BEETROOT

"Beet juice can cure cancer"     - Dr. Firenczi, Hungary

 INTRODUCTION

The native home of the beet is the Mediterranean area and the South-Western Asia. The beetroot has been used as food for the last 2000 years. The early Romans and the Greeks used to consume it  profusely. The Old Greeks looked upon the beet as being good for cooling the blood. The beet is a    bulbous root. It resembles a top. It is of two colours Red-Violet and White.

QUALITIES

The beetroot is somewhat hard to digest. It is oily, cool, nutritious and a bile-controller. It improves the quality of the blood. It reddens and vitalizes the body. The betaine content of the beet helps in cleaning the stomach and the intestine.

ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS

Water                                                83.8%

Protein                                             1.7%

Fat                                                   0.1%

Carbohydrates                                13.6%

Cakcium                                         0.20%

Phosphorus                                    0.06%

Vitamin 'B1'                                   210 micrograms / 100gm

Vitamin 'B2'                                   90 micrograms / 100gm

Nicotinic acid                                 0.4 mg.

Vitamin 'C'                                     8.8 mg/ 100gm  

USE

The beetroot is used as a salad. We in India rarely use the beet, but in foreign countries the beet-juice is widely used and its unique benefits are taken advantage of. Adequate amounts of nutrients can be extracted by pounding or shredding the beet. A juicer is very convenient for extracting juice from the beet. Beet-juice can be mixed with the juice of carrots, cabbage, mango or papaya.

BENEFITS

In France, there have been many experiments on the use of very large quantities of beet-juice to aid recovery in cases of malignancy. Some promising results have been reported. In Germany, beet-juice is available in bottles. It is widely used as a powerful restorative during convalescence.

    In 1946, a German naturopath Kunstmann was successful in curing a number of cancer-patients with beet-juice. Therafter, in 1950, Dr. Firenczi from Hungary successfully treated a patient of malignant tumour with beet-juice. It was noted that beet-juice had a beneficial effect on other ailments also. Many patients gained weight by consuming beet-juice. At Sorna in Hungary the experiments on this beet-therapy are still in progress. In this therapy, the patient is supported on water fast for first two days. Then for a few days the patient is given fruit-juices. In the third stage, he is given a mixture of 250 grams of beet-juice and 250 grams of carrot-juice. This regimen is then continued throughout the treatment period.

    Beet-juice is harmless and beneficial. As it is rejuvenating, it is effective in every type of weakness. It also ourifies the blood and brings redness to the body.