Swiss Chard

Succulent swiss chard, also known as spinach-chard or silverbeet, is one of the popular green leafy vegetables of european origin. Botanically, it belongs within the beet family (chenopodiaceae) of vegetables, which also includes table-beets, sugar-beets, garden-beets, etc.

Chard is an annual cropawidely grown greens around mediterranean region and is available at its best during summer season from june until november months. Chard features distinctly large dark-green leaves with prominent petiole well-developed edible stalk. Generally, its leaves are harvested at various stages of maturity. While the wholeplant with its tender young leaves can be harvested for salad preparation, individual large-size, mature leaves with slightly tough texture stem may be picked up for sauta copyright ing and cooking in dishes. Swiss chard comes in variety of types based on their shiny, crunchy stalks and petiole.

Swiss chard is very high in vitamin e, k, b6, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and fiber when eaten. Itas a good source of zinc, folate and thiamin.has a key phytochemical anthocyans, that makes it effective in preventing cancers of the digestive tract. Its known to be a rich source of vitamin k, which is vital for maintaining bone density. Its great for diabetics in that it protects damage to the kidneys. Chard contains 13 different polyphenol antioxidants which help you fight disease and biotin vitamin that you need for hair growth and strength. Its also an excellent source of iron which is needed for red blood cell formation and anemia prevention.

Swiss chard, like spinach, is the store-house of many phytonutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties.

Chard is very low in calories (19 kcal per 100 g fresh, raw leaves) and fats, recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

Chard leaves are an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin, vitamin-c. Its fresh leaves provide about 33% of recommended levels per 100 g. As a powerful water-solubleantioxidant, vitamin c helps to quench free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ros) through its reduction potential properties. Research studies suggest that regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin c help maintain normal connective tissue, prevent iron deficiency, and also help the human body developresistance against infectious agents by boosting immunity.

Chard is one of the excellent vegetable sources for vitamin-k; 100 g provides about 700% of recommended intake. Vitamin k has potential role bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation and strengthening) activity.aadequate vitamin-k levels in the diet help limiting neuronal damage in the brain; thus, has established role in the treatment of patients suffering from alzheimer's disease.

It is also rich source of omega-3 fatty acids; vitamin-a, and flavonoids anti-oxidants like b-carotene, i plus-minus -carotene, lutein and zea-xanthin. Carotenes convert to vitamin a inside the body.

It is also rich inb-complex group of vitamins such as folates, niacin, vitamin b-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid that are essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions.

It is also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.airon is required for cellular oxidation and red blood cell formation.

Regular inclusion of chard in the diet has been found to prevent osteoporosis, iron-deficiency anemia, and vitamin-a deficiency; and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and colon and prostate cancers.