Are Swiss Chard Leaves Poisonous
A “super vegetable” if you're looking to pack in the vitamins, Swiss chard’s rainbow and ruby red versions are often confused with rhubarb, which is a fruit
A “super vegetable” if you're looking to pack in the vitamins, Swiss chard’s rainbow and ruby red versions are often confused with rhubarb, which is a fruit
Fortunately, it is easy to grow in the ground or in containers—especially when you begin with strong, vigorous Bonnie Plants® Swiss chard starter plants—and is one of the few greens that tolerates both cool weather and heat.It will linger in the spring garden much longer than mustard, turnips, arugula, or other greens with the tendency to bolt.Get your growing season off to a great start by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter into your native soil.Plants are generally problem free but may be attacked by aphids, mites, or caterpillars that chew holes in the leaves.For advice on how to handle pests and diseases in the garden, contact your local Extension agency.In areas that never experience a hard freeze, Swiss chard sometimes behaves like a perennial, living for several years.Whole harvested leaves will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks in a loose plastic bag or sealed container.Swiss chard is a neat plant that grows well among other vegetables as shown in this raised planter at Juniper Front Community Garden in San Diego.Harvest large leaves by cutting them from the outer part of the plant at the base of their stems
Along with other leafy greens and descendants of the beet family, Swiss chard contains high levels of nitrates, which been shown to lower blood pressure , reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance.However, consumers should not add salt to Swiss chard, because it already has 103 mg of sodium per raw cup, which is 4.5 percent of the recommended daily allowance.Swiss chard also contains lesser amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium .Many studies have suggested that consuming more plant foods such as Swiss chard decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality and promotes a healthy complexion, increased energy, and overall lower weight.These minerals are thought to reduce blood pressure by releasing sodium out of the body and helping arteries dilate.A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, found that foods that are high in dietary nitrates, like Swiss chard, have multiple vascular benefits.These include reducing blood pressure, inhibiting platelet aggregation, and preserving or improving endothelial dysfunction.Swiss chard contains chlorophyll, which may be effective at blocking the cancer-causing heterocyclic amines generated when grilling foods at a high temperature.In one study, beetroot juice, also high in dietary nitrates, improved performance by 2.8 percent over 11 seconds in a 4-kilometer (km) bicycle time trial
It tends to mind its own business, content to grow colorful, tender, upright stalks of leafy, healthy goodness without much extra effort on your part.Just like the juglone from black walnut trees, sunflowers can also be allelopathic, exuding chemicals from their roots, leaves, and stems that may be harmful to nearby plants.Taking advantage of the plant’s phytotoxic properties, sunflower leaf extracts have even been tested as natural herbicides against many weeds, including lamb’s quarter, another member of the amaranth family and a relative of Swiss chard.Spreading out members of the same family can slow down pests, and prevent them from devouring the entire contents of your veggie beds.However, to make crop rotations easier, you may still want to group members of the same family together, but create buffers between different plants with herbs, lettuce, alliums, or marigolds, to confuse and slow down pests.And all members of the cucurbit family – squash, melons, gourds, and cucumbers – also make bad neighbors for chard, according to tradition
Chard, like other green leafy vegetables, has highly nutritious leaves, making it a popular component of healthy diets.[7] Its taxonomic rank has changed many times, so it was treated as a subspecies, convariety, or variety of Beta vulgaris.[9][10] They are cultivated descendants of the sea beet, Beta vulgaris subsp.Chard belongs to the chenopods, which are now mostly included in the family Amaranthaceae (sensu lato).The origin of the adjective "Swiss" is unclear, since this coastal plant is native to Sicily, not Switzerland.Chard is used in traditional Swiss cuisine, however, namely in a dish called capuns from the canton of Grisons.Clusters of chard seeds are usually sown, in the Northern Hemisphere, between June and October, depending on the desired harvesting period.Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender, or after maturity when they are larger and have slightly tougher stems.Harvesting is a continuous process, as most species of chard produce three or more crops.Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, with petioles that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the cultivar.Chard may be harvested in the garden all summer by cutting individual leaves as needed.Fresh chard can be used raw in salads, stirfries, soups or omelets.[15] Chard leaves and stalks are typically boiled or sautéed; the bitterness fades with cooking.[3] Also having significant content in raw chard are vitamin E and the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese, iron, and potassium.[3] Raw chard has low content of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and dietary fiber
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You can either remove them and discard (or boil and toss with butter), if some of the stems are tender, just sauté them first before adding the leaves, to give them more cooking time.For this easy sauté we are cooking the chard in just a little olive oil with some thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes.If you don't have coriander, you can skip it, but if you do have it it will make this simple Swiss chard dish truly special
On top of that, if you like having edibles that are ripe for the picking all over your yard, but you don’t want to offend any neighbors or the HOA, Swiss chard is your plant.Plant them as a leafy centerpiece with some low-growing edible flowers or a few trailing herbs, and you have a stunning container with ornamental appeal that no one will suspect doubles as part of your kitchen garden.However, you don’t want the container to tip over or crowd those shallow roots, so make sure it’s at least 12 inches wide as well.Terra cotta tends to dry out a little bit faster than cement or plastic, so you’ll need to be more attentive with watering if you select it.You could always use a drip irrigation system or self-watering planter if you aren’t perfect at checking on your patio plants (something I’m guilty of!If you want to take your plants indoors in advance of the winter, during hot summer conditions, or move your pots to follow the sun, you’ll need to be sure you can lift them.Whatever you choose, it should have plenty of drainage holes in the bottom to ensure that the roots don’t get waterlogged.If you don’t have either of these, you can use a colander to shower your plants with fine droplets of water, or a spray bottle.If you’ve purchased nursery starts, fill your pot with soil and make a hole the depth and twice the width of the container that the plant came in.If you like the idea of creating a collection of plants in your selected container, put chard with friends that have the same growing requirements, such as kale, chives, marigolds, lavender, or mint.For an edible ornamental display, try putting Swiss chard in the center of the pot with small nasturtiums and some sweet alyssum on the outside.I won’t lie, Swiss chard will tolerate some abuse, but don’t let that turn you into a neglectful plant parent.Indoors, the care requirements are the same, though you’ll be entirely in charge of making sure your Swiss chard gets enough water.Plants also need at least four hours of direct sunlight or illumination provided by a supplemental grow light each day to thrive.Once the first hard frost arrives, you can harvest the entire plant, or bring your pot indoors to overwinter.If you want to grow chard microgreens in a container, soak the seeds in cold water for 24 hours before planting to help speed up germination.Your goal is to create a miniature greenhouse effect to help keep the moisture levels steady until germination.Check the seeds every few days and add water with a spray bottle if it looks like the soil is drying out.Swiss chard isn’t too troubled by pests or diseases, but here are a few things to watch out for when you’re tending to your crop.Leaf miners are one of those pests that mostly do cosmetic damage, but when your goal is to eat the foliage, that kind of destruction can be devastating.These pests chew tunnels into the leaves of your plant, which is unsightly (and kind of gross, if you bite into a leaf and imagine the little wigglers once crawling inside).You can place netting over your containers in the spring and early summer when the pests emerge and start to feed, or you can keep your plants indoors.Swiss chard prefers cooler temperatures, so once the thermometer climbs up past 75°F or drops below freezing, your plants may bolt.If things heat up in an unexpected heatwave, some afternoon shade will go a long way towards extending the life of your plant.It’s a sad fact that many plants grown indoors are often attacked by aphids and spider mites.These tiny insects suck the sap out of your plant and leave a sweet residue called honeydew behind.I like to stick my container in the bathtub and use the shower head to blast my chard leaves to knock the bugs loose
A member of the beet family , this versatile vegetable is an easy to grow source of cool weather greens that’s perfect for an early spring or autumn veggie path.Let’s learn a bit about the different types of chard, and then we will share our favorite varieties for growing in the garden.There’s a small range of time to maturity in various cultivars, so that would also be something to look at, depending on how quickly you want your harvest.In my experience, the white-stemmed types, which have a milder flavor, tend to be more attractive to pests than the darker-stemmed varieties.This white-stemmed heirloom variety is a dwarf type, only reaching about 9 inches tall at maturity.Easy to grow in containers, it’s slow to bolt, giving you repeated harvests throughout the season.Colorful ‘Bright Lights’ produces stems in yellow, orange, gold, pink, red, white, and striped.This 1998 All-America Selections Edible Vegetable winner matures in 55 to 60 days and grows to about 20 inches tall.Introduced by Burpee in 1934, his mild-flavored cultivar has thick, dark green leaves that are heavily savoyed and quite tender.‘Fordhook Giant’ is easy to grow and produces heavy yields – even in warm weather.This heirloom variety has a wide, flat, white stem and smooth, tender leaves.‘Large White Ribbed’ grows to about 20 inches tall and is mature in about 60 days.Seeds for ‘Large White Ribbed’ in packets of various sizes are available at Eden Brothers.‘Lucullus’ is an heirloom variety of chard named for a Roman emperor who was well known as a gastronome.The color of the stems of this heirloom variety is nothing short of show-stopping – bright pink and beautiful!Find packets of 200 seeds for this colorful variety at True Leaf Market.This open-pollinated type displays bright orange stems topped by deep green, savoyed leaves, which are tasty in salads when harvested young.A bolt-resistant cultivar, this type is fully mature at about 20 inches tall within about 65 days after planting.Somewhat reminiscent of a Chioggia beet, this type makes a striking addition to your vegetable garden.The leaves are wide, dark green, and savoyed with bright white veins.Baby greens will add interest to salads, and the mature leaves are juicy and tasty when cooked.This type, also known as ‘Ruby Red’ (less fitting, since at least to me they don’t resemble grapefruit…) matures in 60 days and grows to 20 to 24 inches tall.Who knew there was such a variety available in the world of chard?And now it’s time to decide: tall or short?Whichever cultivars you choose, be sure to check out our complete chard growing guide for tips to get started, once your seeds arrive.Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, and David’s Garden Seeds
Fortunately, it is easy to grow in the ground or in containers—especially when you begin with strong, vigorous Bonnie Plants® Swiss chard starter plants—and is one of the few greens that tolerates both cool weather and heat.It will linger in the spring garden much longer than mustard, turnips, arugula, or other greens with the tendency to bolt.Get your growing season off to a great start by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter into your native soil.Plants are generally problem free but may be attacked by aphids, mites, or caterpillars that chew holes in the leaves.For advice on how to handle pests and diseases in the garden, contact your local Extension agency.Chop large leaves to cook down like spinach, or use in casseroles, soups, and pasta.In areas that never experience a hard freeze, Swiss chard sometimes behaves like a perennial, living for several years.Whole harvested leaves will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks in a loose plastic bag or sealed container.Swiss chard is a neat plant that grows well among other vegetables as shown in this raised planter at Juniper Front Community Garden in San Diego.Harvest large leaves by cutting them from the outer part of the plant at the base of their stems
Swiss chard is a great source of dietary fiber, thiamine, folate, zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, riboflavin, and manganese.It’s worth noting that Swiss chard, Beta vulgaris, belongs to the same family as beets which explains its lovely red coloring on some varieties.When planted in the garden, it’s hardier than spinach in hot weather, and strong enough to withstand a bit of frost.So if you’re blessed with a bountiful harvest of fresh chard and wondering what on earth to do with it all, you’ve come to the right place.We’ll go over different ways to use Swiss chard, plus how to preserve it (the easiest method is to blanch then freeze it).The great thing about growing Swiss chard in your garden is that you can harvest it and it will regrow.You can harvest sooner, when its leaves are young and tender, about 6 inches or so (15.2 centimeters).Or, you can let it grow longer (an extra week or so) until its stems are thicker, and its leaves are larger.While less tender, you’ll have more leafy parts to use, and the thick stem can be cut up and used like celery.The best time to harvest is early in the morning when temperatures are moderate and the plant is turgid.If you’re planning on harvesting the whole plant, use a pair of gardening shears or a serrated knife to cut everything off around one inch above the soil line.Store unwashed Swiss chard in the fridge’s crisper drawer as washing creates excess moisture.Avoid using regular sealed plastic bags or unvented tupperware containers as these don’t allow produce to “breathe” leading to a shorter shelf life.With tiny holes that allow vegetables to breathe, these can be purchased in most grocery stores as well as online.According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, blanching is required for several reasons:.Halts enzyme activity which preserves taste, texture, and color of food.It’s important to allow vegetables to blanch for the proper amount of time (under or over-blanching leads to degradation of quality).If you have a blanching basket, place a handful of chard in, and submerge into boiling water.Drain well and gently squeeze out excess water with a clean cloth or paper towel.Avoid having a large, frozen clump of chard by portioning out usable quantities.Swiss chard stems are crunchy, slightly sweet with a taste similar to bok choy, and are sometimes used as a replacement for celery.National Center for Home Food Preservation, Freezing, Blanching, https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/blanching.html#:~:text=Blanching,helps%20retard%20loss%20of%20vitamins.National Center for Home Food Preservation, Selecting, Preparing and Canning Vegetables, Spinach and Other Greens, https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/spinach_greens.html
Along with other leafy greens and descendants of the beet family, Swiss chard contains high levels of nitrates, which been shown to lower blood pressure , reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance.However, consumers should not add salt to Swiss chard, because it already has 103 mg of sodium per raw cup, which is 4.5 percent of the recommended daily allowance.Swiss chard also contains lesser amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium .Many studies have suggested that consuming more plant foods such as Swiss chard decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality and promotes a healthy complexion, increased energy, and overall lower weight.These minerals are thought to reduce blood pressure by releasing sodium out of the body and helping arteries dilate.A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, found that foods that are high in dietary nitrates, like Swiss chard, have multiple vascular benefits.These include reducing blood pressure, inhibiting platelet aggregation, and preserving or improving endothelial dysfunction.Swiss chard contains chlorophyll, which may be effective at blocking the cancer-causing heterocyclic amines generated when grilling foods at a high temperature.In one study, beetroot juice, also high in dietary nitrates, improved performance by 2.8 percent over 11 seconds in a 4-kilometer (km) bicycle time trial
Delicious with eggs for breakfast or as a side for supper, this Low FODMAP Swiss Chard and Bacon calls for only four ingredients and is ready in less than 15 minutes.And, this Low FODMAP Swiss Chard and Bacon is delicious topped with eggs for breakfast (or brunch) or served as a side with pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes for supper!To make this easy low FODMAP side dish, add these ingredients to your shopping list:.– 6 cups chopped leaves (about ½ pound) Optional: Red pepper flakes.In this section, I share information for certain ingredients that are either frequently asked about or that have suggested serving sizes to remain low FODMAP
Fortunately, it is easy to grow in the ground or in containers—especially when you begin with strong, vigorous Bonnie Plants® Swiss chard starter plants—and is one of the few greens that tolerates both cool weather and heat.It will linger in the spring garden much longer than mustard, turnips, arugula, or other greens with the tendency to bolt.Get your growing season off to a great start by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter into your native soil.Plants are generally problem free but may be attacked by aphids, mites, or caterpillars that chew holes in the leaves.For advice on how to handle pests and diseases in the garden, contact your local Extension agency.Chop large leaves to cook down like spinach, or use in casseroles, soups, and pasta.In areas that never experience a hard freeze, Swiss chard sometimes behaves like a perennial, living for several years.Whole harvested leaves will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks in a loose plastic bag or sealed container.Swiss chard is a neat plant that grows well among other vegetables as shown in this raised planter at Juniper Front Community Garden in San Diego.Harvest large leaves by cutting them from the outer part of the plant at the base of their stems
If you are stuck in the rut of baby spinach from a plastic box every week, it’s time to get on the Chard train!Before we get to the tips on how to make this simple sautéed Swiss chard, here are some useful facts about it!The stems need a little more cooking time than the leaves because they have a lot of cellulose that needs to soften for longer.Swiss Chard can be eaten raw, though it contains oxalic acid, so it may be better for you to eat it cooked.But actually it is a general common name for chard, and got the designation from the botanist who determined the plants scientific name in the 19th century.To wilt the greens, splash in a couple tablespoons water and cover the skillet with a lid.Note: If you don’t have a very large skillet with a lid you can do this in a wide Dutch oven instead.Other ways to add a bit of pizzazz are to add a handful of toasted almonds or pine nuts, golden raisins, dried cranberries or dried currants, or even a little crumbled feta or goat cheese.Chard Tart with Goat Cheese, this is a lovely vegetarian entree for the holidays or entertaining.This Balsamic Chicken would be nice or my beloved Turkey Meatloaf recipe.This sautéed swiss chard would be a super yummy and easy accompaniment to these Lemon Caper Salmon Cakes.For a weekend meal, try this spatchcocked chicken and a batch of simple saffron rice.Or for a vegetarian meal, serve this with my pumpkin brown rice risotto.Let me know if you make this recipe by coming back and leaving a star rating and review!
Chard, like other green leafy vegetables, has highly nutritious leaves, making it a popular component of healthy diets.[7] Its taxonomic rank has changed many times, so it was treated as a subspecies, convariety, or variety of Beta vulgaris.[9][10] They are cultivated descendants of the sea beet, Beta vulgaris subsp.Chard belongs to the chenopods, which are now mostly included in the family Amaranthaceae (sensu lato).The origin of the adjective "Swiss" is unclear, since this coastal plant is native to Sicily, not Switzerland.Chard is used in traditional Swiss cuisine, however, namely in a dish called capuns from the canton of Grisons.Clusters of chard seeds are usually sown, in the Northern Hemisphere, between June and October, depending on the desired harvesting period.Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender, or after maturity when they are larger and have slightly tougher stems.Harvesting is a continuous process, as most species of chard produce three or more crops.Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, with petioles that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the cultivar.Chard may be harvested in the garden all summer by cutting individual leaves as needed.Fresh chard can be used raw in salads, stirfries, soups or omelets.[15] Chard leaves and stalks are typically boiled or sautéed; the bitterness fades with cooking.[3] Also having significant content in raw chard are vitamin E and the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese, iron, and potassium.[3] Raw chard has low content of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and dietary fiber
Below you’ll find all of our favorite ways to eat Swiss chard for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Not only that but it is incredibly easy to grow, suffers from almost no pests and will withstand most forms of neglect in a garden – erratic watering, competing weeds and even poor soil.The great advantage of these over spinach is that they don’t bolt as easily so you get a good crop over a longer period of time, particularly during hot weather.However, I find it works very well in dishes where you are looking for additional texture and colour, whilst letting the taste come from other ingredients, herbs or spices.The stalks give a similar crunch to celery when cooked and the leaves can be shredded and added towards the end so that they retain their high vitamin content.Generally it is advisable to let the leaves quickly boil (rather than steaming) to reduce the oxalic acid, making them slightly sweeter.Try stir frying it with soy sauce, chopping it into stews, adding to minestrone soup or any of these ideas for cooking with green vegetables.So, while it may not be well known in gourmet circles, it makes a valuable addition to the vegetable garden yielding a great crop for the space it takes up
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Chard is a dark leafy green vegetable common in Mediterranean cuisine.The green leaves have a grooved, bumpy texture running up a colorful, thick stem.The stems of each varietal are different colors, spanning the entire rainbow from white to purple.Whether eaten raw or cooked, chard is easy to prepare—rinse and remove the stems if you like—and it definitely brings a pop of color to the dinner table.As with collard greens and kale, it's best to remove the stems and ribs from the centers of the leaves because they can be tough and fibrous.Cooking tends to diminish the bitterness so that its earthy, sweet, almost beetlike flavor is more pronounced.When bunches of rainbow chard are available, they're easy to spot among the leafy greens in a produce market.You may also have luck finding it at farmers markets, and chard is an easy vegetable to grow in gardens or containers.Choose chard with bright green leaves and colorful stalks, both of which should be firm.For the leaves, lay them out on paper towels, then roll them into a bundle before sealing in a plastic bag.Left whole, chard can be refrigerated loosely wrapped in plastic for a couple of days.Drain the chard well before packaging in separate freezer bags with as much air removed as possible.Fermenting chard stems in water allows you to store a jar in the refrigerator for three to six months.Kale is an acquired taste, and not everyone enjoys its strong, earthy, slightly bitter flavor
Swiss chard has grown popular—very popular, if the amount of refrigerated space allotted to it in our local organic supermarket is an indicator.I asked the young man restocking the produce case if they had mustard greens, but like the other stores in town, he said they don’t carry them anymore.In my astonishment at the amount of store space devoted just to swiss chard, I commented on it as he piled it up.It has joined the ranks of kale and spinach as top sellers in the fresh greens department.But, a ½ cup of swiss chard has 4 to 7 times that amount – far in excess of what is considered “typical” and “tolerable” on a routine basis.Oxalates have enormous health consequences: If you happen to like nuts and swiss chard, spinach, or beet greens you could be heading for physical pain, poor sleep, or kidney stones.I never connected my weird symptoms of nightly hiccups, belching, restless legs, and poor sleep to my diet.So later, I was shocked when I accidentally cured my sleep problem by eliminating high oxalate foods like swiss chard (including my beloved sweet potatoes).As a last resort, I corrected this dietary mistake and was surprised at the results as we each recovered effortlessly from chronic health conditions.The produce aisle has become a loaded gun, and we are the innocent kids who have no idea about the dangers lurking there.If you want to avoid accidental harm from oxalate, drop the swiss chard, beet greens, and spinach.What mustard greens and romaine lettuce lack in hipness and glamor, they make up for by letting you sleep at night!The values of oxalate content presented here are based on testing performed at the University of Wyoming in Laramie on behalf of the VP Foundation
They mainly serve as “snack packs”—energy bars for the infant plant to consume so that it can put forth its own true leaves.After the true leaves emerge, which can take several weeks, you’ll be able to spot more differences between seedlings as they take on the special shape and form of their kind.With proper watering, beet seedlings will emerge in five days to two weeks after planting.Young beets put forth smooth, oblong green leaves on red or pinkish/purple stems.Because several seedlings can grow from one beet “seed,” you may need to thin them by snipping some off at ground level.Carrot seedlings in the earliest stages may be mistaken for grass because their seed leaves, unlike some other vegetable cotyledons, are tall and thin.Photo by Victor M
Chard, like other green leafy vegetables, has highly nutritious leaves, making it a popular component of healthy diets.[7] Its taxonomic rank has changed many times, so it was treated as a subspecies, convariety, or variety of Beta vulgaris.[9][10] They are cultivated descendants of the sea beet, Beta vulgaris subsp.Chard belongs to the chenopods, which are now mostly included in the family Amaranthaceae (sensu lato).The origin of the adjective "Swiss" is unclear, since this coastal plant is native to Sicily, not Switzerland.Chard is used in traditional Swiss cuisine, however, namely in a dish called capuns from the canton of Grisons.Clusters of chard seeds are usually sown, in the Northern Hemisphere, between June and October, depending on the desired harvesting period.Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender, or after maturity when they are larger and have slightly tougher stems.Harvesting is a continuous process, as most species of chard produce three or more crops.Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, with petioles that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the cultivar.Chard may be harvested in the garden all summer by cutting individual leaves as needed.Fresh chard can be used raw in salads, stirfries, soups or omelets.[15] Chard leaves and stalks are typically boiled or sautéed; the bitterness fades with cooking.[3] Also having significant content in raw chard are vitamin E and the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese, iron, and potassium.[3] Raw chard has low content of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and dietary fiber
This delicious Swiss chard smoothie combines a vibrant leafy green with mango, banana, and coconut for a tropical, nutritious drink.Not only has it been difficult to make veggie-centric meals due to our infrequent grocery store trips, but lately all I’ve wanted is comfort food.Chard isn’t as popular as spinach or kale for smoothies, but it’s just as nutritious!Plus, chard’s slightly bitter taste helps to cut the sweetness of fruit in smoothies.Chard stems are edible and can be added to smoothies, but keep in mind that they can contribute a bitter taste.Instead of blending them with the greens, you can save them for a fun decorative touch (like I did in the photos here).Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.Prep Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 2 smoothies Calories: 204 kcal Author: Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN Ingredients ▢ 2 to 3 cups chard leaves - loosely packed.▢ Water - as needed Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark Instructions Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.Notes Possible additions: plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (for more protein), pineapple, lemon or lime juice
Along with other leafy greens and descendants of the beet family, Swiss chard contains high levels of nitrates, which been shown to lower blood pressure , reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance.However, consumers should not add salt to Swiss chard, because it already has 103 mg of sodium per raw cup, which is 4.5 percent of the recommended daily allowance.Swiss chard also contains lesser amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium .Many studies have suggested that consuming more plant foods such as Swiss chard decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality and promotes a healthy complexion, increased energy, and overall lower weight.These minerals are thought to reduce blood pressure by releasing sodium out of the body and helping arteries dilate.A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, found that foods that are high in dietary nitrates, like Swiss chard, have multiple vascular benefits.These include reducing blood pressure, inhibiting platelet aggregation, and preserving or improving endothelial dysfunction.Swiss chard contains chlorophyll, which may be effective at blocking the cancer-causing heterocyclic amines generated when grilling foods at a high temperature.In one study, beetroot juice, also high in dietary nitrates, improved performance by 2.8 percent over 11 seconds in a 4-kilometer (km) bicycle time trial
Related to beets, this nutrient-dense, delicious, versatile vegetable doesn’t get nearly the amount of attention as popular greens such as spinach and kale.An excellent source of vitamins A, B, C, K, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus and potassium—it’s among the healthiest foods you can eat.Fun fact: Swiss chard is a Mediterranean plant and not actually native to Switzerland, as you might expect.This variety is highly productive and resists bolting, resulting in a longer growing season.This variety is highly productive and resists bolting, resulting in a longer growing season.Rhubarb chard has deep-green, crinkly leaves with bright crimson stalks that contain phyto-nutrients called betalains.But it’s still considered a cool season crop with an optimal growing temperature of 50–70°, as these conditions produce the sweetest, most tender leaves.If you’re growing in warmer temperatures, consider planting Swiss chard where it will receive afternoon shade.Because Swiss chard grows tall, we recommend planting it in the top section of your Tower Garden.Aphids are small insects that typically feed on young plant growth, causing it to appear puckered or deformed.are small insects that typically feed on young plant growth, causing it to appear puckered or deformed.Downy mildew looks like fine white cotton or frosting and often infects lower plant leaves first.As the disease progresses, spots enlarge, ultimately resulting in small holes before leaves turn brown and die.Tower Tip: Learn how you can naturally beat bad bugs and prevent plant diseases.Swiss chard leaves make a convincing spinach substitute, as the stalks do for asparagus or celery.The healthy green is delicious simply sautéed with lemon juice and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese
Vegetable crop yields and the number of vegetable plants to grow for each person in your household will help you estimate the space needed for a home vegetable garden.Crop yield estimates and consumption predictions are largely base on experience.Keeping a food log and garden record can help you hone your vegetable garden needs and make for smarter planning.Vegetable crop yields will vary according to garden conditions and variety planted.Weather and growing conditions can change from year to year, and these changes can affect yield.Here are crop yield estimates, plants-per-person suggestions, and crop spacing requirements to help you estimate your garden space requirements and growing requirements.Yield 12 buds per plant after the first year.Grow 30 to 50 roots for a household of 2 to 4 people.Yield 3 to 4 pounds of spears per 10-foot row.Yield in pounds varies per variety.Space plants 1 to 3 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.Bean, Garbanzo, Chickpea.Space bush lima beans 3 to 6 inches apart in rows 24 to 30 inches apart; increase distance for pole limas.Space plants 1 to 3 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.Space plants 2 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.Grow 5 to 10 mature plants per person.Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.Space plants 6 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart.Grow 1 vine for 1 to 4 people.Set vining plants 10 feet apart and train to a sturdy trellis or wire support.Space plants 6 to 12 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.Grow 6 to 8 heads per person.Space plants 15 to 18 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.Space plant 4 to 6 inches apart in rows2 to 3 feet apart.Grow 3 to 4 plants per quart for pickling.Yield 8 fruits per Italian oval varieties; yield 10 to 15 fruits per Asian varieties.Space plants 24 to 30 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.Space plants 6 to 12 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.Yield 1 to 6 pound tuber per plant.Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 2½ to 4 feet apart.Yield 7 to 10 pounds of bulbs per 10-foot row.Space plants 2 to 4 inches apart in rows2 feet apart for bush peas, 5 feet apart for vining peas.Grow 1 plant to yield 5 to 10 potatoes.Space bush pumpkins 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.Set 2 to 3 vining pumpkins on hills spaced 6 to 8 feet apart.Yield 1 to 5 pounds per plant.Spaces onion sets or plants 2 inches apart for scallions or green onions.Yield 2 to 12 cloves per plant.Space plants 5 to 8 inches apart in rows 2 to 4 feet apart.Space plants 3 to 4 inches apart in rows 1 to 2 feet apart.Grow 1 plant per person.Yield 1 to 2½ pounds of seed per flower.Space plants 12 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.Space plants 10 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart.Space plants 3 feet apart in rows 35 to 45 inches apart.Grow 3 to 6 plants of each variety; this will yield 8 to 10 quarts
