Do you like to eat beetroots? If you are one of those people who simply adore beetroots or maybe you like beetroot juice, you should be well on your way to reading this article till the end.
Namely, it will be said here how beetroots interact with UTI and whether if they are good for UTI. If you are one of those people who love beetroots a lot because of their numerous health benefits, here you will find out how it also affects the urinary tract, in general.
So let’s get started. Is beetroot good for UTI? Ooo, yes. Beetroots with all their useful ingredients are good for UTI.
Can beets cause urinary tract infections?
Beetroots can cause a urinary tract infection in a specific way. That is, it is not a classic urinary tract infection, but the urine is painted red and it looks like a urinary tract infection.
So, many people can be scared when they look at their urine thinking they have a urinary tract infection.
Beeturia occurs after consuming beetroots in any form. This change in urine color varies from pink to dark red and is prevalent in 10% to 14% of the population, especially those who are iron deficient or suffer from malabsorption diseases.
This staining of urine, which looks like a urinary tract infection, occurs due to the presence of pigments in beetroots, namely pigments from the betacyanin family.
Initially, it was thought that this change in the color of urine occurs due to the colonization of the urinary tract with bacteria that cause UTI or due to an allergy to some food.
However, studies have shown that the reason for this is something else, that is, that the cause of this is beetroots and their consumption.
Beets do not cause any physiological complications for the urinary tract.
However, a doctor can perform additional tests or prescribe antibiotics without evaluating the microscopic analysis of urine because many commercially available less accurate tests react based on color, which can lead to a misdiagnosis if a careful and thorough diagnosis is not made.
What are the components of beetroot?
Beetroots contain several biologically active phytochemicals such as betalain, (eg betacyanin), flavonoids, polyphenols, saponins, and inorganic nitrates (NO3).
Beetroots also contain vitamin C, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), folate, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, and manganese.
It is most often consumed in raw form, in the form of juice, powder, bread, gel, cooked, oven-dried, sour, pureed, or processed with jam in various food cultures.
Beetroots also contain a lot of water, as well as fiber, and This is very good for UTI.
Water is important because it flushes the urinary tract and expels bacteria that cause UTI, and fiber is important for our body because it enables the proper functioning of the digestive tract so that people have normal stools and regular bowel movements.
This further leads to the fact that there is no pressure on the bladder, there is no development of bacteria in the intestine, which can cause UTI. These are the beneficial effects of water and fiber for UTIs.
Beetroot is classified as one of the ten plants that have the highest antioxidant activity. Beets are considered to be the main commercial source of betalains.
These antioxidant properties of beetroots are extremely important, and That is why beetroots are very good for UTI.
Antioxidants are important for our immunity, they strengthen it, and enable our body to fight various infections, including UTI. Antioxidants reduce the number of free radicals and oxidative stress that are the main cause of disease in our bodies.
Beetroots contain a large amount of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid leads to the formation of nephroliths, and therefore represents a major health problem, especially in patients who have a predisposition to developing kidney disease or who suffer from kidney disease.
Vitamin C is very important for UTI because it prevents the development of UTI, it is scientifically proven, especially in women who have recurrent UTI. It works by acidifying the urine. Some data suggest that vitamin C may also have a bacteriostatic effect in urine.
People suffering from UTI should use as much vitamin C in any form as possible to prevent the occurrence of UTI. Beetroots contain a lot of vitamin C, so it is suitable for UTI.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) has a role in reducing inflammation in the body, then increasing energy in the body, and is used to treat anemia. It has no direct link to UTI and has no direct benefits UTI, but strengthening the immune system can indirectly have a beneficial effect on UTI.
Potassium has a beneficial effect on UTI because it reduces water retention by increasing urine production and reducing sodium concentration.
On the other hand, potassium prevents the formation of kidney stones by lowering calcium in urine, which is one of the components of kidney stones.
In this way, potassium has a beneficial effect on UTI because it prevents the onset and worsening of UTI symptoms.
Manganese works by increasing insulin production and lowering blood sugar levels. This is good for UTIs because sugar and its elevated levels adversely affect UTIs because they attract the bacteria that cause UTIs.
Calcium acts on the formation of kidney stones and worsens the UTI because kidney stones retain bacteria around their surface and that can cause the UTI.
However, such a large amount of calcium can only be ingested through supplementation. Consuming beets cannot get too much calcium into your body that it would have a bad effect on UTI.
Zinc is an essential mineral that strengthens the immunity of our body and prevents the development of infection. Zinc is a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants have a beneficial effect on UTI and are extremely important for patients suffering from UTI.
Is beetroot good for UTI in general?
In general, beets are extremely good for patients with UTI. It contains numerous components that have a beneficial effect on UTI.
This could even be said on the prevention of UTI. These powerful ingredients individually work extremely well on UTI, so beets could be an integral part of the menu of people suffering from UTI.
Beetroots have been shown not to react with drugs. This means that people who have urinary tract infections and to whom the doctor has prescribed therapy are free to eat beets without any fear that it will interfere with the medications they are taking for urinary tract infections.
The only problem that could occur when consuming beets is a false infection of the urinary tract or beeturia. Beets contain pigments that color the urine, and this can be misinterpreted as a urinary tract infection sometimes.
However, this is not the case. Beets with all their ingredients have a beneficial effect on UTI.
Is beetroot good for kidney infections?
Beetroots, as we have said, contain high levels of oxalate. If beetroots are consumed in large quantities, these oxalates can cause major side effects on the kidneys.
This refers to an increased chance of developing kidney stones, especially if we already have kidney problems. This could be explained in the following way that oxalates bind to calcium, and if they are in excessive amounts, then kidney stones form as a result.
100 g of beetroots contain 610 mg of oxalate, while cooked beetroots contain 675 mg of oxalate.
Is beet juice good for UTI?
Beet juice is made from beetroots. In addition, there are powdered beetroots made from dried, ground beetroots. It can be mixed with water to make beet juice.
Beetroot powder is becoming increasingly popular as a natural supplement to boost immunity and is an addition to many porridges and smoothies.
Beetroot juice is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, and potassium. It also contains sulfur, sodium, and choline in those quantities that are useful for health.
Beetroot juice does not contain fiber, which is a critical factor since the fiber content has a beneficial effect on UTI.
Beetroot juice is used for bladder problems, it has a beneficial effect.
The use of beet juice has several beneficial physiological effects on health. This is achieved with nitrates that are present in beet juice.
Also, it works on maintaining a normal concentration of glucose and calcium. This has a beneficial effect on UTI because it prevents the development of diabetes, which is one of the main factors for the development of UTI.
100 mL of beetroot juice consists of 95 Kcal of energy, 22.6 g of carbohydrates, 0.70 g of protein, 0.16 g of total lipids, 0.91 g of total dietary fiber, and 12 g of sugar.
Like all other juices, beet juice has a lot of sugar that would harm UTI patients.
Sugar has a bad effect on UTI because it enables the accumulation of bacteria that cause UTI and hurt the urinary tract. It is best to drink without added sugar or if there are commercial beetroot juices without added sugar.
Research has shown that drinking beetroot juice can help people a lot to maintain lower blood sugar levels after meals. Beetroot juice can lower blood sugar levels in obese people. Further research is needed on this but this could have a beneficial effect on UTIs.
It is best if you prepare beet juice from fresh beets at home, but if you can’t, then this sugar-free organic beet juice is the best alternative for you if you have a UTI. Available on Amazon.
Is beet juice good for kidney infections?
Beetroots contain a large amount of oxalate, which increases the possibility of developing kidney stones. This happens in case you have big kidney problems.
This could be explained as follows: If you consume a lot of oxalates and it further combines with calcium and increases its concentration, The kidneys are not able to eliminate it quickly and that is why kidney stones are formed.
If you have chronic kidney disease or a kidney infection, beet juice is not a good solution for you.
Beetroot juice contains sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, which prevent the kidneys from removing excess from your body. If they accumulate in the blood, they can damage our kidneys.
When asked if beetroot juice is good for kidney infections, the answer is no. That is, if we have kidney problems, chronic disease, and a kidney infection, beet juice would not be a good idea. It would lead to poor kidney function due to oxalates presence.
On the other hand, if your kidneys are healthy, you do not have any kidney infections, then beet juice can have a beneficial effect on your body and your kidneys unless you are prone to kidney stones.
How to use beetroot for UTI people?
To use all the nutrients from beets, it is best to use them in the following way.
If it is cooked at a high temperature for a long time, nutrients and antioxidants are reduced.
For example, vitamin C, which is found in large quantities in beets and is soluble in water, is destroyed by prolonged cooking.
The best way to use and eat beets is to eat them raw. However, since beets have a specific taste, you may not be able to eat them alone, it is best to combine them with carrots and apples.
You can grate beets, apples, and carrots and season with lemon juice. It will be an energy bomb for your body and very good and useful for UTI, especially for UTI prevention.
In addition, you can steam raw beets or bake them at a temperature of 100-150°.
Grilling beets is also one of the ways to retain essential substances.
Our Vegetables for UTI article has more related information about the vegetables that can be consumed by people who have UTI.
How much beetroot should be consumed daily for people with UTI or kidney infection?
The fact is that a glass of beetroot juice satisfies the daily intake of all vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the better functioning of the immune system and its strengthening.
This would also be beneficial for UTI because if our immune system is in a good condition we will have strong protection and will not develop a UTI.
The recommended daily intake of this beetroot has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on the body as It nourishes all organs, including the urinary system, and has benefits for people with UTIs.
If you want to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals that are important for the prevention of UTI, it is recommended that you drink one cup of 2 dl of beetroot juice a day.
As for the fresh form, it is best to eat one beetroot a day or 2 smaller ones, grated, together with 1 carrot and 1 apple, and topped with the juice of half a lemon.
This salad provides a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals and a large amount of vitamin C, which is important for the prevention of UTI.
As for patients with kidney infections or kidney stones, they should avoid beetroot and beetroot juice because it can worsen the infection and lead to the additional formation of kidney stones due to a large amount of oxalate contains.
Summary
- Beetroots are very rich in nutrients and provide strengthening of immunity, which is very good for UTI.
- Beetroots can stain your urine. It should not scare you, it is not a urinary infection, but a normal occurrence when beetroots are consumed.
- Patients with kidney stones and kidney infections should avoid beetroots because it can further worsen their underlying disease.
I hope that reading this article showed you how healthy and suitable beetroots are for UTI. For more information about urinary tract infection (UTI), visit our Home Page, and if you need any help, contact us right away.
See you soon.