Beta vulgaris L.

Beet (Beta vulgaris) is a biennial herb about 60 cm tall, up to 2 meters when flowering, from the Amaranthaceae family distributed in Asia Minor and the Mediterranean, cultivated since the 1st century AD. Its root is rich in betanin, a natural red dye used by the food industry in jam and ice cream. Beet has a long history in treating tumors, from Ancient Rome to modern herbal cancer treatment.

Beet is generally found growing in places at elevations above 1,000 m asl. It grows best in areas where the mean annual daytime temperature is in the range of 15-25°C, but can tolerate 4-35°C. This species prefers conditions where mean annual rainfall is in the range of 600-1,500 mm, but tolerates 500-2,500 mm. Beet growth is suited to winter conditions if it is to flower and produce seed, therefore plants grown in tropical regions generally do not produce seed. Beet can grow well in sun or bright shade and succeeds in various soil types. Prefers deep, loose, well-drained soil with abundant organic matter, but grows poorly in clay soil. The optimal soil pH degree ranges between 6.0-6.8, but this plant can tolerate a pH of 5-8.3. Beet is also tolerant of saline soil and soil with manganese toxicity.

• Roots a taproot that grows into a tuber, large, fleshy, red, dark to purple, but can also be yellow or white.
• Stem has a short underground stem connected to the taproot.
• Leaves unifoliate, basal forming a rosette, arising from the swollen lower stem, oblong shaped, with prominent red, yellow, or white venation, leaves green.
• Flowers small, bisexual, greenish, stalkless. Each flower consists of 3 carpels, 5 stamens, and 5 sepals (the outermost layer of the flower) without petals, with a narrow green bract below it that is a modified leaf. Inflorescence a raceme.
• Fruit dry and indehiscent.
• Seeds single-seeded, round to kidney shaped. Seeds horizontal with a thin testa, starchy albumen, and an annular embryo.

• Propagation is done generatively using seed.
• The root can be harvested 7-8 weeks after planting, and new leaves can be harvested from plants that have not yet matured.

Saponins, betaine phytosterin, betanin, betalains (betacyanin, betaxanthins), isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, tyrosinase, lysine, arginine, histidine, phenylalanine, urease, flavonoids, neobetanin, anthocyanins, pentose, amino acids, steroids, folic acid.

Treats itching, ulcers and wounds, bruises, boils, diabetes, anemia, jaundice, liver and kidney disease, lowers cholesterol, clears scabs and dandruff, prevents hair loss, relieves toothache, stimulates the immune and hematopoietic (blood-forming) systems, a tonic for women, helps in treating tumors, leukemia and cancer (breast, esophageal, glandular, head, intestinal, leg, lip, lung, prostate, rectal, spleen, stomach, and uterine cancer). Has cooling and diaphoretic properties, expectorant, diuretic, laxative, aphrodisiac, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial.

• Prepare an adequate amount of fresh beet root, wash clean with running water.
• Cut the root into pieces to make it easier to dry.
• Dry under the sun or with an oven at 40°C until the moisture content reaches 10%.
• Store in a clean, airtight container.

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