Beets are one of the most nutritious vegetables we have. In addition to bringing a pop of color to your plate or bottle, did you know that beets are also good for your gut health? Let's take a closer look at how this root vegetable can enhance your digestion and overall wellness!

Beet Fiber Feeds Healthy Gut Bacteria

Your belly and your gut are full of bacteria. The type of bacteria, or microbiomes, living in our guts can affect many aspects of health—everything from how well we digest nutrients to how much energy we burn to how quickly we gain weight.

The best way to keep our microbiome healthy is by eating prebiotic foods, which are non-digestible food ingredients that support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon. Beet fiber is one such ingredient! It helps feed good gut bacteria (like Bifidobacterium longum) while helping us stay fuller longer without consuming too many calories.

Beets contain lots of other nutrients that benefit our bodies as well: betanin pigments, the antioxidant manganese (which helps fight inflammation), vitamin C (antioxidant), folic acid and copper for heart health, potassium for proper blood pressure regulation...and let's not forget about all those vitamins A & C!

Beets Reduce Inflammation

Beets are one of the most effective anti-inflammatory foods on the planet.

It’s easy to explain why: beets, like other fruits and vegetables, contain powerful phytonutrients known as polyphenols. These compounds have been found to reduce inflammation in everything from blood vessels to joints, so it makes sense that they would also do their part when it comes to guarding against digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Beet Fiber Acts as a Prebiotic

Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that help to boost the growth of good bacteria in your gut. They do this by acting as a substrate for these good bacteria, which means they provide them with food to live off of and grow. Pretty cool stuff, huh?

Beets contain resistant starch (RS), which is another type of prebiotic fiber that also helps to feed probiotics. In fact, the RS content in beets is second only to bananas! The RS found in beets acts as a prebiotic because it provides food for our gut microbiota (the microorganisms living inside us) so they can thrive and multiply.

This may not seem like a big deal at first glance—but here’s why it really matters: when we have more good bugs than bad ones in our digestive system, we’re less likely to get sick or experience inflammation caused by an imbalance between these two types of organisms. This means better overall health!

Beets Help to Rid the Body of Toxins

Beets are a rich source of fiber, which helps to rid the body of toxins. Your body is constantly being exposed to harmful substances through air pollution and food additives. The more you can help it expel those substances from the system, the healthier you'll feel overall.

Beets are also high in vitamin C and iron, both of which have been shown to support healthy immune systems. Eating beets regularly may help reduce your risk of developing colds, influenza (the flu), sinus infections and other respiratory illnesses as well as improve recovery time after illness does strike!

Beets improve gut health in many different ways.

Beets improve gut health in many ways. In the first place, they feed healthy gut bacteria and help them to proliferate. This has a positive effect on your digestion and can even reduce inflammation in the body. Beets also act as prebiotics, which means that they stimulate growth of beneficial bacteria in your intestines and make other nutrients more readily available for absorption by your gut lining (1). Beets are also known to bind toxins from heavy metals such as mercury or lead and help get rid of them from the body (2).

Conclusion

Beets are an amazing food. They can help with everything from diabetes to constipation and even cancer. The best part? They're easy to incorporate into your diet!