Beets are root vegetables that grow in cool, moist areas. This is because beetroot contains a sugar called sucrose, which causes it to crystallize when it dries out. The sugar transforms into thicker sugar molecules and eventually breaks the cell walls of the plant cells. This process is called inversion and can occur anywhere from several weeks to months after harvesting.
Beetroot is very nutritious, and has a lot of health benefits. It contains antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, swelling, inflammation and liver damage. Beets also aid in digestion. They are also associated to lower blood pressure.
It is better to peel beets before juicing as the skin contains invertases which can make your juice taste bitter if not removed. Inversion happens when the plant cells break down and their contents leak into another part of the plant cell where they would normally not be present.
Beets can be peeled using most of the usual home produce methods such as using a knife or using a vegetable peeler. You can also use special beet peels like you would use for potatoes. One thing to remember is that beetroot is fibrous, so you may want to wear gloves when handling them so they don’t stick to your hands too much.
How to peel beets:
Banish fears of inversion!
Beetroot is fibrous. This means it is more difficult to get out what is in the beetroot than it is to get the beetrout out of beets. Peeling them before processing will help make the juice smoother and less bitter, although this will also make it harder for you to consume.
Select a medium-sized beetroot.
Wash the beets thoroughly and scrub with a damp cloth to remove any dirt. This can be done with your hands or place in a bowl of water and use your hand to rub them clean.
Cut off the greens and roots, but leave at least half an inch of green attached to each beet. This will help give you good colour during juicing.
Cleaning the greens and roots helps eliminate inversion which will make the juice bitter.
Think of the greens and roots as taking the place of the fine filter in your juicer.
Cut off the ends of each beet. This helps to prevent you from cutting yourself later on when cleaning your juicer.
Keep at least half an inch of green attached to each beet.
It is better to cut in halves as an alternative instead of quarters as this will reduce oxidation and keep beets for longer. Cut off the tops, leaving about an inch on each half just like you would do with potatoes or onions.
Peel the beets and place in a bowl of water. Let sit for a few minutes to help rid of the starch and make them easier to handle.
Once the beets have sat in the bowl of water you can use your hands to rub them clean, or you can use a brush to scrub off any residual dirt.
Next, rinse the beets under cold water several times until they are completely dry.
You will want to dry the beets slowly to help preserve the colour during processing.
Once the beets are dry, you can now cut them into quarters.
Next you will want to peel off some of the remainder of the greens and roots before putting them in your juicer. This will help make your juice smooth and full of colour from beetroot. To do this, use a potato peeler or knife slice along the top.
Once you have the beets cut and peeled you can place them in a juicer.
Juice on the day of juicing directly from your juicer to avoid oxidation and make sure all the juice is squeezed out.
You can also purchase beet or beetroot pulp which consists of beet that was not processed. You can consume it as a vegetable or use it in recipes calling for vegetables such as soups, stews, etc.
If you cut the beets up, they can be frozen and stored for later use in recipes. Beets can also be canned and used in salads, stews, etc.
If you find beet juice is getting too bitter tasting, consider adding other juices to it such as orange or apple juice - this will make your juice taste sweet without sacrificing the good health benefits of beetroot. You can also add a little honey to your juice to sweeten it.
Beetroot juice is best consumed the day of juicing, however it can be stored for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Make sure to keep it wrapped in a container or sealed in a plastic bag.
If you are storing your juice in the freezer, remember to allow it to thaw before drinking as frozen juice can damage your teeth.
You can also use beetroot pulp in recipes as mentioned above. This is an excellent way of using up leftover beet that may be going a little soft or overripe.
You can keep your pulp in the freezer for up to a year.
If you are interested in learning more, read the rest of the article.
Let’s start with a basic ingredient list:
Beetroot juice will taste best if it has some of its roots as well as all of its leaves and stems included. If you want to make beetroot juice at home, a juicer is your best option. You could also use a grater to shred the beetroots, but this will take more time and effort.
Another great way to make beetroot juice apart from using a juicer is to freeze your own and then blend-up the frozen pieces. This will create a kind of slushie which you can combine with other juices for a totally refreshing drink. It also won’t matter if some of the juice gets blended and other parts are left as ice as it will still taste amazing.
People who like sweet juices can add some honey to their juice to make it taste sweeter. You may also want to add some grape juice or apple juice if you are looking for a flavour boost.
If you are looking for a potential health benefit, then adding bee pollen or bee propolis will give you this as these parts of the beets will help your digestive system and immune system.