Beets: beet juice, beet crystals and beetroot powder

Beets are one of the easiest vegetables to love once you find the right format: a cold glass of beetroot juice, a spoonful of beet crystals stirred into water, a scoop of beetroot powder in a smoothie, or a tray of roasted beets. This guide is for anyone who wants more beets in their week, from runners to smoothie fans: what each format is, how to use it, and the ones we stock.

Most of what you need sits in three places at both stores: the juice cooler, the supplement aisle (our greens and superfoods collection online) and the produce section.

Beets four ways: juice, crystals, powder and whole

What is beetroot juice?

Beetroot juice, or beet juice, is the pressed juice of the red beet, Beta vulgaris. It's deep ruby red, with a rich, earthy, naturally sweet flavour. Just Juice Organic Beet Juice is 100% pure and not from concentrate, with no added water or sugar: organic beet juice with a little organic lemon juice (5%) to brighten it. Each litre is pressed from about 1.4 kg of organic beets.

Drink it straight in small glasses, cut it with apple or carrot juice, or add a splash to a smoothie. Keep it in the fridge once it's open, and give the bottle a shake before you pour.

What are beet crystals?

Beet crystals are beet juice that has been dried into fine, instantly soluble crystals. They taste sweet and earthy, dissolve completely in water, and live in the cupboard, which makes them the easiest way to have beet juice on hand.

Flora Organic Red Beet Crystals are pressed from freshly harvested organic beets, and each 200 g jar is made from about 2.6 kg of fresh beets. The crystals keep the naturally occurring nitrates, trace minerals and vitamins of fresh beet juice. Salus Red Beet Crystals come from the juice of fresh organic beets too, about 2.5 kg (15 cups) per 200 g jar, made without heat, solvents or other chemicals. Both absorb moisture, so close the lid tightly after each use.

Beet crystals vs beetroot powder: what's the difference?

Beet crystals are made from the juice, so they dissolve fully and taste a little sweeter. Beetroot powder is the whole root, dried and ground, so it keeps the fibre, has a slightly gritty texture in water, and blends best into smoothies, oatmeal and baking. A little beetroot powder turns pancakes, hummus and frosting a lovely natural pink.

Naka Platinum Organic Beetroot Powder is a single ingredient, with 2500 mg of organic beetroot in each teaspoon. Organic Traditions Beet Root Powder is organic beetroot milled to a fine magenta powder, a source of antioxidants and dietary nitrates.

If you like the idea of beets but not the taste, Naka also puts organic beetroot in a veggie capsule, 700 mg per capsule.

NakaOrganic Beetroot 1400 mg700 mg of certified organic beetroot per capsule; 1400 mg per two-capsule serving.Shop →

Juice for a quick glass, crystals for the cupboard, powder for the blender, and whole beets for supper.

Fresh and frozen beets

Whole beets are the most versatile of all. Roast them whole with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt until a knife slides in easily, slip off the skins, and slice them into salads. Grate them raw into slaws, boil them for borscht, or pickle them. Trim off the greens and cook those like chard. Our certified organic red beets and bags from Taproot Farms, grown here in Atlantic Canada, keep for weeks in the fridge crisper.

For the skip-the-mess option, Stahlbush Island Farms cleans, blanches and slices its beets, then freezes them, so they go straight from the freezer into a salad, a smoothie or a roasting pan.

Stahlbush Island FarmsSliced Beets, 284 gCleaned, blanched and sliced, ready for salads and roasting.Shop →

What are the health benefits of beets?

Beets are a nutritious root vegetable and an easy way to add colour to your diet. They bring folate, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and fibre, plus some iron and manganese, along with naturally occurring dietary nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax and supports healthy blood flow. Their deep red colour comes from betalains, pigments that act as antioxidants, and beetroot is a source of antioxidants that help protect cells against the oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

For most people, beets and beetroot juice are simply an everyday food, one colourful part of a varied diet that supports overall health and good nutrition. A cup of beet juice has roughly 100 calories, most of them from the beet's natural sugars, so a small glass goes a long way.

Beet juice and beet crystals are a favourite with runners and cyclists, who often have a glass before a long effort. Our guide to electrolytes or water for exercise covers the rest of the sports drink shelf.

Is it better to eat beetroot or drink beet juice?

Both have a place. Whole beets give you all of the fibre and make a satisfying side dish; raw beets are crisp and earthy, and cooked beets turn soft and sweet. Beetroot juice and crystals concentrate the nutrients and are quick, so they're handy when you want beets every day without cooking. Many people do both: roasted beets for supper, a small glass of juice or a spoon of crystals in the morning.

How much beet juice should you drink a day?

A small glass, about half a cup to one cup, is a common daily amount for adults who drink beetroot juice daily. For crystals, powders and capsules, follow the serving quantity on the label. If you're new to beets, start with a smaller glass and see how you like the taste; cutting it with apple or carrot juice makes it gentler.

How to make beet juice at home

Raw beet juice is easy with a juicer, and almost as easy with a blender or food processor and a fine strainer. Beets are sweet but earthy, so most people like them with fruits and other vegetables.

1. Prep. Scrub two medium beets, trim the ends and cut them into chunks. Add a carrot, an apple, a stalk of celery and a thumb of ginger if you like.
2. Juice or blend. Run everything through a juicer, or blend it with a cup of water until smooth.
3. Strain. If you blended, pour it through a fine strainer or nut milk bag.
4. Taste and adjust. A squeeze of lemon brightens it. Drink it fresh, or keep it in the fridge for a day.

How to use beet crystals and beetroot powder

1. Stir into water. A spoonful of crystals in a glass of cold water makes a quick beet drink.
2. Blend a smoothie. Add a scoop of beetroot powder with frozen berries, banana and yogurt or a plant-based milk.
3. Sprinkle at breakfast. Crystals dissolve into oatmeal or yogurt and turn it pink.
4. Cook with it. Whisk crystals into soup or salad dressing, or add powder to hummus.
5. Bake with it. A teaspoon of powder gives pancakes, muffins and frosting a natural colour.

Questions we get a lot

What are beet crystals good for?

They're the easiest way to keep beet juice in the cupboard. Stir them into water, juice or smoothies, sprinkle them over oatmeal or yogurt, or whisk them into soups and dressings. They keep the naturally occurring nitrates, minerals and vitamins of fresh beet juice.

Can I take beetroot powder daily?

Yes. Many people add a teaspoon of beetroot powder to a smoothie or glass of water every day. Follow the serving on the label.

Is organic beet juice good for you?

Organic beetroot juice is a simple way to enjoy beets, with their folate, potassium, iron and natural nitrates. Choose one that's 100% juice with no added sugar, like Just Juice.

What's the best beetroot powder in Canada?

Look for a single-ingredient organic powder. We carry Naka Platinum Organic Beetroot Powder and Organic Traditions Beet Root Powder, plus Flora and Salus beet crystals if you'd rather have something that dissolves fully.

Does beet juice need to be refrigerated?

Yes, once it's open. Keep the bottle cold and shake it before pouring. Crystals and powders live happily in a dry cupboard with the lid on tight.

Beet juice, crystals, powders and fresh beets are at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free.

This article is general information, not medical advice.