he health benefits of
Beet Extracts
August 2008
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What are the potential health benefits of beet extracts and
betanin?


Beets used to be only found in salad bars in canned form, and
on European menus, but with the culinary winds changing, this
root is now commonly seen in stateside grocery stores
everywhere. This root vegetable like its turnip cousin has two
parts — the edible root and the edible green leave. The serving
size of cooked beets is 1/2 cup (85 g) contains 35 calories, 8 g
of carbohydrate, 2 g of dietary fiber, 7 g of sugars, 1 g of
protein, and trace amounts of vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Researchers from Israel found a class of dietary cationized
antioxidants (betalains) in red beets (Beta vulgaris L.) This class
of antioxidants consists mainly of betanin (betanidin 5-O-beta-
glucoside). Betanin was found to inhibit lipid peroxidation and
heme decomposition. They believe that red beet products used
regularly in the diet may provide benefits against certain
oxidative stress-related disorders. [2]

Researchers from Research Institute of Nutrition, Slovak
Republic, found that red beet (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) fiber
diet reduced serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels (by 30
and 40%, respectively) and increased in the fraction of
cholesterol carried in HDL in a study of male Wistar rats
suffered from hypercholesterolemia. It also reduced incidence of
precancerous lesions--aberrant crypt foci--in the colon. [1]

Agarwal M, et al at VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, India,
administrated ethanolic beta vulgaris roots extracts orally to
rats with hepatoxicity at doses of 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg.
They found the significant dose-dependent hepatoprotective
activity against carbontetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced
hepatotoxicity in the animals. [3]

Kapadia GJ and co-workers at Howard University identified
betanin, the extract of Beta vulgaris (beet root), as a potent
cancer chemopreventive agent from Epstein-Barr early antigen
activation assay and in an in vivo two-stage mouse lung and
skin carcinogenesis. They further confirmed their finding in a
study of mice. [4]

------------------------------------------------------
How does beet fiber benefit people suffered from
diabetes?


It has been observed that a diet high in fiber is useful in the
management of the plasma glucose concentration in individuals
with diabetes. While, national diabetes associations have
recommended that diabetic individuals ingest a diet high in fiber-
containing foods.

Studies have shown that addition of water-soluble, gel-forming
fiber such as guar gum to an ingested glucose solution or to a
mixed meal will reduce the expected rise in glucose
concentration. But, a few long-term, well-controlled trials
indicate guar gum, pectin, beet fiber, or cereal bran fiber
ingested with meals has been of little or no value in controlling
the plasma glucose concentration in individuals with diabetes.
The effect of reducing rise in glucose concentration is only
observed when large amounts of fiber are added. [1]

Cholesterol lowering effect is one of the common health benefits
of water-soluble fibers.

In a randomized cross-over study, researchers supplied 16 g of
beet fiber to diabetic patients in their diets. They found that
intake of the beet fiber could result in a 10% reduction of serum
cholesterol in sulphonylurea-treated patients. However, patients
experienced also mild gastrointestinal discomfort. [2] In another
study, researchers from Sweden found that intake of 27 g of
beet-fiber could decrease systolic blood pressure, triglyceride
and LDL/HDL ratio and increase the HDL cholesterol. [3]

How does water soluble fiber help diabetes (in general)?
Researchers from Finland supplied 22 middle-aged subjects with
abnormal glucose metabolism with a drink of sugar beet pectin
for 12 weeks. They found a rise in HDL but no change in fasting
(no food, empty stomach) plasma glucose concentration in
these subjects. [6] In another study, intake of beet fiber was
associated with increased somatostatin concentration,
decreased insulin and C-peptide levels. And also, it didn't alter
the plasma glucose responses. [4] On the other hand,
researchers found that addition of 10.8 g of beet-fiber into
breakfasts was associated with a reduction of the extent and
rate of glucose absorption and a rise of somatostatin response
in diabetic patients. [5] Addition of water-soluble, gel-forming
fiber such as beet-fiber to an ingested glucose solution or to a
mixed meal will reduce glucose absorption and thus the
expected rise in glucose concentration. In sum, beet-fiber is not
for lowering glucose level but for retarding its absorption,
during food ingestion. Thus, we should take beet-fiber right
before meal or with meal to get its effect on glucose absorption.


This article is for reference only. If you have any question, please,
consult with your doctor. Please note that the performance of a
supplement or extract in animal studies may be different in human
body. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ZHION 2008

Reference for Section I [1] Bobek P, Galbavy S, Mariassyova M.
The effect of red beet (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) fiber on
alimentary hypercholesterolemia and chemically induced colon
carcinogenesis in rats. Nahrung. 2000 Jun;44(3):184-7.
[2] Kanner J et al, Betalains--a new class of dietary cationized
antioxidants. J Agric Food Chem. 2001 Nov;49(11):5178-85 [3]
Agarwal M, et al Hepatoprotective activity of Beta vulgaris against
CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats. Fitoterapia. 2006 Feb;77(2):
91-3. Epub 2005 Dec 20. [4] Kapadia GJ, et al, Chemoprevention
of DMBA-induced UV-B promoted, NOR-1-induced TPA promoted
skin carcinogenesis, and DEN-induced phenobarbital promoted
liver tumors in mice by extract of beetroot. Pharmacol Res. 2003
Feb;47(2):141-8.

Reference for Section II [1] Nuttall FQ. Dietary fiber in the
management of diabetes. Diabetes 1993 Apr;42(4):503-8. [2]
Karlander S. et al, Metabolic effects and clinical value of beet fiber
treatment in NIDDM patients.. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1991 Feb;
11(2):65-71. [3] Hagander B. et al, Dietary fibre
enrichment, blood pressure, lipoprotein profile and gut hormones
in NIDDM patients. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;43(1):35-44. [4]
Hagander B. Fibre and the diabetic diet. An evaluation of the
metabolic response to standardized meals. Acta Med Scand
Suppl. 1987;716:1-55. [5] Hagander B<> et al, Reduced
glycemic response to beet-fibre meal in non-insulin-dependent
diabetics and its relation to plasma levels of pancreatic and
gastrointestinal hormones. Diabetes Res. 1986 Feb;3(2):91-6. [6]
Schwab U, et al, Impact of sugar beet pectin and polydextrose on
fasting and postprandial glycemia and fasting concentrations of
serum total and lipoprotein lipids in middle-aged subjects with
abnormal glucose metabolism. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006 Sep;60(9):
1073-80. Epub 2006 Mar 8.