Betacyanin is a group of phenolic pigment present mainly in eight plant families. Betanin is one type and is present in Beta Vulgaris beetroot. Betanin occurs in hydrolyzed with sugars as betanidin, a reddish pigment in beets.
Structurally this pigment is not a vitamin or provitamin or a cofactor to act as an extrinsic factor in the formation of blood cells. But recent studies have shown many phenolics and flavonoids present in the plant kingdom have anti-oxidant properties and prevent free radical reactions from taking place in our body.
Free radical reactions like free oxygen, superoxide, peroxide are one cause for the ageing of cells. These phenolics and flavonoids scavenge the oxidants and prevent the free radical reaction and hence stop the ageing of cells.
Since Betanin present in beetroots is also a phenolic compound might have these anti-oxidant properties and stop free-radical reaction and prevent ageing of our body cells.
