Beetroot powder is a natural food colourant. Manufacturers who want to avoid using artificially-derived food colours make use of it. You'll find it added to:

●  cake batters

●  pizza doughs

●  icings

●  drinks

●  yoghurts

And more, including sauces and Indian dishes.

Its flavour is mildly sweet, so bakers favour it as they know it won't overpower their goods—plus, it's vegan-friendly, unlike that other popular red colouring cochineal.

Beetroot is known for its health benefits when added to your diet, so unsurprisingly it has also found its way into some natural medicines.

The vegetable is a great source of potassium which helps to prevent fluid retention by regulating the body's fluid levels. It is also rich in antioxidants as well as vitamins A, B6 and C plus iron, calcium and folate.

Some use the root in alternative medicines, and it is often suggested as a remedy for people who need to reduce blood pressure levels, and to help with liver disease and fatty liver, alongside other medicinal herbs.

Beetroots are a rich source of nitrates, which the body can convert to nitric acid. Nitric acid helps to dilate blood vessels which results in better blood flow and so lower blood pressure.

Beetroot powder is a popular supplement with athletes—largely due to the nitrates it contains. While you would have to eat an awful lot of fresh beets to get the same effect, a spoonful of beetroot powder can deliver similar results and is easy to fit in every day.

Devotees say it helps them to work out for longer, participate in higher intensity workouts and reduces their recovery time which is thought to be down to the increased blood flow from the nitrates.