benefits of swiss chard

There are a number of Swiss chard varieties, some of which have white, yellow, or orange stalks while others have red, pink, or purple stalks. Some of the most common varieties with white stems include Perpetual Spinach (also known as Leaf Beet), Witerbi Mangold, Fordhook Giant, Lucullus, Orea, and White King. If you re planning to grow your own chard and would like to add some color to your garden, you may want to try some of the more colorful varieties such as Rhubarb Chard (deep crimson stalks), Bright Yellow, Magenta Sunset (pink ribs and veins), Orange Fantasia, Golden Sunrise, or Rainbow Chard (a mix of white, orange, and red chard varieties).

The gorgeous green leaves and the juicy stems of the Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla) are packed full of vitamin K. In fact, eating a handful of fresh Swiss chard provides your body with almost as much vitamin K as eating a handful of collard greens. As you may already know, collard greens are considered a superfood par excellence, and they are particularly famous for their extremely high vitamin K content.

Eating Swiss chard may also help you lose excess body fat, when consumed as part of a balanced diet. Swiss chard contains practically no fat, and it is very low in calories: one ounce of cooked and drained Swiss chard providing only 6 calories! In addition, Swiss chard contains a good amount of vitamin C which may indirectly promote weight loss through its ability to stimulate the synthesis of carnitine, a compound that has been linked to improved fat burning.

Did you know that Swiss chard is supercharged with pro vitamin A (carotenoids), with one ounce of boiled and drained Swiss chard supplying your body with a staggering 34% of the Daily Value for pro vitamin A (according to USDA s nutrition facts data for Swiss chard). Carotenoids and vitamin A play several important roles in the human body, but their best known health benefits relate to their eye health protecting properties. One case control study found that the study participants who were in the highest quintile of carotenoid intake had a 43% lower risk for age related macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness, compared with those in the lowest quintile. These compelling findings were published in the November 1994 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Today, the regular chard with white stalks and green, ruffled leaves is available year round in the supermarkets in the US, UK, and Canada. During its peak season, you may also be able to find some of the more exotic varieties of the Swiss chard at farmers markets near you. Use the opportunity, and buy some less common chard varieties, such as red chard (e.g. Ruby Chard or Rhubarb Chard cultivars), or a bunch of rainbow chard which is typically a mix of white stemmed Swiss chard, red chard, and golden chard.

Like spinach, rhubarb, purslane, and some other green leafy superfoods, Swiss chard contains significant amounts of oxalates. In people with kidney problems, foods that contain high levels of oxalates may lead to severe health complications. In addition, people with certain medical conditions, such as Primary Hyperoxaluria and Enteric Hyperoxaluria, may be advised to limit their dietary intake of oxalate rich foods, including Swiss chard and red chard, and to rotate green vegetables in their diets.

Chard is a seasonal leafy green primarily cultivated between June and October, but is available year round. Its leaves and stalk are both edible, although only the strong can handle it raw (please note: always wash your veggies thoroughly before consuming). It comes in three main varieties: Green (a.k.a. Swiss), Red and Rainbow. If you are new to Chard, I highly recommend braising it for your first culinary experience.

Chard is a great source of vitamin K, A and C, and is a wonderful cauldron of potassium, magnesium, iron and fiber. It is high in antioxidants, making it another great super food. Oh, and its low in calories. A single serving is merely 35 calories, yet contains more than 300% of your daily vitamin K needs. It is also rich in a multitude of B complex vitamins, including a lot of ones I cannot pronounce.

Boil, braise, steam or saut you can cook Chard any way you want. Throw it up in the air and turn around once, you can chew on it raw if you like (remember to wash your veggies before you eat them). You can juice with it, chop it up and include it in your favorite stuffing mix or pasta sauces. The general rule with Chard is to cook the leaves like you would spinach and the stalks like asparagus. To properly wash Chard, it is recommended that you wash it thoroughly with cold water, either dunking the whole leaves in a bowl of water until the water is clear, or chop it up and then use a salad washer.

As with many dark greens, Swiss chard is a highly nutrient dense food. A meager 19 calories (three cups) contains 122% of your daily need of vitamin A, 50% of vitamin C, and 10% of iron. Swiss chard is also very high in Vitamin E, K, B6, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and fiber when eaten. Its a good source of zinc, folate and thiamin.