What are the secretes of Russian centenarians? What keeps them going beyond an average life expectancy ( 78.06 years overall) through the cold, sunless winters, absent of food variety and with stressful lives? It is the root vegetables that are raised during short summers and can be stored for use during long winters. Beets and garlic have been the staple items in the diet of Russian centenarians. They consumed the two vegetables regularly out of necessity long before any documented health benefits.
Current research from the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute cite multiple beneficial properties of both beets and garlic. Listed below are just a few of these benefits.
Beets:
1) Beet is a powerful antioxidant and promotes detoxification.
2) Beet consumption is linked with increased athletic performance in healthy adults.
3) Lowered blood pressure is associated with diet that includes beets.
Garlic:
1) Garlic has anti-inflammatory benefits which has therapeutic potential in cancer prevention.
2) Dietary supplementation with garlic enhances immune system function and therefore leads to decreased severity and frequency of cold and flu.
3) Garlic can lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and benefit people with heart disease.
Do you need more reasons for eating beets and garlic besides maintaining health and living long? Being Russian myself, I have many beet & garlic recipes in my cooking repertoire. I will post one of my favorite, simple beet & garlic recipes in the food section this week. Stay tuned!
