Beetroot – The new fertility hero

-Harley Street Fertility Clinic nutritionist praises the vegetables’ health credentials –

Beetroot is not everyone’s favourite vegetable but it has experienced a bit of a revival recently thanks to its use by athletes at the Olympics for increasing blood flow to the muscles and the news that it can help treat blood pressure. Supermarkets report sales are up by 20% in the last four years alone and the once humble summer veggie has achieved the unlikely status of the new superfood!

Beetroot for fertility

Beetroot contains nitric oxide which dilates blood vessels allowing a rich supply of oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to flow to the uterus and ovaries. This ‘opening’ of the arteries allowing blood to flow more freely is also the reason why drinking beetroot juice regularly may help lower blood pressure and improve brain function; some research has shown improvement in memory before specific tests.

For women undergoing IVF treatment with a thin uterine lining, Melanie Brown, Nutritionist at The Harley Street Fertility Clinic comments; “I always recommend 300mls of beetroot juice a day until implantation. Uterine blood flow is so incredibly important for implantation; aspirin and Clexane thin the blood and increase uterine flow. So if you have thin uterine lining I would recommend trying beetroot juice in combination with other foods that increase blood flow, such as a handful of blueberries”

Melanie add; “Beetroot is also a great source of iron so a great vegetable for vegetarians to include in their diet.”

If you’re looking for beetroot ideas, why not try one of the following:

• Try finely grated fresh beetroot mixed with horseradish and crème fraiche with smoked trout & healthy soda bread
• Why not make a freshly squeezed beetroot, apple, carrot & ginger juice
• Or roast baby beetroot; arrange in a dish with butternut squash. Cut both into round slices, drizzle with a little rape seed oil and scatter with fresh thyme, then roast for about 40 minutes.
• Try raw finely sliced beetroot with baby spinach and torn buffalo mozzarella with a sweet balsamic and olive oil dressing
• Or a colourful grated beetroot and carrot salad with a dressing of rape seed oil, apple cider vinegar and a little honey makes a health light meal.

Why not try beetroot powder?

Whether you are undergoing IVF treatment or are starting to plan for a family it’s a great idea to start juicing to get all the right nutrients. To make life a little bit easier Zingology have taken the best organic beets and used their patented process which extracts the water molecules using a gentle light process leaving all the enzymes, nutrients, vitamins, colour and flavour of fresh beetroot juice. This is a totally unique powder and is the closest thing you will find to eating fresh organic beetroot.

The Zingology powders are not like freeze dried powders as those loose taste and nutrients in the freeze drying process. Zingology powders taste good enough to eat off the spoon and mix back into a juice easily. We like to add beetroot and carrot juice powder to freshly pressed apple juice and if you want an extra zing add a bit of fresh ginger!

A single serving of 9 grams is the equivalent to the juice of 2.5 beets. You simply mix with water to turn it back into juice or add to freshly pressed apple juice, sprinkle on salads, mix into dips or use in baking cakes and desserts. It’s a great way to get the goodness of fresh beetroot but in a quick, convenient way without the mess. One canister contains the juice of 52 beets. For more information click on the image.