I like fresh beets, but I can't say the same about beet stains. Cooking beets has left me with bright red fingertips and made a lasting impression on my fridge and cutting board.

So these days, I enjoy borscht and roasted beet salads is when skilled chefs prepare them for me.

But now that the New York Times has called beets "the new spinach" [1] because of its nutritional profile, I might have to get my hands dirty.

Beets are loaded with potassium, folate, manganese, antioxidants and phytochemicals that probably haven't even been discovered yet. They contain compounds that fight heart disease, birth defects, several types of cancer, and reduce inflammation.

Altogether, it seems like stained fingers are a small price to pay for so much healthful goodness. With that in mind, I poked around the Whole Foods website [2] in search of tips for buying and cooking beets.

Here are few ways to make beets a regular part of your diet:

• Select small or medium-sized beets that are firm, smooth-skinned and deeply colored. Smaller, tender beets may not require peeling after they've been cooked.

• Avoid beets with spots, bruises, soft areas, and those that are shriveled or flabby.

• Beets will keep for up to four weeks. Store them unwashed in the refrigerator crisper after cutting off the greens. To prevent "bleeding," leave about two inches of the attached stem and store in a plastic bag.

• Don't overcook beets, because heat can diminish their anti-cancer properties.

• Yellow beets and the candy-striped chioggia beets have the same nutritional value as standard red beets.

• Peel beets after cooking. To minimize stains, wash beets gently under cool running water while peeling.

• Wear kitchen gloves (if you have them) to prevent staining your fingers. To remove stains, try a little lemon juice.

• Raw beets do not freeze well, but cooked beets keep their flavor and texture when frozen.