“Doctors Reveal That Eating Beets Causes…” — What Does the Evidence Say?

This kind of headline makes beets sound dangerous, but beets are generally a healthy food for most people. They contain fiber, potassium, folate and naturally occurring nitrates.

❤️ Beets may actually help blood pressure

Nitrates in beetroot can increase nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax. Clinical trials and meta-analyses have found that beetroot juice can produce a modest reduction in systolic blood pressure, although the evidence isn’t strong enough to consider beets a replacement for blood-pressure medication.

The surprising things beets can cause

🩷 Red or pink urine/stool:
This is called beeturia and is generally harmless. It can look alarming but doesn’t usually mean you’re bleeding.

🪨 Kidney-stone concerns:
Beets contain oxalates. People who have had certain calcium-oxalate kidney stones may be advised to limit high-oxalate foods.

📉 Lower blood pressure:
If you already have low blood pressure or take blood-pressure-lowering medication, consuming large amounts of beet juice could potentially lower your pressure further