When you think of a real winter salad full of health and vitamins during this period, we are sure that it is beetroot. Prof. Dr. Vesna Srećković Dimitrijević, an endocrinologist, reveals why beetroot salad is the best choice for various health problems.
– You can boil or bake fresh beetroot, then peel it and cut it into thin rings. Finely chop the garlic, salt to taste, add olive oil and a little apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and mix – explains Dr. Srećković Dimitrijević, and states why this salad is so healthy:
– Beets are a root vegetable that belongs to the same family as sugar beets and is rich in vitamins C and B6, dietary fiber, folic acid, manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. It increases the body’s resistance to respiratory system infections, so it is recommended for sore throats, flu and other respiratory diseases. It is recommended in the treatment of anemia, and because it has a cytostatic effect and anticancer properties, it is used in numerous cancers during and after radiation therapy. Dietary fiber helps reduce cholesterol, and is also useful in liver and bile duct diseases and in physical and mental exhaustion – says the doctor.
It goes best with olive oil
For salad, it is best to use extra virgin olive oil, which has significant effects on improving good HDL cholesterol and reducing bad LDL cholesterol.
– Monounsaturated fats in olive oil reduce insulin resistance, affect good glycoregulation, and prevent cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and cancer. Olive oil contains the highest percentage of monounsaturated fats, as much as 78% compared to sunflower oil, which contains 14%, and grapeseed oil, which contains 17%.
In addition to monounsaturated fats, olive oil contains oleic acid, vitamin E, beta carotene, sterols and tocopherols and prevents atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels.
– Olive oil and lemon, which is a powerful antioxidant and antiseptic, strengthen immunity, and can also be combined with apple cider vinegar, which is produced by fermenting apples and increases immunity. Garlic, which has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, and together with olive oil, apple cider vinegar and parsley can be used as a dressing for fish and for various salads.
Source: Endokrinolog.rs/ Kurir.rs
