Potatoes – Agria
Kumara – Red
Onions Brown NZ
Tomatoes
Kiwifruit Gold – Large
Broccoli
Courgettes – Green
Cucumber – Telegraph
Celery Stick loose
Apples – Braeburn
Apples – Royal Gala
Pears – Bosc
Beetroot – New-Season
Persimmons
Spotlight on Beetroot

Beets or Beetroot health benefits includes preventing osteoporosis, treating anemia, treating constipation, slowing down the growth of tumor, supporting psychological health, treating diabetes, supporting pregnancy, preventing bad cholesterol, relieving fatigue, and supporting liver health.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that beetroot is an all-rounder vegetable. From indigestion to maintaining a healthy liver, this deep purplish-red vegetable can treat various health problems. It is considered as one of the main sources to combat anemia due to high levels of iron found in it. You can add it to your salads for extra nutrients and consumed it in chunks.
It was first found in the Mediterranean region about 4,000 years ago and made its way to Chinese cuisine soon after. It gained popularity since then and is now considered as a main ingredient to be added salad, soups and even in pickles.
1. Beetroot Prevents Osteoporosis
Your body requires a mineral known as silica to absorb calcium, which you can effectively gain from beetroot since it is packed with the mineral. Consuming calcium daily keeps your teeth and bones stronger, but experts recommend a glass of fresh beetroot juice to prevent health problems such as brittle bone and osteoporosis.
2. It Helps Treat Anemia
Since this mighty vegetable is enriched with a lot of iron content, it can help people suffering with anemia. If you have iron deficiency, you need to add beets in your diet immediately because it might cause other daunting health problems. Your body requires iron to produce hemoglobin, which is responsible to transport nutrients and oxygen to the other parts of your body. Hence, incorporating lots of sliced beetroot in your daily diet can treat anemia without any adverse effect.
3. Beetroot for Constipation
Thanks to the dietary fiber found in the vegetable, it eases constipation, which is an utterly irritating health problem. Beetroot is known to work as a great laxative, which helps in regularizing your bowel movement. Its function doesn’t stop here as this vegetable is also widely used as a colon cleanser and is said to flush out toxins from your stomach.
4. It Slows Down Tumor Growth
According to a study, betacyanin found in the beetroot can slow down tumor growth by 12.5% in prostate and breast cancer patients. This property is extremely useful because its effect is not only useful during the diagnosis and treatment of the disastrous disease but it enables patients to stay cancer-free for a longer time.
5. For Psychological Health
Your vital organs need an adequate amount of oxygen to perform well. A recent study has proved that drinking fresh juice of beetroot ensures this process due to the nitrate found in the vegetable. It is not just responsible for proper brain functionality, but it calms your nerves as well. Moreover, regular consumption of the juice can also reduce the risks of dementia. You can consume it in chunks and as well as in juice form, either way, you will get all the nutrition.
6. Beetroot for Diabetics
Beetroot is extremely safe for people suffering with diabetes because the sugar found in it isn’t harmful. This magical vegetable has a medium glycaemic index, which ensures a slow release of sugar in the bloodstream. It is a natural way to deal with a sugar craving. Being low in calories and fat-free, beetroot is an ideal and most nutritious vegetable for diabetics.
7. For Expectant Mothers
Folic acid is a nutrient that is something pregnant women need to keep the body strong and the baby healthy. And beetroots contain plenty of these enzymes. It is also essential for unborn babies because it helps in the proper formation of the spinal cord. Folic acid also prevents the unborn baby from daunting conditions including spina bifida. Moreover, pregnant women require a lot of energy to maintain their health as well their baby’s health.
8. It Prevents Bad Cholesterol
Beetroot is loaded with flavonoids, dietary fiber, and betacyanin. Betacyanin is one of the most powerful antioxidants that are known to minimize the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and prevent its buildup in the arteries. This process protects your heart from stroke and life-threatening heart attacks. This is why experts recommend incorporating beets into daily routine to stop the buildup of bad cholesterol in your arteries.
9. Beetroot Relieves Fatigue
As mentioned above, your body requires consistent amounts of oxygen to function. It is also necessary to keep your body energized. It is the nitrate content found in the beetroot that enlarges arteries, which help all the oxygen to be transport throughout the body, boosting your energy levels. Iron is another component that fights fatigue and improves stamina, which is commonly found in the beetroot. Therefore, start incorporating this mighty vegetable into your routine and keep fatigue and low energy levels at bay.
10. For High Blood Pressure
When you consume nitrates, it converts into nitrites and nitric oxides, which is a gas. These two components are known to dilate arteries and lower high blood pressure. It is noteworthy that combating high blood pressure levels is essential to avoid life-threatening health problems. Beetroots contain plenty of nitrates and a study even claimed that consuming about 500 grams beets daily can lower your blood pressure in fewer hours.
11. For Healthy Liver
You need plenty of nutrients such as iron, antioxidants, betaine, vitamin B, etc. to keep your liver active and healthy. In this case, beets are nothing less than a blessing as they contain all these nutrients and vitamins. It is known to thin the bile; beet allows easy flow of it in the liver and small intestine. This miraculous vegetable keeps liver healthy eliminating toxins from it. The fiber is also responsible to clear out toxins making sure they don’t build up in your body.
Conclusion
The best part about vegetable is that you can consume as much as you want since they don’t contain any adverse effects. Beetroot is one of the most beneficial vegetables that have an immense amount of minerals, fiber, and vitamins that your body requires on daily basis. So, don’t wait and start consuming beetroot and get the health benefits.
Recipes
Beetroot brownies

Ingredients
500g whole raw beetroot (3-4 medium beets)
100g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin
200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa)
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
100g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
Method
Step 1 Wear a pair of rubber gloves to stop your hands from staining, then top, tail and peel the beetroot – you’ll need about 400g flesh.
Roughly chop and put into a large bowl. Add a splash of water, cover with cling film, then microwave on High for 12 mins or until tender.
Step 2 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
While the beetroot cooks, butter then line a 20 x 30cm traybake or small roasting tin.
Roughly chop the chocolate and cut the butter into cubes. Tip the cooked beetroot into a sieve, drain off any excess liquid, then put
into a food processor or blender with the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Whizz until the mix is as smooth as you can get it. The chocolate and butter will melt as you do this.
Step 3 Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl, then beat using an electric hand whisk until thick, pale and foamy, about 2 mins.
Spoon the beetroot mix into the bowl (it won’t look too pretty at this stage, but bear with me), then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Try to conserve as much air in the
mixture as you can. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter.
Step 4 Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins or until risen all over, with just the merest quiver under the centre of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares
What’s happening in the Garden…

Seedlings we have ready to go:
- Asian mix
- Rocket
- Mibuna
- Mizuna
- Red Coral Mizuna
- Tat Soi
A few weeks to month away..
- Broccoli
- Rocket
- Lettuce fancy
Events ahead:
- Saturday Market – The Old Packhouse Market Kerikeri (Every Saturday) from 8am ~ fresh orange juice, fresh vege juice blends, smoothies, smoothie ice blocks
- Sunday Market – The Old Packhouse Market Kerikeri (Every Sunday) from 8am ~ fresh orange juice, fresh vege juice blends, smoothies, smoothie ice block