Beetroot is a rich source of vitamins A, B, C, PP, amino acids, and minerals essential for the body. Many people incorporate beets into their diets for improving health. However, improper use of beets can pose a risk of death in young children.

Eating beets the wrong way can lead to death

Due to the numerous beneficial nutrients present in beet roots, many parents overuse beets in their children’s diets. Consuming excessive amounts of beets can result in methemoglobinemia, which is characterized by high levels of methemoglobin that impede oxygen transport and cause breathing difficulties, cyanosis, convulsions, and even death.

Eating a lot of beets can cause methemoglobinemia

In addition to overconsumption, many people wrongly believe that beets nourish the blood and thus boil beet broth to make milk for babies. This has led to numerous poisoning cases in young children.

Beets have a high content of nitrate (NO3-), which undergoes a reduction reaction to nitrite (NO2-) in the human stomach and intestines due to the presence of digestive enzymes. If the nitrite concentration becomes too high due to excessive beetroot consumption, it can lead to poisoning, respiratory dysfunction, shortness of breath, and suffocation. Consequently, beets should not be used to make milk for young children.

Beetroot poisoning in children

Although beetroot is a nutritious food with various benefits for the body, it is crucial to regulate the dosage to prevent cases of beetroot poisoning, especially in children.

See also: Unwanted harm from beets