My CSA (community supported agriculture) farmer offered me a bundle of small beets. For this CSA, I can pick from a variety of available foods each week. Beets are not a go-to food for me, but the registered dietitian in me enjoys learning about foods, so I took the beets home.

Nutritionally, 1 cup of diced, cooked beets, also called beetroot, contains around 70 calories, 15g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, and 2g protein. Beets are a source of vitamins and minerals, including several B-vitamins, potassium, and magnesium. Beets do not have a significant amount of fat but do naturally contain some sodium. The leaves and stems of beets are edible, contain few calories or macronutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates), and are a source of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and K, calcium, and potassium.  

• Buy: Beets are available fresh, canned, and dried. With fresh beets, choose small- to medium-sized beets with firm roots and crisp leaves and stems. The roots should not have obvious damage, such as cracks. Like other canned vegetables, canned beets often have salt added. Draining the canning liquid will lower the sodium. Dried beet chips are a crunchy snack; look for brands without added salt.
• Price: Beet prices will vary by store and local farms. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that canned beets average $0.54 per cup.
• Store: 
  • Fresh beets. Cut off beet leaves and stems at the root, leaving around 1-inch of stem attached to the root. According to Watch Your Garden Grow from University of Illinois Extension: “…greens will quickly draw the moisture from the root greatly reducing flavor and the beets will become shriveled.” Refrigerate unwashed roots in loosely wrapped food-safe plastic bags or in a food-safe container with a lid. Store the leaves and stems in the same way, but in a separate bag or container from the roots.
  • Canned beets. Store unopened canned beets in a cool, dry location. Once opened, move leftover beets to a food-safe container and refrigerate for up to 7 days.
• Prepare: 
  • Rinse the roots, leaves, and stems of fresh beets under water before preparing. This is a food safety step and helps remove any soil still present. All parts of fresh beets can be eaten raw or cooked. Recipes for cooking the roots may include roasting, boiling, microwaving, steaming, or pickling. While they can be eaten raw, leaves and stems are often sautéed or added to liquid to cook.
  • Try your hand at dehydrating or freezing beets at home with directions from the National Center of Home Food Preservation.
• Eat: Beet roots have an earthy flavor that can be an acquired taste for many. To help introduce beet roots, try them in smoothies and baked goods, such as pancakes and cake, like the Chocolate Beet Snack Cake recipe in this post. Also try roasting beets, which helps concentrate the sugars in beets. Mixing beet leaves and stems with mild lettuce, such as the Beet Leaves and Romaine Salad in this post, can be an acceptable introduction to eating the leaves and stems raw. Beet leaf pesto is also a popular use of leaves and stems.
• Stool and Urine Color: Eating beets may cause your stool to look dark red and your urine to turn red or pink. While any discoloration is surprising, know it is temporary.

Beet Greens and Romaine Salad | Print recipe
(serves 1)

Save the greens from fresh beets to use in this 5-ingredient salad.

4 beet green leaves
2 large leaves of romaine lettuce
1/2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp flavored vinegar*
1/8 tsp ground black pepper