Do you often wonder, “why do beets turn black when cooked”? If you do, then you have landed in the right place.
My experience of cooking beets for the first time also resulted in the same way back in 2013. After cooking seasoned beets for a spicy delight, I wondered why do beets turn black when cooked.
Since I have been receiving queries in comments from numerous readers striving to look for reasons why beets turn black when cooked, I decided to help you with some answers.
If you are reading this post, you must have also faced the beets turning black while boiling, cooking in aluminum, or without aluminum utensils. To help you understand why do beets turn black when cooked, I have curated a list of theories.
One of the latest theories I have is that the blackening of beets is similar to the blackening of potatoes.
Boiled potatoes or the effect of cooked potatoes may be similar to the blackening of beets.
The American Potato research journal states that the darkening of potatoes or any food ingredient after cooking is considered one of the unlikable traits of cultivated potatoes. This theory of ACD is caused due to the process of oxidation of the Ferri chlorogenic acid in fried potatoes and boiled potatoes.
Why Do Golden Beets Turn Black When Cooked?
If you are also striving to look for the reason why do golden beets turn black when cooked, then we have the right answer for you.
Well, golden beets turn black when cooked because golden beets are considered vulnerable to discoloration. The golden beets turn black as soon as they are sliced or juice is extracted from the beets. The beets turn into black-colored beets because of the discoloration of their original color.
Moreover, I have also observed that the Chiogga beets also do lose their color and turn black when cooked. The reason behind the blackening of Golden beets is that when you cook beets, the cell wall starts to break, and all its juice starts to leak. Due to the leakage of betalain pigment, the beets lose their color and turn black.
Golden beets that are famous for their bright yellowish color are referred to as vulnerable ingredients. The golden beets have a delightful flavor. These golden beets do not leak pigment and do not turn everything around them red color. These Golden beets turn black as soon as they get oxidized. To prevent it from turning black, you must rub the beet with some acidic water and consume it as soon as you slice it.
Can You Eat Beets That Turn Black?
Yes, indeed, the darkened beets do not lose their scrumptious flavor by turning black. To prevent the darkening of beets or minimize the blackening of beets, you can rub them with a few drops of acidic water; however, their flavors remain the same.
The color of the beets only turns black because it gets oxidized with chlorogenic acid. It has no effect on their taste or delicious flavors at all. The effect of darkening the beets is entirely cosmetic and does not change the taste of the beets at all.
The darkened beets are still as nutritious and healthy to eat as much as golden beets or red-colored beets.
How Do You Know Cooked Beets Are Bad?
The cooked beets that are oxidized and turned black in color are not bad to be consumed. The darkened beets are as delightful and nutritious as red-colored beets.
However, it is always better to eat fresh beets as compared to oxidized beets. Instead of consuming oxidized beets, you must eat fresh red-colored beets or golden-colored beets to have a delicious taste as well as consume nutritious food as well.
To prevent the beet from turning from red to black, you must eat the beets as soon as you slice them or extract their juice.
Red-colored beets, as well as golden-colored beets, are both delicious and incredibly nutritious ingredients to eat. It helps in maintaining clean blood circulation throughout the body. Moreover, it also helps to keep your digestion process on track.
What Happens If You Overcook Beetroot?
Consuming cooked beet or roasted beet is the best and most delicious way of consuming it.
By roasting the beets, you can concentrate the sugar in the beet and make them deliciously sweet and rich in flavor.
Over-cooked beets are also mouth-watering in their taste and flavors. Overcooking the beetroot can give it a bitter taste. Moreover, the texture of the overcooked beet varies from the roasted or fresh beetroot. The over-cooked beetroot has a darkened texture that is a bit too roasty to eat.
