Beetroot for beauty: 7 skin and hair benefits of this vibrant veggie

Come winter, come beetroots! These bright coloured tubers are not only healthy, but tasty and juicy too. To begin with, they are packed with a host of vitamins and minerals, and barely contain any calories. This sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Apart from your overall well-being, these are a blessing for your skin’s health and pretty tresses!

According to Dr Sejal Saheta, Dermatologist and Venereologist, Inurskn, beetroot can be a great addition to one’s winter diet,

“Our body naturally produces antioxidants to combat the oxidative stress, but it also needs additional antioxidants from our food sources. Beetroots are one of the best sources of antioxidants,” Saheta tells HealthShots.

What do antioxidants like beetroot do for your skin? “They help you keep away signs of ageing, reduce acne and also control undesired pigmentation. But more importantly antioxidants, play a major role in staving off a variety of skin diseases. I highly encourage my patients to eat foods rich in antioxidants like beetroots,” the expert adds.

Here are some beauty benefits of beetroots that will make you an absolute fan of the vegetable:

1. Beetroots contain anti-ageing properties:

   Have you secretly dreamt of achieving an age-defying, pretty face? Beetroots might help you get somewhere close to that. It contains a high content of antioxidants known as alpha-lipoic acid, which help neutralize the action of free radicals and delay cell ageing. Welcome youthful skin!

2. Beetroots for smooth skin:

   Dull and lifeless skin is a common problem these days and beetroots target that! Being rich in iron and carotenoids, they are a savior for dry and parched skin.

3. They improve complexion:

   This is no fairness cream commercial, but beetroots are known to brighten up your skin complexion a little, but organically! Beetroot juice is not only a yummy drink to sip on, but it works as a detoxifying agent that can purify your blood. A complete detox is bound to give you an envious glow and improved skin complexion. Voila!

4. Treats dark circles and puffy eyes:

   Those pesky panda eyes are inevitable with our increasing screen time and lack of sleep. But beetroots can help you get rid of that ‘always tired’ look. The iron content in beetroots can revive the damaged cells from within. In addition to this, beets are an amazing source of antioxidants, which have skin revitalising effects. These properties of beetroot can fade away your dark circles and bid goodbye to your eye bags.

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5. Beetroots can treat acne:

   Beetroots contain pigments called betalains, which are said to have anti-inflammatory properties. This means that beetroots are capable of soothing itching and inflammation around the pimples. They are known for controlling oil secretion to prevent breakouts. Ain’t it a blessing in disguise?

6. Beetroots moisturise and stain lips:

   Their dyeing properties have made them the most sought-after ingredient in the cosmetic industry. They are not only rich in antioxidants but help stain your lips with a gorgeous pink hue! The vitamin C in beets helps in decreasing melanin formation which can do good for dark and pigmented lips. What are you waiting for? Rub a chilled slice on your pucker!

7. Beetroots improve hair health:

   Say yes if your hair health has gone for a toss during the winter season. There may be many underlying causes of this problem, but beetroot can reverse some hair damage for you. Due to their high level of iron, electrolytes and potassium, they can repair flat and lifeless hair that are prone to breakage.

   Also Read: 8 finger-licking-good ways of eating beetroot. You’re welcome!

More benefits of beetroots

Other than these nutritional and topical benefits for skin, beets are known to cut down the risk of premature ageing and its effects. In a study, by the University of Exeter, 26 healthy older people took part in two ten-day supplementation periods: one with nitrate-rich beetroot juice and another with nitrate-free placebo juice, which they drank twice a day.

The results showed higher levels of bacteria associated with good vascular and cognitive health, and lower levels of bacteria linked to disease and inflammation and an improved oral microbiome.

Maintaining this healthy oral microbiome in the long term might slow down the negative vascular and cognitive changes associated with aging, according to the study’s lead author Professor Anni Vanhatal of the University of Exeter.

The last word

Beetroots, often called chukandar in Indian households, are a great source of fibre that ensures your digestive system stays healthy. This vegetable is excellent for those who are anaemic. In spite of no calories, beetroots have a considerable amount of vitamins — A, C, B6 and folate, which are needed by your body to stay healthy.

Though beetroots are well-tolerated by almost everybody, check yourself for allergy or side effects before eating them or using their extracts topically. Beetroots are underappreciated for the goodness they contain. It will be wise to give this power-packed veggie a chance for a healthy looking skin!