Dwight Schrute’s Idiot’s Guide to Beets BY DENISE HEIDEL (STANDING IN FOR DWIGHT SCHRUTE) Michael Scott: Yeah, well, you know what? Nobody cares about your stupid beet farm. Beets are the worst. Dwight Schrute: People love beets. Michael Scott: Nobody likes beets. Dwight Schrute: Everyone loves beets. Michael Scott: Nobody likes beets, Dwight. Why don’t you grow something that everybody does like? You should grow candy. I’d love a piece of candy right now. Not a beet.
If you’re a fan of The Office, Office, you know Dwight Schrute (and if you’ve never watched it, just stop everything you do for a Netflix binge… worth it.) Dwight’s job at Dunder Mifflin is only slightly more important to him than his beet farm – that 60-acre estate that has been in the Schrute family for years, and also duals as an agrotourism attraction and charming bed and breakfast! (Ask Jim and Pam – they’ve stayed there!) When it comes to beet farming and beets, no one knows more than Dwight. So, don’t turn your nose up quite yet… learn about the benefits beets can bring to your diet! “Those who can’t farm, farm celery.” ~Dwight Schrute Whether growing beets is complicated is not the question at hand… but when it comes to choosing a vegetable that is going to give you a big nutritional bang for your buck, take a look at beets! While this is a carb-heavy veggie, beets are high in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. “The principle is sound. To avoid illness, expose yourself to germs, enabling your immune system to develop antibodies. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do this… Maybe they have something against living forever.” ~Dwight Schrute Beets boost immunity! Eating them can help boost your immune system thanks to the powerful punch of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they bring to the table. For instance, a beet’s folate may help prevent anemia (which would otherwise reduce your body’s ability to fight infection!). Also, one cup of raw beets provides 25% of the recommended daily intake of manganese, a mineral that helps form antioxidants. “Through concentration, I can raise and lower my cholesterol at will.” ~Dwight Schrute When Pam asked Dwight why he would want to raise his cholesterol, he nonsensically answered, “So I can lower it.” The good news for him is that beets don’t have any cholesterol! So if you’re looking for a way to reduce your daily cholesterol intake, consider adding beets to your diet! A recent study concluded that beets may lower the bad cholesterol, while raising the good!
“Prior to conception, Mother will participate in a beet juice fertility cleanse, in a manner to be decided upon by the parties.” ~Dwight Schrute and Angela Martin’s child contract It’s well known around the office on The Office that Dwight knows almost nothing about women, but when it came to drafting a contract to have a baby with Angela, he was on to something. Beets are high in folic acid – a vitamin strongly encouraged for growth and development during a pregnancy. “I come from a long line of fighters. My maternal grandfather was the toughest guy I ever knew. World War II veteran, killed twenty men, and spent the rest of the war in an Allied prison camp. My father battled blood pressure and obesity all his life. Different kind of fight.” ~Dwight Schrute The combination of folate and betaine make beets a great way to decrease your risk of heart disease. Additionally, beetroot juice contains nitrates, which can reduce blood pressure.
“I am fast. To give you a reference point, I am somewhere between a snake and a mongoose… and a panther.” ~Dwight Schrute Perhaps Dwight can attribute his speed and agility to beets! Scientists have learned that consuming beet juice before a workout helps improve endurance! Furthermore, for those who have suffered from heart disease, drinking beet juice can help them on the road to recovery, giving them more energy for exercise. Knowing the great benefits of beets, it’s easy to understand why Dwight may refer to them as, “Perfectenschlag.” In the meantime, consider adding a bit of beet to your daily diet and see if you, too, can agree with Dwight’s assessment that “Everyone loves beets.”