Beets

March’s NH Harvest of the Month: beets!

Beets are most commonly a dark red color, but they can also be white, yellow, and striped. They are the taproot of the plant.

Beets contain a unique antioxidant called betalain, which is currently being studied as a potential weapon in the fight against cancer. Betalain give beets their red hue.

Beets originated along the Mediterranean and were first cultivated for their leaves. Before the beet became popular to eat, it gained fame for other uses. Since ancient times, the beet has been used for dyes, teas, and medicinal properties, like treating constipation, fevers, skin disorders, and circulation.

Beets contain a chemical called geosmin which gives beets their fresh rain-on-soil earthy smell and taste. 20% of the worlds sugar comes from sugar beets. Table beets are the variety we eat.

This webpage includes a variety of educational materials, activities, recipes, and more about beets for use at home, in youth or family programming, in the classroom, and in the cafeteria. For more New Hampshire Harvest of the Month resources for March, click here.

Lesson Plans for Beets + Maple

Developed in partnership with UNH Extension, NH Farm to School, and the UNH Education department, the Harvest Lessons lesson plans and curricular activities can be used by education professionals to incorporate beets and maple into dynamic, long-lasting learning in the classroom and other education-based settings.

Lesson Plan Supplement
Click to download the lesson plan supplements to support learning through the activities in the lesson plan.
Iraq