a clean dry glass jar.
- Store it in a cool dry place or in your refrigerator for long term use.
How to take beetroot powder?
The easiest possible way to consume beetroot powder is to add a tsp of it in a glass (250 ml) of water and stir as an instant drink.
If you want to take your drink to a next level, consider adding fresh carrot juice or amla juice to it. You may also think of adding any fruit to it for better taste. Freshly prepared pomegranate/ mosambi/ orange/ pineapple juice goes really well with it.
You can also add the powder to your smoothie or yogurt or in soup.
You may also try to add it while making dough for roti/ paratha or in the idli/ dosa batter.
Many even prefer adding the powder in the pancake or muffin batter.
If you are a hummus fan, you can consider adding it to hummus as well.
When to take beetroot powder?
If you are an athlete or a regular gym enthusiast, you should drink the beetroot drink 1-3 hours before your practice/ workout. It will give you extra stamina during the training.
If you are planning to take beetroot powder for health reasons, consider taking beetroot juice in the morning on empty stomach. As mentioned above, you can add any other fresh fruit or vegetable juice along with it.
For bringing variety in diet and to increase the fiber content of the diet, you can add the powder with any dish (roti/ paratha/idli/ dosa/ pancake/ soup/ yogurt/smoothie/ hummus, etc) for breakfast/ lunch/ snack or dinner.
Can you take beetroot powder at night?
If you are struggling to catch good sleep at night, you may try taking a beetroot drink shot 30 mins before bed. Study shows, beetroot drink before sleep helps in getting better sleep especially for athletes and also for COPD patients. (7) (8)
Beetroot contains nitrate which converts into nitric oxide after consumption. This helps in better oxygen supply in blood and relaxes the body.
Can you take it every day?
You can consume beetroot powder every day. Take 5 g (1 teaspoon) of it as a drink or in other preparation. Don’t consume it in excess. This may cause stomach ache because of its high fiber content.
Is it safe during pregnancy and lactation?
Beetroot powder is safe during pregnancy and lactation. It has numerous health benefits as mentioned above. Do not over consume the powder with the hope of extra health benefits. It’s best to take it in moderation.
Who should avoid taking beetroot powder?
If you have a calcium oxalate kidney stone, avoid consuming beetroot powder on daily basis.
It helps to lower the blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. Therefore if you are suffering from low blood pressure, it’s wise to avoid beetroot powder.
Beetroot powder is high in potassium. So, patients with kidney problems should not consider beetroot powder.
Beetroot contains short-chain carbohydrates called fructans, which may cause stomach upset for patients suffering from IBS.
Where to buy beetroot powder?
Now a day, Beetroot powder is easily available online as well as in your nearby health store. The price range varies between rupees 60-210/- for 100 g of powder.
Pro tip: Always check the ingredient list before buying. There should be only one item – beetroot powder – in the ingredient list or should mention 100% of pure beetroot powder on the package.
Looking for beetroot powder online? Check this link –
Bottom line
Keep no doubt when consuming some natural food with minimum processing applied. Beetroot powder is one such example. You cannot ignore the numerous health benefits beetroot powder offer. Don’t over-consume for fast or additional health benefits. Take it in limit on a regular basis for great health. Stay happily healthy.
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