After undergoing heat treatment, beets do not lose most of their beneficial properties, but in their raw form they are much healthier. It’s just very difficult to find a person who would consume this root vegetable fresh. At the same time, there is a way to make the unboiled vegetable pleasant to drink or eat - make a beet smoothie. Several variations of recipes have been prepared for this, choose any one to suit your taste.
Cooking features
The preparation technology is no different from other vegetable smoothies, but there are several subtleties that will help make it even tastier and healthier.
- Beets can be used boiled or fresh. The second option is preferable; such a vegetable is more juicy and will definitely retain all its properties.
- Since beets are hard, it is advisable to chop them very finely before placing them in the blender bowl. It is also better to chop the vegetable separately, and then combine it with other ingredients.
- If you take a beetroot smoothie with a teaspoon, you will feel full faster. And if they replace a full lunch or a hearty snack, then there will be more benefits for weight loss. Even a small portion is enough for this.
- The sweet root vegetable goes well with vegetables and fruits. To quench your summer thirst, add a few pieces of ice to your drink.
A few words about peeling fruits and vegetables that are also included in smoothies, for example, apples and cucumbers. If you want to get a soft consistency of the drink, then you should peel them. But it contains a lot of fiber, and with it the cleansing effect of the smoothie is stronger.
Beetroot has contraindications for use; although the vegetable is healthy, it is not at all harmless.
Beetroot to cleanse the liver and blood
Will beets really help cleanse the blood and heal the liver? Yes, definitely! We assure you that beets are more than just a vegetable, and in today’s article we will be happy to prove this to you.
It contains many antioxidants
Of course, you have heard more than once about how necessary and beneficial antioxidants are for the body, but do you know what exactly these natural elements are known for?
- They prevent premature aging.
- They strengthen cells, thereby prolonging their life. This is very important for the proper functioning of the liver.
- Antioxidants fight free radicals, protect internal organ tissues and improve overall well-being.
- They regulate blood pressure.
Beets are higher in antioxidants than most other vegetables. They are rich in carotenoids, beta-carotene and flavonoids. It is thanks to these elements that beets have such a pleasant crimson color. Due to its high content of nutrients, beets are an effective natural remedy for improving liver function, especially for patients with fatty liver disease.
For example, in 2012, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that patients with fatty liver disease improved after just a few months of regularly drinking beet juice.
The results of the patients' tests showed a decrease in the level of fat in the liver and a decrease in the inflammatory process.
Beetroot and carrot
Vegetables are not subjected to heat treatment, and therefore all vitamins and microelements are retained.
Ingredients:
- 1 small beetroot;
- 1 medium carrot;
- 200 ml water (or freshly squeezed apple juice);
- 1 tbsp. l. liquid honey (if thick, melt in a water bath).
Preparation:
- Peel the vegetables and cut into arbitrary pieces.
- Pour water into a blender bowl and add all ingredients into it.
- Beat with a blender on high power. The result should be a homogeneous thick mass.
- At this stage, try the drink and check the consistency. If it is too thick, dilute with water, if it does not have the desired sweetness, add more honey to taste, and beat everything again.
- Pour the smoothie into serving glasses. Sprigs of fresh mint or basil are suitable for decoration.
Beetroot improves metabolism and breaks down fats
A smoothie made from beets and carrots will not only give you vital energy, but also help you lose extra pounds. This drink is an excellent choice both to start the day and for consumption before the main meal.
- Beets contain a lot of fiber. It is fiber that helps remove toxins from the intestines that interfere with the proper absorption of nutrients from food.
- It improves intestinal function.
- It prevents fatty lipids from being deposited in liver cells.
- Beets improve metabolism and optimize the functioning of the lymphatic system.
- Beets cleanse the blood and protect the heart
- Since ancient times, beet juice has been credited with the ability to cleanse the blood and strengthen the immune system. Modern research has proven the truth of this statement.
- Beets contain a lot of potassium, which makes this vegetable effective in the fight against hypertension.
- Beets reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.
- Beetroot juice contains nutrients such as magnesium, phosphorus, folate, and vitamins A, B, and C.
Beetroot, carrots, apple, ginger
Instead of regular water, you can use any freshly squeezed juice.
What you will need:
- 1 medium-sized beetroot;
- 1 carrot;
- half a lemon;
- 1 apple;
- 1.5 glasses of water (300 ml);
- 1 tsp. grated ginger root (if ground - 2 pinches).
How to cook:
- Peel the root vegetables, cut into cubes of any shape and place in a steam bath until fully cooked.
- Remove the zest from the lemon and squeeze out the juice.
- Wash the apple, peel the stems, remove the core and cut into pieces.
- Beat everything in a blender, don’t forget to add water and ginger.
Carrots cleanse the blood and liver
Perhaps all you know about carrots is that they have a beneficial effect on vision and promote tanning. However, in fact, this vegetable has much more incredible properties.
- Regular consumption of carrots improves blood circulation.
- Carrots contain huge amounts of vitamins A, B, C and E, as well as many minerals and antioxidant compounds. And the most important thing is that carrots have almost no calories!
- If there is a vitamin that is vital for optimizing the functioning of the liver and restoring its cells, then it is definitely the B complex of vitamins. Carrots contain such an amount of these vitamins that you can avoid consuming animal products.
- In addition, carrots contain a lot of potassium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the restoration of nerve cells and blood purification.
- Carrot mother cells are rich in provitamin A. When it enters the bloodstream, it turns into retinol, which helps restore cells damaged by toxins.
With beet tops
Products:
- 1-2 small beets;
- 2-3 leaves of tops;
- 3-4 medium sized apples;
- 1 tbsp. l. liquid honey;
- water – 250 ml.
How to cook:
- Cut the peeled root vegetable into small cubes. Blend with a blender until smooth puree is obtained.
- Peel the apples, remove seeds and core. Finely chop the pulp and add to the beet mass.
- Wash the tops, dry them with a paper towel, chop them finely and place them in a blender bowl. Whisk everything.
- Pour in water and liquid honey (if thick, melt in a steam bath) and mix everything again.
Beet tops are no less useful than the root vegetable itself. Salads, pies, borscht and soups are also prepared from it; the leaves are also pickled or frozen for the winter.
Smoothie “Pomegranate Joy”
This healthy cocktail does not contain pomegranate, but its color strongly resembles the juicy grains of an exotic fruit. And it tastes not much different from pomegranate. Maybe that's why they gave it this name.
So, let's prepare:
- Beetroot juice – 150 ml.
- Beets – 150 gr.
- Figs – 1-2 pieces
- Spinach – 150 gr.
- Asparagus – 250 gr.
Cut the boiled beets and asparagus into pieces. Tear the spinach with your hands and chop the figs. Place in a blender bowl and grind everything until smooth. Start the grinding process at low speed, then increase it to maximum. You should get a thick, homogeneous mass. Pour in the beet juice, the amount of which you can adjust depending on your preference for the thickness of the final product.
Pomegranate Joy is perfect as a dinner replacement. Its pleasant taste will provide you with a pleasant sensation, normalize intestinal motility and cleanse the body of waste and toxins.
With celery and cucumber
Preparation takes a minimum of time; it would be nice to find a free minute to enjoy this cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 1 small beet (about 200 g);
- 1 medium cucumber;
- 1 stalk of celery;
- 2 apples;
- ½ tsp. grated ginger root.
How to do:
- Wash vegetables and fruits. Peel the beets. If you need a smooth texture of the drink, then remove it from the cucumber and apple too.
- Remove coarse fibers from celery.
- Finely chop all ingredients for easier grinding.
- First beat the beets, then add the rest of the fruits, vegetables and grated ginger.
Smoothie “Joy in a glass”
A cocktail with a spicy taste. Its calorie content will allow it to replace a full lunch. At the same time, by eating such a smoothie, you will very soon get rid of those extra pounds that just don’t want to say goodbye to your body.
Let's prepare:
- Green apples – 3 pieces,
- Cucumber – 1 pc.
- Celery branch – 1 pc.
- Beets – 1 pc.
- A piece of ginger root.
These are the original ingredients of the “joy in a glass” cocktail. But, at your discretion, you can add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg or vanillin to it - it all depends on your imagination and taste preference. So, cut up peeled apples, cucumber, ginger and boiled beets. We tear the green celery sprig with our hands and put it all together in a blender. Grind until a paste forms and turn on maximum speed. Continue beating until a homogeneous mass of sour cream consistency is formed.
As you can see, the recipes are quite simple and each of you can make a beet smoothie. Come on, go for it! We are confident that you will like the taste, and after a few weeks, you will see for yourself how your reflection in the mirror changes for the better.
From boiled beets and kefir
For preparation you will need:
- 1 small boiled beet (100 g is enough);
- 2 tbsp. l. beet juice;
- 100 ml low-fat kefir;
- salt to taste.
Preparation step by step:
- Finely chop the boiled root vegetable and beat in a blender along with beet juice.
- Salt the resulting mass, pour kefir into it and beat again.
To enrich the taste in the second step, you can chop greens (green onions, dill, parsley) into the smoothie, add ground black pepper or a mixture of peppers, and a clove of garlic.
Beetroot smoothie with figs, spinach and asparagus
Compound:
- beets – 0.5 kg;
- figs – 100 g;
- spinach – 100 g;
- asparagus – 0.2 kg.
Calorie content per 100 g: 36 kcal.
Cooking method:
- Wash and peel the beets. Set one beet aside, chop the rest finely, then use a blender to puree it and squeeze the juice out of the resulting pulp.
- Cut the remaining beets into small cubes and place in a mixing bowl.
- Wash the asparagus, pat dry with a napkin, and cut into small pieces.
- Rinse, shake and chop the spinach with a knife.
- Add the spinach to the beets, then add the asparagus there too. Grind with a blender.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the pulp of the ripe figs and add to the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour in beet juice and whisk thoroughly.
The taste of this cocktail will seem unusual to you at first, but you will quickly get used to it. It is possible that a smoothie made according to this recipe will become one of your favorite desserts. If you want a sweeter version, simply increase the amount of figs.
With orange
Compound:
- 1 small beet;
- 1 juicy orange;
- 1-2 cm ginger root;
- 1 medium apple (sweet varieties);
- 1 tsp. liquid honey;
- 200 ml water.
How to cook:
- Finely chop the peeled beets, fresh or boiled, and grind in a blender.
- Peel the orange, remove the white soft layer and seeds. Divide into slices. If desired, squeeze the juice out of the pulp and use it.
- Place all other finely chopped ingredients into a blender bowl and blend. The drink is ready.
Option 5. Beetroot smoothie with bell peppers and cucumbers
A vegetable drink with basil leaves is a delicious breakfast that will invigorate you in the morning and saturate your body with useful substances.
If desired, you can dilute the smoothie with boiled water or add crushed ice. Ingredients
- a few basil leaves;
- large beets;
- meaty bell pepper;
- four fresh cucumbers.
How to cook
Step 1:
Peel the washed beets. Chop the vegetable into small slices.
Step 2:
Wash the cucumbers and trim the ends on both sides. Chop them into slices.
Step 3:
Remove the stem and seeds from the bell pepper, and clean the partitions. Cut the vegetable pulp into pieces. Place all ingredients in a blender container, add basil leaves and blend for three minutes at high speed. Pour in a little water and whisk again. Pour the smoothie into glasses and garnish with basil leaves.
Basil can be used fresh or dried. The drink can be diluted to the desired consistency with water or beet juice.
With mint and ginger
The recipe is ideal for those who want to introduce a healthy drink into their diet, but don’t really like the taste of beets. Thanks to the presence of mint and ginger in it, its taste will be subtle.
You will need:
- 1 small beet (boiled);
- 1 apple (sweet varieties);
- 1-2 cm ginger root;
- 3-5 leaves of fresh mint;
- 100 ml water or apple juice.
Finely chop all ingredients and mix in a blender until smooth. Pour the finished smoothie with beets into glasses and garnish with a mint leaf.
Frozen berry smoothie
Photo: Shutterstock.com
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Healthy oatmeal smoothie. Economical breakfast with Anna Lyudkovskaya For 2-3 servings
1 cup frozen red berries (cranberries, lingonberries, currants)
½ glass of water
½ cup grape or cherry juice
A pinch of grated nutmeg
Grind the berries in a blender, then pour in water and juice and beat everything together. Add nutmeg, maybe a pinch of pepper.
Orange smoothie
Orange smoothie Photo: Shutterstock.com
2 oranges
2 small young carrots
2 small spoons of wheat or oat bran
1 tsp sesame
Step 1. Remove a few curls of zest from the orange. Then squeeze the juice from two oranges.
Step 2. Peel the carrots and steam for 10 minutes.
Step 3. Puree the carrots in a blender, then add the juice to it and blend again.
Step 4. Add bran and sesame seeds.
