Beet It

Phase three of the detox focuses on the liver and gallbladder. The liver in particular is generally overworked, as it has more than 500 functions in humans. It's main job is to metabolize what you eat, regulate cholesterol and filter the toxins that enter your body. It makes sense that our modern diets that tend to be higher in fat, cholesterol and processed foods would add stress to an already stressed liver. So on with the detox.

I'm supposed to be eating a lot of carrots, beets, broccoli and leafy greens, in addition to flax, onions and garlic whenever possible. I've had very little exposure to beets so decided to do a little research. Beets are actually related to my new friend amaranth (see 3/14 post). They originated in Northern Africa and were spread by ancient Romans and conquering tribes. Beets have the highest sugar content of any vegetable, and a while ago when the British limited access to sugar cane, Napoleon called for beets to be used as the primary source of sugar. Their popularity skyrocketed shortly after.

There are the beet roots, or the dark reddish-purple bulbs that you probably think of when you hear "beet". But there are also beet greens, or the stems and leaves that are just as edible and nutritious. Either one can be eaten raw, though generally most people prefer them to be lightly cooked first.

For my first attempt at beets, I made a sauce by blending some carrots and beets, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, grapefruit juice, cayenne and ginger. Then I added it to beets, carrots, broccoli, onions and garlic and roasted them in the oven for about 45 minutes. I really like the end result, way more than I thought I would. The citrus goes well with the sweetness of beets and the spiciness of the cayenne offers a nice contrast. I find beets to be delicious and under-appreciated. I encourage you to try them.