Beets Are Not the Enemy—An Easy 4-Ingredient Salad You’ll Love

Many people shy away from beets because they think they’re too high in sugar. Although beets are naturally sweet, they also contain a lot of fiber, which helps slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream. This means they won’t cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, and that they definitely deserve a spot in your diet, especially in the fall when beets are in season—perfect for making a roasted beet salad.

Although the glycemic index (GI) for beets is moderately high at around 61, their glycemic load (GL)—the number that actually reflects how much they affect blood sugar—is only 5, which is considered low. For comparison, a baked potato has a GI of about 85 and a GL of 26. In other words, beets give you slow-burning energy without the blood sugar crash.

Why Beets Deserve a Spot on Your Plate

• Fiber: 2 grams in just a half cup, which helps balance out natural sugars.
• Calories: Only 37 in that same half cup.
• Nutrients: Folate (important for cellular health), manganese, potassium, and vitamin C.
• Antioxidants: Betalains (the pigments that make them so vibrantly red) fight inflammation and support detox pathways, whereas yellow beets contain betaxanthins (yellow pigments), which may have stronger antioxidant activity against oxidative stress compared to red betalains.

Basically, beets are not the bad guys. They’re colorful, satisfying, can be eaten hot or cold, and are blood sugar and fasting-friendly.

Why This Salad Works

• Great for fasting transitions: After a fast, this beet salad gives you fiber, slower-digesting carbs, and healthy fats (pumpkin seeds and goat cheese) without overloading on sugar.
• Stays filling: Goat cheese and pumpkin seeds add a bit of protein + fat, which helps you feel satisfied longer.
• Versatile: Eat it alone to break your fast, add protein like grilled chicken or chickpeas if you like, or serve as a side salad with dinner.

Fasting Tip: This salad is perfect to break a fast with—it balances healthy fats, fiber, and natural sweetness so you feel satisfied without spiking your blood sugar. And speaking of fiber, to get 33 extra grams of fiber with only 70 calories, check out this post on Royo’s bread and bagels.

🥕 Nutritional Breakdown (per 1 cup of cooked red beets)

• Calories: 75
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fiber: 3.4g
• Sugar: 13g
• Protein: 2.9g
• Folate: ~37%
• Manganese: ~22%
• Potassium: ~13%
• Vitamin C: ~8%

Beet Salad Recipe

To make it a main dish, feel free to add your protein of choice.

Ingredients (serves 2–3)

• 4 oz arugula (about 4 cups loosely packed)
• 2 medium roasted beets, cut into ~½-inch chunks
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas), lightly toasted
• 2 oz feta (or goat or blue), crumbled

Dressing 1 (Ultra Simple)

• Drizzle with olive oil and any balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, toss, and eat

Dressing 2 (My Regular Salad Dressing) 🥗

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Scant 1/4 cup vinegar of choice
• Plop of Dijon mustard (almost 1 tablespoon)
• Couple of cloves pressed garlic (or use about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead)
• Squirt of honey (optional: sometimes I add honey; sometimes I don’t)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more if necessary)
• A lot of fresh cracked pepper (of course, up to you!)

Dressing 3: Big-Flavored Carrot Miso Dressing (From Emily Nunn @Department of Salad) 🥕

I used this last night on the above beet salad, and it was incredible, so had to share!

• 1 cup carrot juice (Trader Joe’s and Lakewood make carrot juice.)
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons white miso
• 1 garlic clove, cut up
• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (I just used rice vinegar.)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha, more to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small saucepan, bring the carrot juice to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer, continuing to cook until juice is reduced to 1/2 cup. Let this cool completely.
2. In a food processor, combine the reduced carrot juice, miso, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and Sriracha and puree until smooth. Gradually stream in the olive oil to blend completely and emulsify. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Taste: you might want to stream in a bit more olive oil to mellow it out or give it more kick with a little extra Sriracha.
3. NOTE: This is better after a night of melding in the fridge, where it will keep in a sealed container for up to a *week. (Let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature and give it a vigorous stir before serving; it solidifies and separates in the fridge.)
   *I’ve had it in my fridge for 3 weeks now, and it’s still perfectly fine.

How to Roast & Peel Beets Easily

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Trim off beet tops and bottoms; rinse under cold water, scrub off any dirt, and pat dry.
3. Wrap each beet (or a few, depending on size) in foil.
4. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how large your beets are.
5. Let cool, peel off skin (I peel them under running water, then pat dry), then cut into cubes.

Why Skip Beets When They Bring the Flavor and the Benefits?

So next time you spot those ruby red or sunny golden bulbs at the grocery store, don’t walk by—grab a bunch! Whether you roast them for this salad, slice them thin for a colorful side, or grate them raw into a garden salad, beets deserve a spot in your diet. Turns out, you can have your color, your flavor, and your fasting too.

Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts on beets, whether you learned something new, or how you liked the salad if you give it a try!