Buraków

Buraków is the genitive plural form of burak, a Polish noun that most commonly denotes the beetroot, the edible root of the plant Beta vulgaris. It is used after numerals and in phrases requiring the genitive plural, as in kilka buraków or kilkanaście buraków. The word burak also has a slang meaning as a pejorative term for a boorish or provincial person in Polish.

Botanically, a beetroot belongs to Beta vulgaris and is cultivated in temperate climates. The species includes several cultivated types, notably table beet for eating, sugar beet for sugar production, and fodder beet for animal feed. Beets are valued for their color, sweetness, and versatility in the kitchen.

Nutrition and use: beetroots are a source of dietary fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, and antioxidants, including betalains that give the characteristic red color. They can be eaten boiled, roasted, pickled, or raw, and are common ingredients in soups (such as barszcz), salads, and juices.

In cultural contexts, the term burak and its inflected forms appear in Polish language and media. In slang, burak can carry a negative connotation when describing a person perceived as boorish or provincial, though in neutral usage it simply refers to the vegetable.