When Life Gives You Tiny Beets
When life gives you little itty bitty beets, what do you do? Make beetroot lemonade! I was too eager to see what was growing beneath the dirt in my first beetroot harvest from my garden last summer so I plucked up a few beets before they were quite big enough to make a dish with. So, I decided to juice them. Instead of settling for the flavor of plain beets, I jazzed it up with some ginger and lemon to create this zesty refresher that also identifies as a mocktail.
You’ll Feel better Instantly
Just looking at a tall glass of this drink gives me a feeling of well being. The vibrant red combined with knowing the power and goodness that’s in it makes this beetroot lemonade so inviting and refreshing. Lemonade is simple, but has stood the test of time for a reason. Lemons are chock full of the most reliable antioxidant, vitamin C, and this delicious vehicle lends itself to endless combinations and variations. The addition of beetroot and ginger is a perfect nourishing twist on classic lemonade that you are sure to enjoy.
Health Benefits of This Recipe
🌱Beetroot
Beetroots are rich in nitrates, which convert to nitric oxide which helps relax blood vessels. They also contain betalains and polyphenols that help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and betaine, which supports liver function and detoxification. My favorite is they are rich in folate and iron which are important for red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis.
🌿Ginger
Ginger stimulates bile and digestive enzymes, helping with bloating, nausea, and indigestion. It contains the compounds gingerol and shogaol which reduce inflammation and may help with menstrual pain, arthritis, and general aches. Some studies show ginger may help lower fasting blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity. Ginger is also a well known anti-emetic, effective for morning sickness and motion sickness.
🍋 Lemons
Lemons are powerhouses of vitamin C, which supports immune health, collagen production, and acts as a potent antioxidant. The lemon zest contains the polyphenols and d-limonene which possesses anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Moreover, lemon perfectly complements the iron in beetroot as the vitamin C enhances non-heme iron absorption from plant foods.
Beetroot Lemonade Recipe!
A delicious mocktail that is vibrant and good for you!
Blend the ginger with half the water and strain into a glass carafe or other container for storing the lemonade (blending can be done together with beetroot, but separately might be preferable if you would like to use the beet pulp or ginger pulp in other recipes
Add the juice of 2 lemons to the container with the ginger juice. Zest the lemons using a grater to create lemon zest to use in this recipe and/or freeze for later.
Blend the beetroot and lemon zest with the rest of the water and strain into the container with ginger juice.
Serve over ice and garnish with mint leaves (optional). Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 servings
1
- Amount per serving
- Calories23
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 0g
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 0mg
- Sodium 27mg2%
- Net Carbohydrate 6g3%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Total Sugars 2g
- Includes 0g Added Sugars0%
- Protein -1g
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
