What a good question! I know that when I eat my raw redbeet salad (cut up raw red beets and season with olive oil and apple cider vinegar and raw onions...delicious!)
I have really great bowel movements the next day.
A kinsiologist who gave me a muscle test once told me I have pancreas and lower bowel issues and reccomended I eat raw redbeets. It really does have an effect on the lower bowels. I'm wondering also if raw redbeets may also flush out parasites from the pancreas area.
I also wonder if many people who develop diabetes later in life may actually have gotten to that point from parasites in the pancreas.
Anyways, After I come back from a health fair going on this afternoon, I'm going to look into redbeets and cherries more. Shroom made a good observation already, I see !