Beet root is the taproot portion of Beta vulgaris plant. It was domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians, Greek and Romans, primarily for their greens until around 200A.D. During this time, the Romans hybridized the leafy beet with native Europeans varieties to create plants with large, bulbous taproots we recognize today. These hybrid beets came in both red and white varieties, with the red ones being more popular because they were prettier.Today it is considered a root vegetable with its roots being prepared in many ways: raw, boiled, roasted or pickled to name a few.
