Swiss Chard Nutritional Value And Health Benefits!

What is Swiss Chard? 

Swiss Chard’s nutritional benefits contribute to good health and are a versatile vegetable to cook with. Its botanical name is Beta vulgaris (Crassa group) and is a member of the beetroot family.  This fall vegetable comes in amazing varieties of colors, solid green, green and white, green and red, and bright red. Swiss Chard Nutritional

The Health Benefits of Swiss Chard is Amazing:

• The ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
• Prevent various types of cancer.
• Improve digestion.
• Boost the immune system.
• Reduce fever and combat inflammation.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Prevent heart disease.
• Increase bone strength and development.
• Detoxify the body, and strengthen the functioning of the brain.

Growing Swiss Chard:

This vegetable is very hardy and a heavy feeder. A heavy feeder takes a lot of nutrients out of the ground. It needs a lot of compost to help keep the soil fertile. Swiss Chard Nutritional

When you are ready to plant, you can either sow it ‘in situ’ or you can transplant the seedlings when they are 8-10cm tall. It is better to sow ‘in situ’, as transplanting can slow the growth.

Companions in the Garden:

• It grows well with most other vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
• But especially enjoys the company of flowers like Black-eyed Susan’s and Calendulas.
• It also likes to be grown near Fennel.
• Swiss Chard nutritional benefits can easily be incorporated into cooking to increase the value of your dish. Be adventurous.

Swiss Chard Leafy Greens:

Swiss chard is a commonly used ingredient in Mediterranean cooking. This is one of the varieties of chard. It has thick, crinkly leaves that are dark green in color. The stems are its most striking feature. The stalks are colored in the bright colors of the rainbow namely white, pink, red, orange, and yellow.

The leaves are ribbed; they have the same color as the stem. Swiss chard is known by various other names such as silverbeet, crab beet, spinach beet, and Mangold. Swiss Chard Nutritional

Swiss Chard Eating:

Swiss chard can be eaten raw as in salads, can be cooked and juiced or blended as in the case of smoothies. It is usually sautéed and tossed in butter, salt, spices, and seasoning to get rid of the bitter-bland taste.

Swiss Chard Taste:

The taste is close to spinach only a little mild. If you plan to use it to make a smoothie, you needn’t worry as there are several other vegetables and fruits that pair well it and mask its unpleasant taste. 

Here’s Ten Health Benefits Of Eating Swiss Chard:

1. Healthy Bones & Muscles – Magnesium:

Swiss chard has a significant amount of calcium in those leaves, which means that Swiss chard is a major boost for bone health. Calcium, as well as the other minerals found in this vegetable help to stimulate bone growth and development, including magnesium and vitamin K.

2. Natural Brain Booster:

Swiss chard is a valuable source of both potassium and vitamin K, both of which are found in significant amounts in the brain, and are integral parts of boosting cognitive development and abilities. Add some Swiss chard to your diet and expand your mind! Swiss Chard Nutritional

5. Vision Improvement:

Swiss chard has a huge amount of beta-carotene, which has been linked in many ways to optimal eye health and a reduction in macular degeneration, glaucoma, night blindness, and other vision-related conditions. Swiss Chard Nutritional

6. Blood Circulation:

Ever feel fatigued or showing signs of weakness, bad gut health, and loses focus? You might be suffering from anemia. Swiss chards can help increase blood circulation. By ensuring a proper amount of red blood cells by eating food like Swiss chard, you can increase the circulation of the blood and oxygenation of essential organs within the body.

7. Heart Health (Blood Pressure):

Swiss chards have anti-inflammatory and phytonutrient antioxidants combined with potassium helps reduce stress and blood pressure.

Therefore, Swiss chard protects those who eat it from a variety of conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. If you are at risk of heart attacks and strokes, consider including this nutritional vegetable in your diet. 

8. Good For Weight Loss:

If you are currently in a weight loss program, you could add swiss chard to your diet because of, it low in calories and the fiber will help you control your appetite by making you feel longer.

9. Solution to Diarrhea:

Diarrhea occurs when your digestive tract is infected by certain bacteria or viruses. What you should do is detoxifying your intestine so all the bacteria or viruses will be washed off from your digestive tract.

Consuming foods rich in fiber could help you deal with the condition and swiss chard is only one of those vegetables you could consume for the great amount of dietary fiber. Swiss Chard Nutritional

10. Diabetes:

Swiss chard has unique flavonoids that are able to inhibit the activity of an enzyme known as alpha-glucosidase. This means fewer carbs are broken down into sugars and allows the blood sugar levels in the body to remain stable. This colorful vegetable is definitely suitable for diabetics or individuals with blood sugar issues.

11. Anti-Inflammatory:

The colored chards yellow and reddish have phytonutrients that have been shown to provide antioxidants and detoxifying effects. Like beets, Swiss chard has betalains that are anti-inflammatory properties.

Furthermore, it becomes more powerful with support from vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. In other words, consuming swiss chard regularly could prevent all the worst conditions caused by inflammation.

Proper Way to Prepare Swiss Chard:

Look for fresh Swiss chard in your supermarket’s fresh produce section; this section is one of the store’s refrigerated areas. Find the most vibrant green leafy produce, without yellowed or discolored leaves.

• Be certain that you pick out crisp stalks and crispy leaves that do not contain any visible spots.
• You can refrigerate unwashed Swiss chard leaves in a plastic bag for a few days. Blanched Swiss chard leaves may be frozen for future meals.
• Before cooking the Swiss chard, rinse it off very carefully in order to remove all of the dirt and sand.
• Immerse the leaves and stalks in a container filled with cold water, swoosh them around, then finish cleaning by rinsing them in cold, running water.
• Trim off the bottom ends of the vegetable.
• If the fibers are too plentiful, you can peel them off in the same manner that you peel off excess fibers from celery stalks. Swiss Chard Nutritional

Swiss Chard Cooking:

• Do not cook this vegetable in an aluminum pot, because the aluminum will, cause your Swiss chard to lose its green color.
• It is better to quick boil your Swiss chard, as opposed to steaming it, since the quick boil method frees the oxalic acids found in the leaves, and helps it to not taste quite as bitter.

Tips on Harvesting, and Cooking Swiss Chard: 

This vegetable can be used to prepare many delicious dishes. Using the young leaves in a salad is scrumptious as it has a nutty taste. Also use the whole leaf and stem, lightly steamed, so as not to lose the flavor.

Substituting For Spinach:  

• Makes a subtle yet tasty difference When you harvest the leaves, it is best to snap the whole leaf and stem off from the base. 
• If you cut it, the piece of stem that is left will prevent new leaves from forming.
• When an old plant starts to produce lots of small leaves, it is time to pull it out and get some fresh ones started. Swiss Chard Nutritional

Substitute Swiss chard in lieu of spinach:

• when you cook a vegetarian lasagna Substitute it for cabbage when preparing stuffed veggie dishes.
• You can use the leaves as a sandwich wrap, stuffing them with your favorite tuna fish, chicken or turkey fillings.
• You can also add cooked this vegetable to a penne pasta dish, with the addition of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and chopped garlic cloves.
• Try adding some steamed Swiss chard to a frittata or an omelet.

The Amount to Eat:

The recommended portion size of Swiss chard is the equivalent of one cup.

 Caution:

Swiss chards may not be the best choice for someone who is prone to kidney stones as they are high in oxalates which may trigger symptoms. Swiss Chard Nutritional

 

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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

Eat Healthily. Live Healthily!

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