Certified Organic Kosher Certified Origin: Egypt. Description: In ancient times, beets had elongated roots like carrots and the globular red beet we now eat was only hybridized about 300 years ago. Both the roots and leaves have been used in folk medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments since the time of the Romans, who used them for fever and constipation, while Hippocrates used the leaves as a binding for wounds. It can be infused with a beautiful colorant in most cosmetic formulas.