By FMT’s Lifestyle Desk
If you have high cholesterol, diabetes, are obese or a heavy drinker, you are at risk of developing fatty liver disease (steatosis) – a condition in which fat comprises between 5 and 10% of your liver. The liver’s main function is to process everything you eat or drink and filter any harmful substances from the blood – but this process is interrupted if there is a high buildup of fat in the organ. Symptoms of fatty liver disease include appetite loss, nausea, abdominal pain and jaundice, and if left untreated, the condition can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
Beetroot to the rescue
Detoxifying your liver is one of the best ways to avoid or treat fatty liver disease, which, thankfully, is a reversible condition – and one of most commonly used and effective natural liver detoxifiers is beetroot. The root portion of the beet plant is rich in antioxidants, which are a marvel at flushing out liver toxins, purifying the blood and increasing overall health.
Working in tandem with beetroot’s powerful antioxidants is a fiber known as pectin, which helps ensure that flushed-out fat is not reabsorbed by the body. Because of this property, medical professionals encourage the consumption of raw beetroots, without juicing, so that pectin can be ingested as completely as possible. Beetroot is easily incorporated into the diet, as it can also be baked or roasted, and consumed on its own or incorporated into other dishes.
In addition to antioxidants, the beetroot qualifies as a ‘superfood’ due to its high content of vitamins and nutrients such as betaine, betalains, iron, betacyanin, folate, and betanin, and is prized for affording a range of health benefits, including lowered blood pressure, the warding off of dementia, lowered cholesterol levels and healthy bowel movement.
Beetroot is also a good source of silica, which is required for the utilization of calcium in the body and for healthy skin, hair, nails and bones. Betacyanin, the pigment which gives beetroot its rich purple colour, meanwhile, is thought to suppress the development of certain types of cancer.
Finally, you’ll be happy to know that beetroot is also considered ‘nature’s Viagra’, as it contains high amounts of boron, which aids the production of human sex hormones.
Based on an article published by Shireen Yong in www.HealthFreakMommy.com