Beetroot

Beta is the ancient Latin name for beetroot,[3] possibly of Celtic origin, becoming bete in Old English.[4] Root derives from the late Old English rōt, itself from Old Norse rót.[5]

The domestication of beetroot can be traced to the emergence of an allele which enables biennial harvesting of leaves and taproot.[6] Beetroot was domesticated in the ancient Middle East, primarily for their greens, and were grown by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. By the Roman era, it is thought that they were cultivated for their roots as well. From the Middle Ages, beetroot was used as a treatment for a variety of conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and the blood. Bartolomeo Platina recommended taking beetroot with garlic to nullify the effects of "garlic-breath".[7]

During the middle of the 19th century, wine often was coloured with beetroot juice.[8]

Food shortages in Europe following World War I caused great hardships, including cases of mangelwurzel disease, as relief workers called it. It was symptomatic of eating only beetroot.[9]

Usually the deep purple roots of beetroot are eaten boiled, roasted, or raw, and either alone or combined with any salad vegetable. The green, leafy portion of the beetroot is also edible. The young leaves can be added raw to salads, whilst the mature leaves are most commonly served boiled or steamed, in which case they have a taste and texture similar to spinach. Beetroot can be roasted, boiled or steamed, peeled, and then eaten warm with or without butter as a delicacy; cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as a condiment; or peeled, shredded raw, and then eaten as a salad. Pickled beetroot is a traditional food in many countries.

A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilised beetroot or into pickles.

Betanin, obtained from the roots, is used industrially as red food colorant, to improve the color and flavor of tomato paste, sauces, desserts, jams and jellies, ice cream, candy, and breakfast cereals.[10] When beetroot juice is used, it is most stable in foods with a low water content, such as frozen novelties and fruit fillings.[17]

Beetroot can be used to make wine.[18]

Raw beetroot is 88% water, 10% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and less than 1% fat (see table). In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) amount providing 180 kilojoules (43 kilocalories) of food energy, raw beetroot is a rich source (27% of the Daily Value - DV) of folate and a moderate source (16% DV) of manganese, with other nutrients having insignificant content (table).[19]

The red colour compound betanin is not broken down in the body, and in higher concentrations may temporarily cause urine or stools to assume a reddish color, in the case of urine a condition called beeturia.[21]

Although harmless, this effect may cause initial concern due to the visual similarity to what appears to be blood in the stool, hematochezia (blood passing through the anus, usually in or with stool) or hematuria (blood in the urine).[22]

Nitrosamine formation in beetroot juice can reliably be prevented by adding ascorbic acid.[23]

Below is a list of several commonly available cultivars of beetroot. Generally, 55 to 65 days are needed from germination to harvest of the root. All cultivars can be harvested earlier for use as greens. Unless otherwise noted, the root colours are shades of red and dark red with different degrees of zoning noticeable in slices.

• List of Lepidoptera that feed on beetroot

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  A bundle of beetroot
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  Section through taproot
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  Yellow beetroot
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  Borscht
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  Salad of grated beetroot and apple
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  Finnish rosolli
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  Sliced, pickled beetroot
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  Red chrain is made with beetroot
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  Beetroot juice
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  Golden, red, and white beetroots (left to right).
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  Roasted beetroot
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  Root and cross section of cultivar 'Chioggia'
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  Root and cross section of a yellow cultivar
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  Chioggia Beet Tart

• Media related to Beetroot at Wikimedia Commons