Protect your heart by adding the wonderfully nutritious beet to your diet. This health-friendly tuberous root vegetable has been found to offer protection against coronary artery disease and stroke as well as lowering cholesterol levels. Eating beets at least twice a week will offer many other health benefits, too.

The root of the beet is rich in glycine betaine. This phytochemical compound lowers cholesterol levels in the blood and helps to fight depression.

Beets are a great source of folates, too. Folates are a water-soluble B vitamin, a key nutrient for a healthy diet. As a matter of fact, low levels of folate can have devastating effects on the body.

Beets are very low in calories, about 45 calories per cup. Low in fat, with zero cholesterol, beets do contain a high amount of sugar. But don’t let that scare you away from this wonderful food. This completely natural sugar is released gradually into the body to give you plenty of energy. Few foods feature this wonderful benefit.

Eating beets will improve your overall health, too. They are high in fiber, potassium, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins A, B and C. Beets contain antioxidants to help protect your body from free radicals. A top tonic for liver health; beets purify the blood and prevent certain types of cancer.

By now, you are probably wondering why you aren’t eating more of this superfood. Well, it’s not too late, to partake of this red beauty. Beets taste good and are quick and easy to prepare. While many cooks boil the beets for an hour. This long cooking process can deplete the nutritious value you get from this vegetable. Just 15 minutes to steam and you have a fabulous new root vegetable to add to your meal. You can also eat beets raw or use them for juicing.

To steam your beets in just 15 minutes, wash beets and cut them into quarters. Don’t worry about peeling them. Peeling takes too much time and is not needed at this stage. Use a steamer basket and sauce pan to steam the beets for about 15 to 20 minutes. After cooking the peel will fall right off and the beets will be ready to serve.

Keep mealtime interesting with fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruits. Don’t be afraid to try new foods—versatility is the spice of life.