Beet Butter Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why do some people not like beets? ›

Beets have an organic chemical compound called geosmin that gives them their earthy flavor. Each person has a different sensitivity to geosmin, causing some to like or dislike the natural earthiness. Ultimately, it's also just a matter of personal preference.

Steaming: Steaming is a great way to cook beets while retaining their nutritional value. To steam beets, first, scrub them clean and trim off the greens and tail. Place them in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam for 30-40 minutes, or until they are tender.

Just wrap the beets in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, and roast until soft! The roasted beets are wonderful on their own, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, or dressed up more with citrus juice, herbs, or balsamic vinegar. Serve them with any weeknight dinner, or add them to a holiday meal.

Steaming beets is a healthful cooking method because they retain most of their vitamins and minerals—they're not boiled out in water—and stay incredibly vibrant. Plus, steaming small beets or beet quarters is quick and easy for weeknights.

Beets are great for the digestive system because of their effects on gut bacteria health. However, people with sensitive stomachs may experience digestive distress (like gas or bloating) when consuming beets. A mild upset stomach could be the result of the fiber content in beets helping clear the digestive tract.

Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.

Beets are a weekly ritual around here. Usually we boil them and toss them in a sweet sour vinaigrette and keep them in the refrigerator to eat all week. The vinegar in the dressing "pickles" the beets, helping them last longer in the fridge.

Roasting beets gives them a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. As a cook, I am inspired by colors, so I find beets particularly exciting to work with.

TIPS FOR cooking beets

Keep checking whichever method you're using. Don't remove the beet skin before cooking. It's really not necessary and it's much easier to do so after cooking. Some also find that removing the skin prior to cooking takes away some of the beet's earthy test.

You can also grate raw beets to add flavor and texture to recipes like veggie burgers and falafel. Or you can cook them whole and purée them for a silky sauce, soup, or dip—including the most gorgeous hummus you've ever seen.

How do you eat beets so they taste good? ›

My preferred method is to roast beets, which concentrates their flavor and boosts their sweeter side. Wash and wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a 400° oven for 40–60 minutes, or until fork tender.

Roast Them

Roasting is an overall healthy cooking method with minimal vitamin loss, particularly vitamin C. Roasted beets are rich and sweet with slight mineral flavors. Remember to avoid long cooking times and high temperatures, as these can reduce nutrients. Try using smaller bulbs if you want to prepare them faster.

Both eating beets and drinking beet juice will give you anti-inflammatory betalains and other phytonutrients. If you're looking to enhance athletic performance, drink up. Juicing beets delivers a concentrated dose of nitrates, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. However, you lose the fiber when you juice the beets.

Moreover, beets are low in calories with zero cholesterol and a small amount of fat. However, the root is high in sugar and carbohydrates, so while you can consume the greens on top of the root in unlimited quantities, you should only have the root a few times a week. Beets are best from early spring to late fall.

Beetroot is rich in oxalates and excessive consumption may lead to a person developing kidney stones. Although in some rare cases, beetroot may cause allergies in certain individuals. These allergic reactions may include rashes, hives, itchiness, and even chills and fever.

Allergy to beetroot, a member of the Chenopodiaceae family, has been rarely reported. Most reports are associated with beet pollen exposure and respiratory symptoms. There have been two reports of allergic reactions after ingestion.

Side Effects of Eating Beets

Overall, beets are healthy for most people. If you're not used to eating beets, you may be surprised to find they turn your urine and bowel movements pink or red the next day, a phenomenon known as beeturia.