Can you drink the juice of canned beets?

If you often use canned beets, surely you have wondered if you can use the juice of canned beets. Is the rich red liquid left behind by vegetables good for you or should you throw it away?

Can you drink canned beetroot juice? Yes, you can drink the canned beetroot juice if you want. Whether it is pure water or contains salt, canned beetroot juice is completely safe to consume. You can even use it in soups, smoothies, and pastries. 

This article answers one of the most popular questions about canned beets. You’ll also learn why buying canned beets is a good idea and how to use them.

Are canned beets good?

Canned beets are not as popular as other canned foods, such as canned beans and tomatoes.

But trying them at least once is worth it, as canned beets are easy to use, and most importantly, they are healthy and taste just as good as fresh beets.

The nutritional value of canned beets is not much different from the nutritional value of its fresh counterpart . This is exciting news for people who don’t eat beets often due to the long cooking time they require.

If fresh beets take at least half an hour to cook, canned beets can be used straight from the container. You just have to drain them.

Canned beets, like fresh beets, are a good source of folate, phosphorous, and potassium.

Eating canned beets can also provide you with magnesium, vitamins B-6, C, and K. Best of all, canned beets have negligible amounts of fat and a good amount of dietary fiber. 

In addition to the health benefits of canned beets, this product is also very durable. While fresh beets keep for about 10 days, unopened canned beets keep well for at least 3 years if stored properly. 

How is canned beetroot consumed?

Canned beets have many uses. You can eat them as is, with a drizzle of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil on top. Canned beets are also great in salads and various healthy bowls.

You can also serve canned beets as an appetizer with orange juice dip and cottage cheese. Canned beetroot bruschetta is a good idea for a creative start to dinner.

Canned beets taste so close to fresh beets that you can use them in almost any recipe that calls for fresh beets. 

Is the juice from canned beets safe to drink?

The ingredient list for canned beets is usually very simple. In general, canned beets are preserved in pure water or salt is added to the liquid. In some cases, manufacturers add sugar to the liquid to enhance the beet flavor.

Even if for some reason you can’t read the ingredient list on the canned beets you have at home, drinking the juice shouldn’t cause any problems.

If you’re eating the beets preserved in that liquid, why would using the liquid itself be harmful?

If your canned beets contain salt, check the sodium content of the product. Beetroot naturally contains sodium.

For example, one serving (1/2 cup) of beets canned with plain water contains only 25 milligrams of sodium. Canned beets with salt, on the other hand, contain 10 times more sodium.

So if you ever decide to drink canned beetroot juice, keep in mind that it will significantly increase your sodium intake if salt has been added to the liquid to preserve the beetroot.

How can you use canned beetroot juice?

Although drinking canned beetroot juice is not harmful, the chances of it becoming your drink of choice are slim. Instead, you can find other uses for the juice once you use up all the beets in the can.

You can use canned beetroot juice to make soups . Beetroot juice works exceptionally well for borscht, a Ukrainian beetroot soup that should be a deep red color.

Adding canned beetroot juice to the broth will add its rich color and make the soup more flavorful.

Canned beet juice made without sugar or salt is even more versatile.  Whenever you use canned beets to make healthy smoothies, add some of the beetroot juice to the mix. 

You can also use unsalted canned beet juice in baked goods to give them a nice red color. The naturally red juice of canned beets is a great substitute for artificial colors.