Golden beets never made it to my grocery list. Not when I had my first apartment and shopping was an olympic sport. Not even when I grew up and my palate had become what I considered sophisticated. Beets, both red and orange were on the no-go list along with asparagus and the Brussels sprout. They were pretty but golden beets did not inspire. It didn’t help that they looked like dusty rocks in the produce section.
The list of veggies that I avoided was long. There was a time when chickpeas and butternut squash were on that list. I wish I knew when I began avoiding beets. They were definitely not on our dining table growing up. I used to have a job that required us to go to a lot of fancy galas. For some reason, a golden beet salad was often a first course. I guess I should thank those folks for offering up such a powerful little veggie even if the rest of the meal wasn’t so awesome. Lol.
Beets Are Packed With Nutrients
A plant-based lifestyle meant revisiting vegetables that I had been ignoring. My standard list of acceptable vegetables included broccoli, snow peas, peppers and corn. I know that there are over 1000 vegetables curated for us to consume but for a long time, I was eating the same ones over and over. I did notice golden beets sitting right next to the collard greens but I ignored them!
Beets are the nickname we give to them but they are officially called beetroots. They come right out of the ground and are related to spinach, chard and quinoa. All great additions to a plant-based plate. When it comes to superpowers, they have the goods. Golden beets and the red ones offer powerful antioxidants and essential nutrients like B-vitamins, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper and potassium. Research has shown that beets can lower blood pressure and are great for the heart, brain and kidneys.
And did you know that you can eat the greens at the top of the beet? Don’t cut them off and throw them away. They work great in traditional salads. You can sauteé them and eat them solo or add them to soup.
Red Beets or Golden Beets: You Can’t Lose
I did wonder if one beet was better than the other. The good news is that you can’t lose with either one. They both have incredible nutritional value. If you are ready to add these mighty veggies to your plate, let’s do it!
Check out the recipe below for Sweet Potato and Golden Beet salad. I love to make this one spring, summer and fall. The colors just say sunshine!
LA Dunn is a plant-based advocate from the Bronx who loves to make food that looks good and tastes good. As a plant-based advocate, she believes that eating more vegetables, fruits and grains is the way to go. If you want to go from plant-curious to plant-focused…consider taking the easy 5 day email class: Introduction to Plant-Based Nutrition. Sign up below to stay connected!