That headline is designed to grab attention, but the reality is much less scary. Eating beets is generally very healthy, and there’s no scientific evidence that they “cause” serious problems for most people.
Here’s the breakdown:
🥗 What beets do
- Rich in nitrates → support healthy blood pressure and circulation
- High in fiber → aids digestion
- Full of vitamins and antioxidants → vitamin C, folate, betalains
⚠️ Rare or mild issues
- Beeturia
- Turns urine or stools pink/red in some people
- Harmless, just a natural pigment effect
- Kidney stone risk
- Beets contain oxalates, which can contribute to kidney stones in susceptible individuals
- If you have a history of oxalate stones, moderation is key
- Blood pressure interactions
- Beets can lower blood pressure slightly
- If you are on Blood pressure medications, monitor for dizziness
✅ Bottom line
For the vast majority of people, beets are safe and beneficial. Headlines claiming they “cause” something dangerous are clickbait or misleading.
If you want, I can give a list of the top 5 health benefits of beets backed by science, so you know what they really do for your body.