We’re not sure what sort of party tricks you already have up your sleeve, but this one is SPECIFICALLY for when you’re at a potluck dinner and no one is brave enough to try your beetroot sauerkraut salad.
Beetroots actually have a long and interesting history, in fact they’re said to have grown in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon - one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. However we’ll save you the lecture and split this into 5 memorable points.
#1. Beets were cherished by the Ancient Greeks - but they ate the leaves not the root
Interestingly enough, they believed the root was worth its weight in gold, but they offered this tasty morsel to their sun god Apollo. They themselves ate the leaves, which is a strange thought in modern times!
Nevertheless, beetroots can be placed in many ancient sites and societies, so it’s wonderful to know they’re still a popular choice today.
#2. Beets originally came from the sea
Those Ancient Greeks we mentioned earlier? They were likely eating a sea-beet that grew on the coast of the Mediterranean. The beets we know today will likely have descended from this, and developed a much different taste to what it originally would have had.
We’d love to try some of those sea beets though, so if you have any let us know! Otherwise we’ll need to take a trip to Greek Islands this winter...
#3. They’re an acquired taste, with some of its most famous opposition being Michelle Obama
Yes, that’s right, Michelle Obama, the wife of the 44th President of the United States hated beets so much she requested they not be grown in the White House gardens. A bit of a change of tune from the lady who spearheaded a lengthy and much-needed healthy eating campaign across schools in America.
This polarising taste - much like how many people don’t like coriander - is due to the earthy chemical geosmin. Another reason people dislike beetroot is the sweetness in them, but we’ve often found that those who aren’t lovers of normal beetroot might like it better when it’s fermented in a kraut.
#4. Beets have medicinal properties
This isn’t exactly something your GP would prescribe, and we’re not sure which party you’d want to whip this fact out at, but historically beets have been considered to cure constipation or even work as an aphrodisiac. You’ll be in troubled waters though if it works as both at the same time, so be careful to whom you prescribe this to!
#5. Beetroot juice may cure your hangover
Truly a party trick to pull out - an unBEETable hangover cure! Going along with the healing properties of beets, it’s no surprise that they are considered by some to heal the humble (but horrible) hangover. We’re neither confirming nor denying this theory, but it could be a fun addition to your Sunday morning Bloody Mary.
We’ll let you tell us how you get on with this trick though ;)