Evidence check · 4 min read

What Beets Can't (Yet) Do: Diabetes, Liver and Cancer Claims

A clear, sourced look at popular beetroot claims for blood sugar, fatty liver and cancer — and why the evidence is weak or missing.

Last updated October 9, 2026 • Reviewed by Dr. A. Reviewer, M.Sc. Nutrition • Based on peer-reviewed sources

Short answer: A 12-week trial of concentrated beet juice did not improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes.^{[Karimzadeh et al., 2023 28]}

Key takeaways

✓A 12-week trial of concentrated beet juice did not improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes.^{[Karimzadeh et al., 2023 28]}
✓Fatty-liver benefits come from a trial that changed diet at the same time, so juice's role is unclear.^{[Fateh et al., 2023 27]}
✓Anti-cancer effects are seen only in lab and animal studies.^{[Tan et al., 2021 31; Martinez et al., 2024 30]}

Blood sugar and diabetes

In people with type 2 diabetes, 12 weeks of concentrated beet juice did not improve glycemic control.^{[Karimzadeh et al., 2023 28]}

Juice contains natural sugar and little fiber; whole beets are gentler for blood sugar.^{[USDA, 2018 33; Zamani et al., 2021 32]}

Fatty liver

A trial of 180 adults combined beet juice with a Mediterranean diet and saw improved liver markers, but cannot separate the two effects.^{[Fateh et al., 2023 27]}

Cancer

Beet pigments (betalains) slow some cancer cells in the lab, which does not show that eating beets prevents or treats cancer in people.^{[Tan et al., 2021 31; Martinez et al., 2024 30]}

Educational information only — not medical advice. Talk to your clinician before changing your diet or medication.

References6 peer-reviewed sourcesShow all

27.Fateh HL, et al. The effects of Mediterranean diet and beetroot juice on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial (n=180). Front Nutr. 2023;10:1181706. View source
28.Karimzadeh L, et al. Effect of concentrated beetroot juice on glycemic control, blood pressure and lipids in type 2 diabetes. Ir J Med Sci. 2023;192(3):1143–1153. View source
30.Martinez RM, et al. Betalains: a narrative review of pharmacological mechanisms. Foods. 2024;13:3909. View source
31.Tan ML, Hamid SBS. Beetroot as a potential functional food for cancer chemoprevention: a narrative review. J Cancer Prev. 2021;26(1):1–17. View source
32.Zamani H, et al. The benefits and risks of beetroot juice consumption: a systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2021;61(5):788–804. View source
33.USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Basic Report 11080: Beets, raw. Release April 2018. View source

Claims marked [*] are awaiting a verified source.