Generality
Beets - or simply beets - are foods of vegetable origin belonging to the group of vegetables or vegetables. Their edible part is made up of leaves and stems.
From the botanical point of view, the beets are herbaceous plants belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Beta, Species vulgaris ; in practice, the beets are a beet variety (called cicla ) identifiable with the binomial nomenclature Beta vulgaris cicla .
The beets are plant organisms with an annual or biennial cycle and their consumption involves the cutting of the leaves, without taking the radical portion. At the household level, during the entire cycle, the beets can be exploited for a number of times equal to the capacity to produce the leaves themselves; it is therefore a particularly profitable vegetable. As for commercial production, on the other hand, as well as in the form of "bunches" of leaves, certain varieties (those with broad ribs) require the replacement of the entire plant.
Description and origins
The beets have broad, long, glossy and dark green leaves. The pigment of the coasts or stems varies between white, yellowish and reddish; the most widespread in Italy are white stems, but there is a considerable differentiation between regional crops.
The beets originate from the old continent, especially from Spain, France, Italy and the eastern Adriatic coast (up and beyond Greece). This suggests that these vegetables prefer climates with wide excursion temperatures, humid, but never particularly rigid or torrid. Beets are therefore suitable for cultivation in many parts of the globe, including Africa, America and Asia (in areas where the climate is temperate).
Gastronomic uses
Beets have a sweet taste with more or less marked hints of earth (variable according to the type of soil used). Their preparation mainly uses boiling water; in some cases, this process can be limited to a simple whitening (especially when the beets are aimed at integrating first courses and dishes). In the event that they must be cooked for consumption aimed at itself (side dish), the beets must be processed completely in boiling water or steam (with or without a pressure cooker).
To properly cook the chard "da costa" (with a large and fleshy stem), it is advisable to separate the thicker fabric (which requires longer timings) from the thin one (properly called leaves, to be added later). The cooking water can be salted (but not too salty) and enriched with lemon slices or white wine vinegar. After draining them, it is then useful to let them dry. Once cooked, the beets can be eaten naturally, with olive and / or lemon oil, or sautéed in a pan with olive oil, garlic and black pepper. The combination of beets and boiled potatoes is extremely pleasant.
Beets are a widely used ingredient for pasta dishes such as: soups, stews and sauces for dry pasta.
Cooking by immersion significantly deprives them of their content in thermolabile vitamins (degraded) and mineral salts (diluted). The remaining water, if tasteless, is an excellent fertilizer for ornamental plants or vegetables.
Nutritional characteristics
Beets are a low-energy food; these calories come essentially from simple carbohydrates (fructose), while proteins and lipids are lacking.
The fiber intake is more than satisfactory. The vitamin content (especially A, C and small doses of some of the B group) and mineral salts (mainly potassium and iron) is also interesting. However, as anticipated, we reiterate that cooking in water strongly limits the conservation of certain nutrients and that their degradation / dispersion depletes the food.
Being deficient in sodium and rich in potassium, beets are suitable for feeding against high blood pressure; furthermore, thanks to the content in dietary fiber, they contribute to lowering the glycemic index of the meal, regulating lipid absorption and favoring a sense of satiety. The beets are therefore useful foods for the diet against hyperlipemias, type 2 diabetes mellitus and overweight.
Nutritional values
Nutritional composition for 100g of raw chard; Cooked chard, boiled without salt - Reference values of INRAN Food Composition Tables
Raw chard | Cooked chard, boiled without salt | ||||
Edible part | 82.0% | 100.0% | |||
water | 89.3g | 76.8g | |||
Protein | 1.3g | 2.8g | |||
Prevailing amino acids | B.C. glutamic acid, ac. aspartic, leucine | B.C. glutamic acid, ac. aspartic, leucine | |||
Limiting amino acid | Lysine | Lysine | |||
Lipids TOT | 0.1g | 0.2g | |||
Saturated fatty acids | -mg | -mg | |||
Monounsaturated fatty acids | -mg | -mg | |||
Polyunsaturated fatty acids | -mg | -mg | |||
Cholesterol | 0.0mg | 0.0mg | |||
TOT Carbohydrates | 2.8g | 6.0g | |||
Starch | -g | -g | |||
Soluble sugars | 2.8g | 6.0g | |||
Dietary fiber | 1.2g | 1.6g | |||
Soluble fiber | -g | 0.2g | |||
Insoluble fiber | -g | 1.37g | |||
Power | 17.0kcal | 36.0kcal | |||
Sodium | 10.0mg | 20.0mg | |||
Potassium | 196.0mg | 220.0mg | |||
Iron | 1.0mg | 2.0mg | |||
Football | 67.0mg | 130.0mg | |||
Phosphorus | 29.0mg | 62.0mg | |||
Thiamine | 0.03mg | -mg | |||
Riboflavin | 0.19mg | -mg | |||
Niacin | 1.80mg | -mg | |||
Vitamin A | 263.0μg | -μg | |||
C vitamin | 24.0mg | 18.0mg | |||
Vitamin E | - mg | - mg |