Beetroot was considered a true fountain of youth in Ancient Greece, where it was prized for its numerous medicinal qualities. Back then, the dark red beet was so revered by the ancients that it was offered to Apollo on a silver platter at Delphi. The famous 4th century Roman cookbook Apicius hands down the recipe of beetroot pickled in vinegar.

This is one of the oldest known recipes for the red beet. Red and white beet are known to have grown in Sicily since 1000 BC. Doctors in the Roman Empire began to appreciate the medicinal properties of the red root vegetable, a practice which continued right up until the middle ages. Since the 16th century, beetroot has also been cultivated as a source of food