Which beets are considered the most delicious? The main criteria for its quality: a round, non-overgrowing root crop with a small head, a small rosette of leaves and a thin root. The pulp of the root vegetable should be dark red in color, uniform, without rough white rings and veins. Also, beets should be sweet, without bitterness, and capable of long-term storage- preferably before April. For many decades, breeders have been breeding just such varieties. However, options are possible.
Ball or cylinder?
| How to grow? | |
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| Beetroot loves fertile loose soil, where organic fertilizers were applied last year. In the Non-Chernozem Zone, sowing is carried out no earlier than the second ten days of May (the ground should warm up to 12-16 degrees). It is better to sow dry seeds in dry soil. Pre-soaked ones only need moist soil. Sowing depth - 2.5-3 cm. The seedlings must be thinned out - for the first time when the 3-4th leaf appears to a “step” of 3-4 cm, then during the selective harvesting of early beets. Plants love regular loosening. Watering is needed after thinning or during prolonged drought. On poor soils, two feedings with complex fertilizers are carried out. |
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Depending on the variety, beet roots are divided into flat, round-flat, round, oval and cylindrical. The most popular and loved by summer residents are varieties and hybrids with rounded roots.
There are significantly fewer varieties with other final product configurations. Although in amateur vegetable growing there is a certain demand for cylindrical root vegetables (like the Cylinder variety). The main disadvantage of such beets is their tendency to quickly become lethargic and flabby. An important economically valuable feature is associated with the shape of the root crop - the length of the growing season. Round and flat options are formed and ready faster than oval and cylindrical ones.
"Corporate" color
The color of the outer skin of root vegetables varies from red to black-violet, and the pulp, depending on the variety, can be white, red, crimson, brown-red, dark red, dark purple. Rings can be either obvious or almost invisible.
It is believed that the more intensely colored the pulp, the more vitamin C and mineral salts it contains. In addition, beets with intense red pulp are distinguished by their tenderness and increased taste qualities. In addition, the red color of the beet root pulp is due to the presence of anthocyanins in it: betaine and betanin, which have an antiseptic effect, strengthen the walls of capillaries of blood vessels and “work” as antioxidants.
Options are possible!
To be fair, it should be noted that not all gardeners categorically prefer round root vegetables with dark red flesh.
In the southern regions, for example in Kuban, beets with light-colored pulp are considered sweeter, tastier and healthier. Moreover, for preparing borscht, root vegetables with small light rings.
Residents of France also agree with our southerners, who specially grow beet varieties with white and yellow flesh - it is believed that they give some local dishes a more delicate taste! In a number of developed countries (for example, the USA, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, etc.), breeders have also developed varieties of table beets with yellow or even white flesh. And such beets are gradually gaining popularity.
Burpees Golden- a variety of American selection. The skin is reddish-orange in color, the flesh is bright yellow, and does not exude juice when cut. Many people believe that this beet tastes superior to red varieties. The leaves are used for food both fresh and boiled.
Chiojia- a variety of Italian selection, characterized by alternating red and white rings inside the root crop.
How to “educate” beets?
Although the shape, color and taste mainly depend on the variety, the living conditions of the plants also have great importance. Thus, a decrease in color intensity and the appearance of light rings is observed when elevated temperatures, rapid growth root crops in conditions of heavy, uneven rainfall after a long drought or with a lack of potassium in the soil.
With prolonged drought, the pulp of the root vegetable becomes rough and tasteless. Excess moisture and nitrogen turns root vegetables into “bodybuilders” - they reach 14-16 cm in diameter, but voids form inside - such beets are not suitable for storage.
Beetroot in facts and figures
For the first time it began to be used as a medicinal and vegetable plant more than 2 thousand years ago on the islands Mediterranean Sea. And in X-XI centuries beets were already known in Kievan Rus. In countries Western Europe it gained popularity a couple of centuries later.Currently in Russia, beets occupy about 8% of the area occupied by vegetable crops.
Due to its unpretentiousness and plasticity, it is cultivated everywhere from south to north, even in Yakutia, Sakhalin and Magadan regions.
To date, more than 70 varieties and hybrids of beets have been zoned, differing in yield, early maturity and appearance of plants.
The currently popular Dutch and French hybrids produce attractive and delicious root vegetables, but their storage capacity is lower. Pablo, Pronto and Larca are relatively well preserved.
The popular beet variety Bordeaux 237, which is uniquely suited to growing in Russia, has been around for over 100 years.
White sugar beet is one of the types of beets, the name of which indicates the main purpose of this vegetable. White sugar beet is a root vegetable light color elongated in shape and similar in appearance to ordinary white table beets.
Sugar beet is a species that breeders have successfully worked on since 1741. Work on developing a new type of beet began, thanks to the desire of scientists to use the properties of beets for the production of sugar. At that time, it was noticed that identical cane sugar (which was the only type of sugar at that time) was also found in fodder beet. Therefore, breeders set to work together, hoping to make it easier and cheaper to extract and deliver sugar to Europe.
The scientists' activities were crowned with success. This is eloquently evidenced by the store shelves stocked with regular sugar obtained from sugar beets. At the same time, we must pay tribute to the breeders that, through their successful activities over several centuries, they were able to improve the properties of sugar beets. For example, in the 18th century at the very beginning research work Regarding fodder beet, its sugar content did not exceed 1.3 percent. At the present time, it is considered normal and obligatory that modern root vegetables contain sugar in at least one fifth of the total composition of beets (that is, twenty percent).
Sugar beets came to our territory at the beginning of the 19th century and immediately gained popularity among the industrialists and manufacturers of that time.
Sugar beets are considered a technical crop. It is used, first of all, not for food, but for processing into industrial conditions in order to obtain the necessary products and substances.
First of all, one of the most light types Beetroot is grown to produce sugar, which is obtained during its processing. Modern varieties white sugar beets, as mentioned earlier, contain approximately twenty percent sugar, which is important factor for its use in order to obtain a “sweet life”.
At the same time, white sugar beets are grown not only for the purpose of deep processing. The livestock industry and farms are happy to use this root crop as animal feed. More precisely, not the whole beets themselves, but the waste from sugar production, which is called “pulp”.
One of the waste products that comes from processing sugar beets into clean, crisp sugar is molasses. Molasses is used as a food product in the confectionery and bakery industries and is a natural sweetener. Molasses, for example, gives the dough looseness and unusual airiness, and the product itself is covered with a glossy crust. Use this product and for the manufacture of creams and glazes, as a binding component, as well as in the production of gingerbread and other “goodies”.
Molasses is prepared from potato starch (as well as from corn starch). Beet molasses looks like a dark brown, almost black liquid with a burnt sugar taste. It is also called maltose molasses or molasses. Molasses is sold in stores or departments of large supermarkets dealing dietary products and healthy eating.
And the last waste product from white sugar beet production is defecation dirt. This processed product is used as mineral fertilizer V agriculture.
White sugar beets are quite demanding in terms of growing conditions. In order for the sugar beet harvest to be rich and of high quality, this root crop requires a lot of heat, enough moisture and a large amount of sunlight.
White sugar beets grow best in soils rich in black soil. The highest yield, as well as the maximum nutritional value root crop production is achieved precisely on chernozem soils. Therefore, we must take it for granted that Ukraine is in first place as a producer of white sugar beets. At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention that in agriculture it is not domestic, but imported varieties. AND large quantity The area is occupied by hybrid varieties from a German manufacturer.
Irrigated chernozem soils are found not only in Ukraine. Good conditions for growing sugar beets are also available in Georgia, southern regions Russia and Belarus. However, it should be noted that Western European countries with good black soil are also “noticed” in the cultivation of sugar beets. Sugar beet production also occurs in North America. As in the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.
Properties of sugar beet
White beets, despite the absence of important and useful substances that affect its color, are still quite a nutritious and healthy root vegetable. The red pigments in beets, called anthocyanins, are absent in sugar beets. But in some cases this may be an advantage rather than a disadvantage of the root vegetable.
Many people, especially in Lately, suffer massively from allergic food reactions. Which are caused, first of all, by the presence of active coloring substances in food products. The same anthocyanins that we met a little higher. And therefore, vegetables or fruits that are incredibly useful for everyone, but unacceptable for a given person, are excluded from his diet due to intolerance to the product. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, oranges, tangerines, carrots and other brightly colored foods usually suffer this fate. Red beets are no exception.
It’s sad that the menu for allergy sufferers is quite poor compared to the diet ordinary person. After all, allergic reactions for many foods they force you to avoid eating many vegetables, fruits and berries. And such restrictions, of course, affect the quality of the body’s supply of vitamins and microelements.
The right way out of this situation is to replace allergy-causing food products as much as possible with those that do not contain these aggressive properties. And at the same time it can provide the human body necessary set useful and necessary substances.
In the case of red beets, white beets and white sugar beets come to their rescue. Despite the fact that sugar beets are primarily a commercial crop, they have learned to use them both for food and for treatment. various kinds diseases.
Therefore, let’s call the first property of sugar beets – hypoallergenicity.
The second, but no less important quality of this food product is the ability to regulate human blood pressure. Regular use of sugar beets for food can reduce arterial pressure patient and bring him closer to normal.
The third quality that makes white beets valuable food product, is that this root vegetable can increase the protective functions of the body and regulate human immunity. It should be noted that sugar beets are able to remove toxins and waste from the human body, which has a positive effect on strengthening the immune properties of the body.
In fourth place in terms of usefulness is the ability of sugar beets to promote a laxative effect. This quality of root crop is indispensable in case of constant problems gastrointestinal tract person associated with constipation.
In fifth place is the ability of beets to regulate digestive problems associated with low acidity. Any type of beet has the property of increasing the acidity of gastric juice, which is an indispensable quality in regulating the characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract.
The above list positive qualities white beet is impressive, but the reader should be reassured that the properties of sugar beet have not yet been fully revealed. They will be discussed in more detail below in the relevant sections.
The benefits of sugar beets
The intrigued reader is most likely already eager to find out what are the benefits of sugar beets for humans?
Let's consider the chemical composition of white beets and their “colleagues” in appearance - white sugar beets. Let’s start getting acquainted with table beets, and we’ll end with a little “cultural enlightenment” with information about sugar beets.
White beets are high in minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus.
White sugar beets contain a rich vitamin composition: a large amount of vitamin C, all B vitamins, including PP (nicotinic acid or vitamin B3), as well as vitamin E and vitamin A.
Mineral substances in the root vegetable are represented by potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, iodine, cobalt. In addition, sugar beets contain a large number of various bioflavonoids and pectins, as well as a substance such as betaine.
Based on the above chemical composition, the benefits of sugar beets are undeniable in regulating immune and metabolic problems, as well as for vitamin deficiencies and other ailments associated with deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
Sugar beet treatment
Traditional medicine has long learned to use the beneficial properties of this root vegetable for its own purposes. Treatment with sugar beets is already a proven practice. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing yourself with it more closely and attentively.
With the help of sugar beet potions, you can successfully treat digestive problems and metabolic disorders in the body. Increasing human immunity is one of the feasible tasks that can be overcome by eating sugar beets.
In addition, sugar beet-based drugs regulate the functioning of the cardiovascular system by strengthening the walls of large vessels and capillaries. Regular and proper consumption of sugar beets increases hemoglobin production. Therefore, sugar beets are used to treat anemia and atherosclerosis, as well as hypertension and leukemia.
Representatives of the fair sex will find it interesting and useful to learn about the rejuvenating properties of sugar beets. This effect of the root vegetable is explained by its ability to remove toxins from the body. This fact has a positive effect on appearance and life expectancy not only of women, but also of all those who decide to consume sugar beets for a similar purpose.
For lovely ladies it will be important that sugar beets, thanks to the substances contained in their chemical composition, can increase psycho-emotional tone and influence the overall psychological condition person.
Healing properties of sugar beets
All of the above shows that sugar beets have truly healing properties in the treatment of many diseases.
For example, it can be used in cooking for those housewives who are concerned about the health of their family members. If you grate sugar beets on a fine grater, you can add them instead of sugar to various culinary “masterpieces.” Biscuits and cookies, pies and sweet pies, various muffins and other pastries will be tasty and sweet, but at the same time, healthy. And such sweet dishes as milk porridge, jam or preserves, compote will not suffer in any way from such a replacement, but on the contrary, they will only benefit. After all, they will be able to manifest healing properties sugar beets. Some are thrifty and skilled housewives can make a syrup from sugar beets that can be poured over, for example, pancakes and pancakes.
So, let’s summarize the healing qualities of this root vegetable, which has the following effects:
- anti-sclerotic,
- vasodilator,
- calming,
- hypoallergenic,
- diuretic,
- laxative,
- immunomodulatory.
Pectin substances, which are found in beets, help increase the protective qualities of the human body from radioactive metals (this also applies to heavy metals). In addition, the same substances help remove excess cholesterol from the body and normalize heart function.
Sugar beet calories
Sugar beets are not a high-calorie food. The calorie content of fresh sugar beets is forty-three kilocalories per hundred grams of product.
In this case, proteins include one and a half grams out of one hundred or six kilocalories. Fat accounts for about one tenth of a gram of the above amount of product or one kilocalorie. Carbohydrates contain the largest number of kilocalories - as much as thirty-six (per nine point one and one tenth grams).
You can demonstrate the ratio of energy indicators of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in one hundred grams of product. Sugar beets contain approximately thirteen percent protein; fat - two percent, and carbohydrates - eighty-one percent.
Contraindications to eating sugar beets
In nature, fortunately or unfortunately, there is no such product that would be useful exclusively to all people. There is definitely a category of people for whom a certain product is contraindicated.
Sugar beets are no exception to this rule. Dishes made from it are not recommended for use by patients with the following diseases:
- Urolithiasis disease.
- Kidney stone disease.
- Gout.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage.
- Gastritis with high acidity and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in which the acidity of gastric juice increases.
- Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, which have an aggravated form.
- Hypotension or low blood pressure.
At the same time, patients need to take into account the fact that the amount of sugar consumed per day should be minimized. Or even exclude this product from the diet, replacing it with other substances (natural) that sweeten the taste of dishes.
Contraindications to eating sugar beets also apply to patients with diabetes. This should not be surprising, since these people are contraindicated in all sweet foods that increase blood sugar levels. And white sugar beets, consisting of one-fifth sucrose, are precisely this prohibited product.
Metabolic disorders in humans, for example, obesity, are a direct contraindication to eating sugar beets. And all for the same reasons - a large amount of sucrose.
It would be worth noting that the amount of sugar in the diet of patients with diabetes and obesity should be kept to a minimum. In some cases, it is necessary to completely eliminate sugar and foods containing it from the diet.
Harm from sugar beets
Anyone, even the most useful product can be used not only for good, but also for harm. For example, sugar beets have a negative effect on patients with certain health problems. What are these problems?
First of all, diabetes and obesity, that is, problems with impaired metabolism. In which sucrose and sugar should not be consumed under any circumstances! If you ignore this warning, you can achieve an increase in blood sugar levels so much as to provoke a crisis of the disease (diabetes). In case of obesity, metabolic processes a person can get so out of control that, along with overweight A whole bunch of concomitant diseases will appear.
Hypotension or low blood pressure is the next disease in which the harm of consuming sugar beets has been proven. Sugar beets help lower blood pressure, and in this case, with constant low blood pressure, eating the root vegetable will cause constant ailments and health problems for the patient.
We already know from the above section that sugar beets are contraindicated for urolithiasis, but why? Yes, because beets contain a large amount of oxalic acid, which can cause the movement of stones in bladder and kidneys. Which will cause a deterioration in the patient’s condition and lead to unpredictable consequences.
Oxalic acid can also provoke the formation of new kidney stones. First, with the help of oxalic acid, salts accumulate in the kidneys, which are subsequently transformed into stones - oxalates. It is necessary to know that the negative properties of oxalic acid appear precisely after heat treatment of sugar beets. In this form, the above acid most quickly enters chemical reaction with calcium found in the human body, with the help of which salts are formed, leading to the formation of kidney deposits.
In the same way, oxalic acid in boiled beets also affects the joints - salts are formed in them, which leads to impaired mobility. This leads to an increase in injuries, both to the joints themselves and to the entire skeletal system.
For gout and rheumatoid arthritis, that is, diseases associated with impaired salt metabolism in the body, eating sugar beets can provoke an increase in the symptoms of these diseases.
If the acidity of the gastric juice is high, you should forget about beets, since they themselves increase the acidity. Failure to comply with these recommendations leads to the appearance of symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, heartburn, and so on.
If you are prone to loose stools, and especially with chronic diarrhea, any type of beet, including sugar beets, is contraindicated. Since beets have laxative properties and their regular use in case of these problems can seriously impair the activity digestive system. After which, serious treatment and a fairly long recovery period will be required to restore the body.
Sugar beet recipes
Sugar beet recipes for everyday use are as follows.
Recipe No. 1 – baked sugar beets
Ingredients:
- required amount of sugar beets.
Preparation:
- sugar beets are washed, peeled and cut into pieces;
- after which the prepared beets are laid out on a baking sheet and placed in the oven over low heat;
- bakes until done, which can be checked by piercing a piece of beets with a fork or knife.
Recipe No. 2 – sugar beet syrup
Ingredients:
- ten kilograms of beets;
- one liter of water.
Preparation:
- sugar beets are thoroughly washed, peeled and cut into pieces;
- take a stainless metal pan and place a lattice made of boiled water or a clay plate (possibly a earthenware plate) on its bottom; this is a necessary measure to ensure that the beets do not burn during cooking;
- after which the beet pieces are placed in stainless steel dishes for cooking;
- pour water into the pan, the beets should be covered with water;
- after the beets are cooked (the readiness of the beets can be checked with a fork or knife by simply pricking the beets), the juice is squeezed out of it;
- after which the resulting juice continues to simmer over low heat until it reaches the consistency of thick sour cream;
- after which the syrup is removed from the heat, cooled and warm poured into storage containers; It is necessary to use only glassware - jars and bottles;
- it is possible to add citric acid to sugar beets to avoid sugaring of the product (at the rate of one gram citric acid per kilogram of syrup);
- the resulting healthy additive in sweet and flour dishes has a sweet taste and brown color;
- Prepared sugar beet syrup can be used in making compotes and jellies, preserves and jams, cookies and muffins.
Recipe No. 3 – sugar beet salad
Ingredients:
- sugar beets - nine hundred grams,
- vegetable oil - four tablespoons,
- vinegar - four tablespoons,
- horseradish root - to taste,
- spices – ground cinnamon (to taste),
- sugar - one tablespoon,
- salt - to taste,
- sour cream - one glass,
- for decoration - chopped herbs, for example, parsley and dill.
Preparation:
- sugar beets are washed, peeled and cut into cubes or slices;
- dishes are taken from of stainless steel into which vegetable oil is poured;
- after which the prepared beets are placed in this container and mixed with vegetable oil;
- then the pan is covered with a lid and placed on high heat;
- the beets are not mixed in the bowl the entire time they are being cooked over the fire;
- after fifteen minutes, the beets are removed from the heat and cooled;
- after which the beets are sprinkled with one tablespoon of vinegar, salted, covered with ground cinnamon and mixed;
- horseradish root is grated;
- after which it must be poured with boiling water, covered with a lid and allowed to cool slightly;
- then the remaining three tablespoons of vinegar, sugar and sour cream are added to the horseradish;
- after which the horseradish is combined with the beets and everything is thoroughly mixed;
- The beets can be placed in a salad bowl prepared for this purpose and decorated with chopped herbs on top.
Recipe No. 4 – sugar beets with onions and cheese
Ingredients:
- sugar beet - three hundred grams,
- small seed onions - two hundred grams,
- tomatoes - one hundred grams,
- cheese - eighty grams,
- eggs - two pieces,
- butter - sixty grams,
- sour cream - two tablespoons,
- dill - to taste,
- salt - to taste.
Preparation:
- beets are washed and peeled;
- after which the prepared beets are boiled until tender, and then cooled and cut into cubes:
- the onion is peeled and sautéed together with the beets in butter;
- the vegetable mixture is salted, but only after the onion becomes soft;
- at this time, peeled and cut into small pieces tomatoes are placed in the frying pan;
- the cheese needs to be cut into strips;
- dill must be finely chopped;
- after which chopped cheese, sour cream, eggs and dill are mixed in a separate bowl;
- take a baking dish and grease it with oil;
- after which a vegetable mixture with beets is placed in it, which is poured on top with the cheese mixture;
- This dish is placed in the oven over medium heat and kept there for ten minutes;
- after which the mold must be removed and the dish transferred to a suitable container;
- As a decoration, the finished beetroot and cheese dish can be sprinkled with finely chopped dill.
Recipe No. 5 – beet sweets
Ingredients:
- sugar beet,
- water.
- Preparation:
- the beets are washed, peeled and cut into small pieces;
- after which the prepared beets are placed in a cast iron pot and filled with a small amount of water;
- then the cast iron is covered with a lid and steamed in a stove or oven;
- if necessary, you can gradually add water to the cast iron; You can do this until the beets become soft;
- after which the beets are removed from the cast iron and transferred to a flat metal baking sheet, and then placed back in the oven or oven;
- For some time, the beet pieces are dried in a stove or oven over low heat until cooked.
Beetroot is a biennial plant that belongs to the amaranth family. Previously, this plant was classified as a member of the goosefoot family. Today there are both annual and perennials of this family. The genus beet includes 13 plant species. But only two of them are grown in culture - ordinary and leaf beets.
To the delight of culinary gourmets, there is a wide variety of this plant. Tired of the usual colors? Do you want to diversify vegetable table? Culinary experts recommend paying attention to special bright varieties this root vegetable of alternative colors. So, what color are beets?
rainbow plant
Experts say that the tissues of any beet contain various plant pigments. They are the ones that color the root crop. In many varieties, these shades are obscured by a dark red color, so others do not appear. Using exactly the same principle, all components of borscht or vinaigrette are painted in bright beetroot tones.
But what color can beets actually be? After all, we are accustomed to using only varieties of a dark red hue.
Few people know that beets can be not only red or burgundy. Common today edible root vegetables with a white, striped or golden core. There are varieties whose root crops change color as they ripen from white to red. But what type and color are the most delicious beets?
Not only the roots, but also the tops - leaves and petioles - can boast of original coloring. Many summer residents will appreciate such varieties, because the beds will look very original and elegant.
Beetroot with golden roots
You may be surprised, but in our market you can find different varieties of beets. What color should I choose? For example, yellow fruits are sold under the name “golden globe” or “golden ball”. But these plant varieties are not included in the State Register. Therefore, we can assume that these vegetables are simply renamed foreign ones.
The most common varieties with light flesh include:
- Burpee's Golden.
- Boldor.
- Golden Detroit.
The oldest varieties of such beets include Burpee’s Golden. The disadvantage of this plant is low germination seeds For this reason, agronomists recommend sowing in several stages. The name of the variety is not accidental. The bright flesh glows like gold. Even if we do not take into account color features, the root vegetable would deserve its name due to its excellent taste and rich composition of nutrients.
Among the representatives of yellow beets, the Boldor variety occupies a special place. Pulp bright sunny color, and the skin is orange in color. The color contrast is especially noticeable with the bright green leaves. This variety is characterized by higher seed germination compared to the previous one. And all root vegetables have almost same size and shape.
Beet pulp is tasty and sweet. Young leaves can also be eaten. They are eaten raw, fried or steamed.
Another beet variety with bright flesh is the rare Detroit variety - Golden Detroit. Fruits with golden, richly colored pulp and excellent taste. Compared to other varieties, adult roots of this beet do not become coarse and do not lose juice when damaged. The foliage of the plant is also used in cooking. They can be collected throughout the season. The leaves are used like spinach.
The Golden Detroit variety stores well and is resistant to bolting.
White beets
What color beets can please any housewife? The answer is simple - yellow and white. After all, these varieties do not stain your hands during cooking and do not leave difficult to remove stains on clothes.
Popular varieties of white beets:
- Albina Veredun.
- Yellow Cylindrical.
In Europe, the white beet variety Albina Veredun is considered popular. Sometimes this root vegetable can be seen on sale under the name Albino, Snowhite or Albino White. This variety is interesting to buyers not only due to its snow-white pulp. Its wavy beautiful leaves are very valuable.
Many housewives will confidently say that this root vegetable is not suitable for making borscht. And so it is. But all culinary specialists claim that soups with the addition of white beets will have a pleasant, soft and rich taste. Puree from this vegetable is served as a side dish for poultry and fish.
The leaves of this beet are also used. They are used to decorate dishes; they contain many minerals and vitamins. Therefore, greens are also eaten.
Today, the Yellow Cylindrical variety is also gaining particular popularity. It is a cylindrical root vegetable yellow color outside. Pulp white, tasty and very juicy.
Incredible colors
The Chioggi variety can be called a surprise. After all, when growing this root crop for the first time, many people have no idea how bright colors will have to face during cooking.
The round, bright root vegetable is covered with an orange-red skin. The foliage is shiny, dark green. Petioles are ruby red. But when you cut the root vegetable, you will see an alternation of red and white rings.
As they ripen, all the red rings gradually expand, while the white ones, on the contrary, narrow. During cooking, the colors are mixed, and the root vegetable inside becomes a soft pink hue.
The attractive appearance is matched by the taste of the root vegetable - sweet, tender and juicy.
Such a vegetable in any form will become worthy decoration any dish.
So, we found out what color beets are. These varieties are actively used for preparing various dishes. Undoubtedly, there are technical grades, which are also very important.
Sugar beet
It is designed for the production of ethanol and sugar. The roots of this plant contain up to 22% sucrose.
Everyone knows what beets are. The skin is yellowish, the flesh is white. This biennial plant is grown as an annual to produce good harvest root vegetables Depending on the variety, the weight of one vegetable reaches from 300 g to 3 kg. The leaves are bright green.
This heat-loving plant is very demanding on the composition of the soil. Sugar beets grow best on black soil.
Agronomists have proven that the roots of this plant contain many useful microelements and vitamins. IN folk medicine Methods of treatment with sugar beets are also known. And the benefits of consuming this root vegetable are in no way inferior to the effect of other varieties. Today on personal plots This variety is often grown. It is used as a sweetener in baked goods, compotes, syrups and salads.
Be sure to peel the root vegetable before use. The peel has a characteristic unpleasant taste.
Conclusion
Today there are many types and varieties of beets. This root vegetable has become an indispensable product in our lives. It contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, experiment, try. After all, now you know what color beets can be found on the shelves. Believe me, from a wide variety of varieties you will find exactly the one that suits your taste the most.
The site received a letter from its subscriber Valentin Kuznetsov from the city of Lipetsk. He writes: “On my own summer cottage We successfully grow root vegetables and store them in the cellar. Our family is large, our grandchildren are already grown up, and there are enough vegetables for everyone. Yes, that's it eldest daughter I began to complain that last year our beets were born with numerous light veins and were not so sweet. Also, when you grate it, it leaves a lot of fibers. Explain why the beets grew fibrous inside? After all, this has never happened before.”
Dear Valentin
Let's first figure out why your beets are not so red - they have striped flesh. We are used to these root vegetables having a rich dark burgundy color. Meanwhile, there are varieties in which light rings alternate with red ones in the cross section. For example, the Chioggia variety, very popular in Italy. Local chefs love to decorate salads with beet slices.
In our country, varieties of table beets of various shades of red are mainly cultivated, and the fodder ones have light rings. Perhaps you purchased and sowed seeds of dubious origin. Now, unfortunately, gardeners often complain about the quality of seeds and their high cost. So last year you grew beets of poor quality.
Now let's try to answer the second question, why are beets fibrous inside? The coarse fibers inside the root vegetable are bundles of vessels that are always present in it. They, at unfavorable conditions growing, they become fibrous and tough.
Very important for beets proper watering. If there was a dry period in the summer, when there was practically no moisture or there was minimal watering, which did not moisten the soil to a sufficient depth, then the beets will grow fibrous.
The quality of this root crop also largely depends on the nutrition and condition of the soil. Where it is poor and lacks potassium, beets will contain hard fibers in their pulp. True, there is another extreme. In beds that are too richly fertilized with humus and nitrogen fertilizers, beets can also grow fibrous.
The quality of beets is affected by a deficiency of microelements such as magnesium, boron, magnesium, sodium and iron. In order to obtain a high-quality and rich harvest of these root crops experienced gardeners It is recommended to add 1 square meter to the soil in the fall. meter of superphosphate - 30 g, ammonium nitrate - 35 g, potassium chloride - 40 g.
Root crops that have begun to form, that is, after the second thinning, should be fed with potassium chloride and superphosphate at 10 g/sq.m. Do not forget about fertilizers that contain microelements, primarily boron.
ABOUT beneficial properties Many books have been written about beets and they are absolutely justified - they are simply a storehouse of vitamins, microelements, minerals and bioflavonoids. Since childhood, everyone knows that beets are a powerful remedy that helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular diseases. This vegetable has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, excellently removes toxins and fights tumor formations. Beets are incredibly popular in Russia due to their unpretentiousness and healing properties. For the first time in Rus', beets began to be eaten in the 10th century, and today it is simply impossible to imagine traditional Russian cuisine without aromatic, satisfying and rich borscht. Grow this vegetable crop in all domestic regions - from the southern steppes to the frosty taiga. This became possible due to large quantity different varieties beets, which can be selected in accordance with certain climatic conditions. In Russia, the varieties Bordeaux, Pablo, Detroit, Mulatka, Cylinder, etc. are especially popular. Beets are divided into several types: fodder, table, leaf, sugar, etc. In cooking, we use table beets, which are extremely beneficial for health and have a rich, bright color. -burgundy color and juicy pulp. However, sometimes housewives note that beets contain white veins or white rings and are afraid to use such a vegetable in cooking. Why are white veins dangerous and what can they indicate? Why white streaks appear in beets There are many opinions about why white streaks appear in beets. Most often called following reasons their appearance: unfavorable climatic conditions(prolonged droughts or prolonged rainfall); poor soil (low potassium content); a long break between watering the plant or its insufficiency; rapid growth of root crops; the vegetable contains a high amount of nitrates;