Despite the innovation when it comes to medical treatments and interventions, more and more people are still turning to the old healthy benefits of alternative medicines such as herbal plants. Aside from being effective, herbal medicine is known to have lesser health risks in comparison to modernized drugs. However, these natural sources still do contain a few side effects that all of us must be cautious of. One of the most common plants used as an alternative medicine is none other than the beetroot. Most of us may not have heard of this healthy plant, but beetroot can actually help treat or relieve the symptoms of many illnesses and diseases. Nevertheless, irregular reactions in the body caused by beetroot can still be expected. Here are some of the beetroot side effects that we should all need to know.
Beetroot is known to help cure a lot of abnormalities in the body. It is in fact considered as an aphrodisiac and it is also helpful in increasing exercise capacity. The beetroot juice is also very effective in supporting liver function and as well as eye health. Beetroot can actually come in different forms. It can be in a form of juice and it could also be in supplement form as a powder or a tablet or capsule. Nevertheless, beetroot is still considered to have high contents of vitamin C and also other minerals such as magnesium, manganese, bioflavonoids, potassium and beta carotene.
Another known positive side effect of beetroot is that it lowers temporarily the blood pressure. One of the latest studies about beetroot has mentioned that drinking 2 cups of beet juice every day has lowered the blood pressure by at least 10 points. In fact, beetroot is said to be more effective than some of the developed and commercialized antihypertensive medications. In addition to these health benefits, beetroot is also considered as a good agent in fighting cancer due to its natural component called betacyanin. This compound is said to be effective in improving cell respiration thus hindering the growth of cancer cells.
However, just like any other health agents, too much beetroot could also cause negative or harmful effects on the body. Some studies have also concluded that high intake of beetroot could also help increase iron and copper accumulation in the body, which is not suitable for people suffering from hemochromatosis or iron overload in the body and Wilson Disease, which is an excess copper elimination dysfunction in the body. Beetroot could also cause side effects such as beeturia, which is the red discoloration of the urine. However, this abnormality has no serious indication or consequence in the body.
Other negative side effects of this medicine are nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea and also kidney stones due to its high oxalate content. Pregnant women should also get the advice or the recommendations of their doctors with regards to drinking beetroot juice. First-time users may also have the possibility of experiencing rashes, chills, and fever, which is why extreme caution must be given in taking in this herbal medication. These are just some of the side effects of beetroot in our body and in our health.
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