Seed Story

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans first domesticated the beetroot and grew it for its greens. It is believed that the Romans were the first to cultivate it for its root however this was used for medical treatments for digestive or blood issues. 

Hippocrates used to dress wounds with beetroot leaves. 

The original beetroots looked more like a carrot or parsnip and were usually white or even black. The first mention of a red beetroot was in Northern Italy in the 17th Century. The round root we know today did not appear in England until the 16th and 17th centuries. They were introduced to the US by European immigrants.

Beets can be eaten raw and grated into salads, boiled, roasted, pickled or eaten cold after cooking.