Is boiled beetroot good for health?

December 16, 2025 •

3 min read

Boiled beetroot contains valuable nutrients like folate, fiber, and manganese. The question remains: is boiled beetroot good for health, or does cooking diminish its impressive nutritional profile, and what benefits remain?.

Quick Summary

Boiled beetroot offers key minerals and fiber, but heat can reduce water-soluble vitamins like folate and vitamin C. It is easier to digest and significantly lowers oxalate levels for individuals sensitive to them.

Key Points

Blood Pressure Reduction: Boiled beetroot contains nitrates that convert to nitric oxide, helping to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
Improved Digestion: The boiling process softens beetroot's fibers, making it easier to digest for individuals with sensitive stomachs.
Reduced Oxalate Content: Boiling significantly reduces the level of oxalates, which is beneficial for people at risk of kidney stones.
Retention of Key Minerals: Essential minerals like potassium, manganese, and iron are largely retained in boiled beetroot.
Still Contains Antioxidants: While some betalains are heat-sensitive, boiled beetroot still provides a healthy dose of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Nutrient Loss Trade-off: Boiling causes some loss of heat-sensitive vitamins, such as Vitamin C and folate, compared to eating beets raw.
Best for Regular Consumption: Boiled beetroot is a great choice for sustained health benefits and can be part of a regular, varied diet.

Beetroot, a vibrant root vegetable known for its earthy flavour and distinct red colour, is often considered a superfood due to its dense nutritional content. While raw beets can be grated into salads or juiced, boiling is one of the most common and accessible preparation methods. The boiling process does alter the nutritional makeup of the vegetable, but boiled beetroot remains a very healthy addition to any diet, offering a range of benefits from improved digestion to better cardiovascular health.

Retained Health Benefits of Boiled Beetroot

Despite some nutrient loss, boiled beetroot retains many of its most powerful health-promoting properties.

Cardiovascular Health

Boiled beets contain dietary nitrates that the body converts into nitric oxide. This compound acts as a powerful vasodilator, relaxing and widening blood vessels. This, in turn, improves blood flow and helps to lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Regular consumption is linked to sustained benefits.

Enhanced Digestion

Boiling softens the beetroot's fibres, making it gentler on the digestive system compared to its raw counterpart. A good source of dietary fiber, boiled beetroot promotes regular bowel movements, preventing constipation and supporting overall gut health. Its fibre also feeds beneficial gut bacteria, acting as a prebiotic.

Essential Minerals

Boiled beetroot retains a significant amount of important minerals that are crucial for various bodily functions.

Potassium: Helps regulate blood pressure and fluid balance.
Manganese: Essential for bone formation, metabolism, and brain function.
Iron: Necessary for red blood cell production and oxygen transport throughout the body.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties

Beetroot gets its rich colour from powerful antioxidants called betalains, which possess strong anti-inflammatory properties. While some betalains are heat-sensitive and may be reduced by boiling, a substantial amount remains, helping to protect cells from damage and combat chronic inflammation.

Comparison: Boiled vs. Raw Beetroot

Choosing between raw and boiled beetroot depends on your health goals and digestive tolerance. Here is a breakdown of their key differences.


Feature	Raw Beetroot	Boiled Beetroot
Nutrient Level	Higher levels of heat-sensitive vitamins (C, folate) and antioxidants	Lower levels of heat-sensitive vitamins and antioxidants due to leaching and degradation
Oxalate Content	Significantly higher oxalate content	Up to 60-80% lower oxalate content as it leaches into the boiling water
Digestibility	Can be tough to digest for sensitive stomachs	Softer fibres make it easier to digest
Taste	More earthy and slightly bitter	Sweeter and milder, making it more palatable for some
Nitrate Level	Higher initial nitrate levels	Still contains sufficient nitrates to provide blood pressure benefits

Minimizing Nutrient Loss During Cooking

While boiling causes some nutrient loss, you can adopt cooking strategies to minimize this effect.

Steam instead of boil: Steaming retains more water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and folate compared to boiling in a large pot of water.
Roast whole: Roasting beets whole in their skin helps to preserve nutrients and intensifies their sweet flavour.
Use the cooking water: If you must boil, consider using the nutrient-rich cooking liquid in soups or stocks to reclaim some of the leached vitamins and minerals.

Conclusion: Making the Best Choice for Your Health

Ultimately, whether boiled beetroot is good for health is an easy question to answer: yes, it is. It remains a nutrient-rich food packed with fiber, minerals, and inflammation-fighting antioxidants. While raw beetroot offers a superior nutrient profile for certain heat-sensitive vitamins, boiled beetroot has distinct advantages. For individuals with sensitive digestion or a history of kidney stones, boiling is the better option due to reduced oxalate levels and improved digestibility. For those with robust digestion, enjoying a mix of raw, boiled, and roasted beetroot is an excellent way to reap the full spectrum of benefits this versatile vegetable offers.

For more recipes using cooked beetroot, including a recipe for Beetroot Hummus, check the guidance on the British Heart Foundation's website.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, boiling does not destroy all of beetroot's nutrients. While it does reduce the levels of water-soluble vitamins like folate and vitamin C, it retains essential minerals, fiber, and a good amount of its beneficial nitrates and betalain antioxidants.

Yes, boiled beetroot is good for lowering blood pressure. The dietary nitrates in beets are converted to nitric oxide in the body, which helps relax and widen blood vessels, leading to reduced blood pressure.

Boiled beetroot is often better for digestion than raw, especially for people with sensitive stomachs. The cooking process softens the vegetable's fibers, making them easier to break down and process.

Boiling significantly reduces the oxalate content in beetroot. This is particularly beneficial for individuals prone to kidney stones, as the oxalates leach out into the cooking water.

Yes, boiled beetroot can improve athletic performance. The conversion of nitrates to nitric oxide helps improve oxygen use and endurance, which can enhance cardiorespiratory performance.

To maximize nutrient retention, steaming or roasting beetroot is preferable to boiling. Steaming exposes the vegetable to less direct water, and roasting in the skin helps trap nutrients inside.

Canned beets have a lower nitrate content compared to fresh beets that have been boiled. While still a decent source of some nutrients, fresh is generally the better option if available.

Eating boiled beetroot daily in moderation is generally considered healthy. However, it's wise to have a varied diet to ensure a wide range of nutrients, and those with certain health concerns like low blood pressure should consult a doctor.