Carrot & Beetroot Salad: Iron for Hair Growth
A big part of healthy, thick hair is what you eat.
As part of our Friday Food Feature, NaHaZo shares some nutrient rich foods that you can consume to see improvement in the health of your hair.
We encourage you to add an Iron-rich recipe to your menu each week. This will not only help you achieve your hair goals, but also improve your overall nutritional health.
Food Feature: Beetroot & Carrot Salad
Our hair food feature this week is Beetroot.
Beetroot is a superpower Iron-rich food as it helps raise iron levels, lowers blood pressure and helps reduce inflammation.
We unpack all things Beetroot:-
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Nutritional Value
Beetroot contains the following essential nutrients:
🌺 Iron: which helps red blood cells carry oxygen easily.
🌺 Folate: this aids cell health.
🌺 Magnesium: supports the immune system, heart muscles and nerves.
🌺Vitamin B6: boosts metabolism and red blood cell production.
🌺 Calcium: essential for bone health and strength.
🌺 Manganese: contributes to metabolism and blood sugar levels.
🌺 Phosphorus: for bones and teeth and helps repair cells.
🌺 Copper: helps create collagen, maintain bones and blood vessels, and supports a healthy Immune function.
🌺 Zinc: promotes wound healing, supports the immune system and ensures normal body development.
🌺 Phytochemicals: stimulates the immune system, and reduces inflammation and oxidative stress.
🌺Nitrates: improves blood flow and promotes heart health.
🌺Betalain: Has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-toxin properties.
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How to eat Iron-rich Beets for Hair Growth
Now that we discussed the benefits of beetroots, this superfood can be prepared and consumed in the following ways:-
🌺Juiced in a blender
🌺Prepared in a salad.
Tips to prepare Iron-rich beets for maximum hair growth
Follow these tips and tricks to get the best out of Iron-rich beets:-
🌺 When cooking beets, you should not put them on high flame as this causes them to lose many essential nutrients due to high heat.
🌺 Remove the skin of beets before cooking.
🌺 The dietary nitrates in beets are water-soluble. It is therefore best to avoid boiling beets if you’d like to maximize their nitrate content. Rather thinly slice or grate them.
🌺 Raw beets contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than cooked beets.
🌺 To retain the nutrients in beets, you can either roast or sauté them instead. Another alternative is to lightly steam them for just a few minutes
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Consume Iron with Vitamin C Rich Food
To further aid the absorption of Iron, you need to eat it with vitamin C rich foods, as this helps promote hair growth.
In today’s recipe, carrots pack that high Vitamin C (as well as some iron) punch, which makes for a perfect salad combination.
Beetroot & Carrot Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbs white vinegar
- 2 bunch beetroots
- 2 carrots, peeled
- 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 4 dates, pitted, sliced
Method
- Trim stems from beetroot and peel. Thinly slice them and then set aside.
- Grate the carrots and combine with finely cut dates, parsley, onion and almond.
- Whisk oil, juice, vinegar, mustard and maple syrup together in a .mixing bowl.
- Then combine the beets, carrot mixture and dressing in a large serving bowl.
- Toss well to combine before serving.
Voila! You are ready to munch down.
Side-effects of consuming a lot of beets
Consuming beetroots has no adverse side effects.
However, as with everything in life, you should consume beets in moderation.
Some known side effects of consuming too much beetroot are:-
- Pink / purple urine and stool due to the natural pigments in beets changing the colour of your waste. This is, however, no cause for concern and your urine colour will revert to normal when you consume less beets.
- The nitrates in beets can affect blood pressure and so people with low blood pressure or taking blood pressure medication should monitor their levels. They should also consult their health care professional when introducing beets into their diet.
- Beets contain high levels of oxalates, which can cause kidney stones. Therefore people at high risk of this disease should consume with caution.
As discussed, beets have a lot of health benefits, not just for your hair, but for your overall health.
Slowly incorporate this superfood into your diet and consume in moderation, so as to limit any adverse effects.
Do you regularly eat this salad? Do you have any additional tips to add flavour to it?
Share any hints, tips and feedback in the comments below.
🌺 Till the next time, happy naturaling ladies.
