Chard: Applications, Treatments, Health Benefits

Swiss chard is a type of vegetable. Botanically, it is a turnip. However, it is not its root that is consumed, but its leaves – much like spinach raw as a salad or boiled or steamed. In the case of style chard, on the other hand, the stems are prepared and eaten like asparagus. Eating this flavorful leafy vegetable can prevent various diseases.

Occurrence and cultivation of chard

Especially gourmets and foodies appreciate the spicy and strong taste of chard. The chard is the cultivated form of the wild turnip. It is related to the fodder beet, sugar beet and red beet. In appearance, the leaf chard, with its leaves up to thirty centimeters long, resembles spinach, while the stem chard has edible stems that are cooked like asparagus. They also serve in the kitchen as a substitute for turnip greens and stem kale, respectively. Chard comes in many different varieties. Thus, its leaf color can vary from pale yellow to light and dark shades of green to dark red. Its leaves can be both smooth and curly. Like so many old varieties, chard has had an amazing career in recent years, going from an almost forgotten vegetable to the new “in” vegetable. For a very long time it was overshadowed by spinach, but now it is reclaiming the menus. Gourmets and foodies in particular appreciate the spicy, powerful taste of chard. It has been cultivated for about four thousand years. In the seventeenth century, chard was even one of the most popular vegetables in Germany. Since it was displaced by spinach for a long time, chard is still grown on a very small scale in Germany, where it is in season from June to around October. In spring, we import it mainly from Spain, Italy or France, because the Mediterranean region offers ideal growing conditions for this sun-loving plant.

Effect and application

Leaf chard should be purchased only very fresh, because it does not have a long shelf life. If it is not possible to prepare it immediately, it can be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp cloth. In this way it will stay fresh for one or two days. Style chard, on the other hand, will keep fresh for about a week when refrigerated in a damp cloth. Chard can be frozen if it is briefly blanched, rinsed and gently squeezed beforehand. Chard is versatile in the kitchen. It can be roasted, steamed or even baked. Like young spinach, chard can also be eaten raw in salads. Lightly blanched, however, it also does well in a lukewarm salad. In leaf chard, the leaves are used together with the ribs and stems; in stem chard, the leaves and stems are separated during cooking. This is because the leaves cook faster than the stems. These should be pulled off before cooking to remove tough fibers. They take about eight minutes to cook in the saucepan. Three minutes later, add the leaves, which require only five minutes. To prevent chard from turning brown during cooking, it should be blanched in salted water and rinsed immediately afterward by immersion in ice-cold water. Leaf chard and style chard must be washed very thoroughly before processing, as there is plenty of sand in the grooves of the leaves and between the stems. Many gourmets are convinced that chard tastes best when steamed, as this is where its intense nutty flavor is most prominent. Chard is best steamed in olive oil or butter with the addition of an onion and garlic. For this purpose, its leaves are cut into narrow strips. Steamed chard should not be kept warm, otherwise harmful nitrates could form. The large leaves of chard are also ideal for stuffing or wrapping.

Health significance, treatment and prevention.

Chard is rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements such as iron, phosphorus, folic acid, magnesium, iodine, sodium, potassium and calcium. In addition, it contains a lot of protein. The contained vitamin K promotes blood clotting as well as bone formation in the human body and strengthens the teeth. Per one hundred grams of chard contains thirty-eight milligrams of vitamin C.

This contributes to physical and mental freshness and strengthens the immune system. Especially in stressful situations or colds, vitamin C is a valuable aid.In combination with vitamin E and other plant pigments, it can counteract various cancer triggers – for example, by scavenging harmful free radicals. Chard is also rich in vitamin A, contains vitamin B1, B2 and beta-carotene. Furthermore, chard contains bioactive substances – so-called “secondary plant compounds” – which are said to have a disease-preventing effect. For example, similar to spinach and kale, the plant contains large amounts of plant pigments from the carotene group. These protect human cells and mucous membranes. In addition, they are considered an effective preventive against cancer. In traditional folk medicine, chard is a popular natural healing plant. For centuries it has been considered particularly beneficial in cases of restlessness or nervousness. It is effective against concentration disorders, invigorates the brain and activates mental freshness. It has also been successfully used against intestinal inertia, because it has a detoxifying effect on the intestines and eliminates various digestive disorders. Chard could also bring relief to skin diseases. Chard can boost cellular respiration and lower blood lipid levels. However, like spinach and rhubarb, chard also contains oxalic acid. People with kidney disease should therefore not consume chard. For healthy people, however, the leafy vegetable is completely safe.