Chioggia beets are made of of entirely edible roots, stems and leaves. The swollen dusty ruby colored globular root is topped with variegated pink and pistachio colored mid ribs and broad wavy green leaves. The flesh of the root is distinguished by its concentrated ring pattern of magenta pink and bone white. 

Chioggia beets inherently contain the highest content of geosmin, an organic compound which gives them a deep earthy flavor and aroma. Cooked Chioggia beets will not retain their brilliant coloring, rather fade to paler versions of their original colors. 

Current Facts

The Chioggia beet, AKA Candy Stripe and Bull's Eye beet, is a biennial plant grown almost exclusively as a table beet. It is a member of the Chenopodiaceae family, which also includes spinach, chard, orach and quinoa. 

Applications

The Chioggia beet can be roasted, steamed or braised. Roasting the beet will bring out the most flavor. Chioggia beets can be served cold or hot. They are a great salad beet, whether served alongside greens or as the main ingredient. Chioggia beets pair well with other beets, bacons, apples, butter, cheeses such as goat cheese, gorgonzola and aged pecorino, cucumbers, creme fraiche, hard-coked eggs, fennel, mustard, oranges, parsley, smoked fish, shallots and vinegars, especially balsamic, sherry and red wine. Chioggia beets can also be preserved by pickling them.

BASIC NUTRITION

A 1/2-cup serving of boiled beets contains 37 calories. This root vegetable is low in fat, with 0.15 g per serving. You will not get much in the way of protein, either – each serving provides only 1 g of the 56 g of protein you need per day to meet your nutritional needs. The majority of the calories in beets come from carbohydrates. Each serving of this vegetable has 8 g of the 225 to 325 g of carbs required daily. Additionally, you get 2 g of fiber, a nutrient that helps prevent constipation and diarrhea.

VITAMINS

Beets serve as a good source of folate, a B vitamin. Each serving of this vegetable contains 17 percent of the daily recommended intake of this vitamin based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which makes beets a good choice if you’re a woman planning to conceive -- folate helps prevent spinal birth defects. In addition, you take in 5 percent of the vitamin C you need each day and smaller amounts of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid.

MINERALS

Eat beets to boost your manganese intake. Each portion provides 14 percent of the amount of this mineral you require daily. Manganese keeps your brain and nerves functioning correctly and contributes to your body’s ability to make certain hormones and connective tissue. You consume 7 percent of the potassium you need every day, as well as 5 percent of the suggested intake for magnesium. Beets also contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper and selenium.

COLON CANCER PREVENTION POTENTIAL

Including beets in your meal plan may improve the health of your colon. An article on the Gayot website notes that betacyanin, a compound in beets, may provide protection against colon cancer. An animal study published in the June 2000 edition of the journal Nahrung correlates fiber from red beets with a reduction in precancerous cells, although it did not decrease the number of tumors. Human studies are needed to confirm these findings.

GROWING INFORMATION

CULTURE:First-rate crops grow quickly in light or loamy soils with a pH over 6.0. In general, cool temperatures produce the best flesh color. Acute weather fluctuations will cause zoning (white rings) in the roots.

TRANSPLANTING:Sow seed in a cold frame or indoors in early spring, about 5-6 weeks before transplanting out after heavy frosts become infrequent. Sow seeds 1/2" deep, 3-4 seeds per inch. Transplant out 3" apart in rows 12-18" apart.

DIRECT SEEDING:Begin early sowings when soil has warmed to 45°F/7°C. Sow 15 seeds/ft. 1/2" deep, rows 12-18" apart. Thin to 1 plant per 2". For a continuous supply of greens and small tender beets, sow seed at 2-week intervals until 8 weeks before regular heavy frosts are expected.