Beets

Species name: Beta vulgaris

Beets are native to the Mediterranean, the Atlantic coast of Europe, the Near East, and India. Firm and round with green leafy tops, beets range in color from red to white, with the most common and widely known being garnet red. Beets are high in sucrose and have been used to manufacture sugar. The beet top can also be eaten. The leafy top of a beet contains three times more iron than the root of the plant.