Balsamic vinegar tames the taste of raw beets

Q: I know beets are a healthy food, but I just couldn’t stand their overpowering taste. I’ve tried them roasted and in soups, and their flavor just overwhelmed everything.

However, I came up with a simple recipe that I enjoy. I simply grate or julienne them and then pour balsamic vinegar on them raw. The resulting beet slaw is just delicious. The strong taste of the vinegar balances the strong taste of beets.

Sometimes I add other grated root vegetables like carrots, turnips, parsnips or even purple cabbage. When I add the other vegetables, I call it rainbow slaw rather than beet salad. I hope this will help others enjoy beets the way I now do.

A: Thank you for a tasty-sounding recipe.

This could make it easy for people to consume beets on a regular basis. We’ve not seen research comparing beet juice to fresh beet slaw, but we imagine your slaw might help lower blood pressure.

To learn more about beets and other foods that can help with blood pressure control, you may wish to read our eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions. In addition to special foods and beverages for blood pressure, we discuss nondrug approaches and medications. This online resource is available under the Health eGuides tab at PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q: Thank you for alerting your readers to the findings in a Consumer Reports article about high levels of lead, arsenic and cadmium in many major brands of spices. Since all brands of thyme and oregano, spices we use regularly, were contaminated, I wonder about oil of oregano. Our family doctor suggests it to combat colds and infections at times.

I reached out to two brands that make oil of oregano. Impressively, Natural Factors got back to me immediately, detailing extensive testing. But this brand is hard to find, so we have used one from Whole Foods more regularly. I have sent numerous emails and calls to Whole

Foods in an attempt to try and get information about any testing the company does on its oil of oregano, as the last thing I want to do is poison my children with heavy metals. My messages have all been ignored, which is incredibly upsetting. Whole Foods and Amazon have tremendous power, and I find it alarming that they can get away with blatantly ignoring concerned customers who are asking important questions.

A: We agree that all organizations, no matter how much power they have, should answer quality-control questions about their products. Based on our understanding of how oil of oregano is prepared from the leaves through steam distillation, we think heavy metal contamination is unlikely. But it surely would be good to confirm that!

Q: I was intrigued to read your column about sunflower seeds to stay alert while driving. I’ve used carrots for this purpose, and I always take a bag of carrots on a long trip. The crunching of the carrots keeps me awake and alert, and if it starts not to work, I know it’s time to get off the road.

I suspect sunflower seeds might work the same way, and I will probably try them on my next long drive.

A: Thanks for the tip. Crunchy carrots sound like a healthy way to stay alert. Many people have told us that shelling sunflower seeds with teeth and tongue requires enough concentration to combat drowsiness. On the other hand, manipulating them while driving might be dangerous. Chewing carrots should be safer in that regard.

Getty Images The taste of raw beets may be overpowering for some people. Try topping them with balsamic vinegar.