"Silverbeet" redirects here. For the album by The Bats, see Silverbeet.
Chard, is a leafy green vegetable often used in Mediterranean cooking. In some cultivars,
the leaf stalks are large and are often prepared separately from the leaf blade. The leaf blade
can be green or reddish in color; the leaf stalks also vary in color, usually white,
yellow, or red. Chard has been bred to have highly nutritious leaves and is considered
to be one of the most healthful vegetables available, making it a popular addition to
healthful diets. Chard has been around for centuries, but because of its similarity to
beets and some other vegetables such as cardoon, the common names used by cooks over the centuries
can be quite confusing.
Classification Chard and the other beets are chenopods, a
group which is either its own family Chenopodiaceae or a subfamily within the Amaranthaceae. Although
the leaves of chard are eaten, it is in the same species as beetroot, which is grown primarily
for its edible roots. Both are cultivated descendants of the sea beet, Beta vulgaris
subsp. maritima, but they were selected for different characteristics.
Chard is also known by its many common names such as Swiss chard, silverbeet, perpetual
spinach, spinach beet, crab beet, bright lights, seakale beet, and mangold. In South Africa,
it is simply called spinach. Etymology
The word "Swiss" was used to distinguish chard from French spinach varieties by 19th century
seed catalogue publishers. Chard is very popular among Mediterranean cooks. The first varieties
have been traced back to Sicily. Growth and harvesting
Chard is a biennial. Clusters of chard seeds are usually sown, in the Northern Hemisphere,
between April and August, 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. Raw chard is extremely perishable.
Cultivars
Cultivars of chard include green forms, such as 'Lucullus' and 'Fordhook Giant', as well
as red-ribbed forms such as 'Ruby Chard' and 'Rhubarb Chard'. The red-ribbed forms are
very attractive in the garden, but as a general rule, the older green forms tend to outproduce
the colorful hybrids. 'Rainbow Chard' is a mix of other colored varieties that is often
mistaken for a variety unto itself. Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, with
petioles that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the cultivar.
Chard is a spring harvest plant. In the Northern Hemisphere, chard is typically ready to harvest
as early as April and lasts through May. Chard is one of the hardier leafy greens, with a
harvest season typically lasting longer than kale, spinach or baby greens. When daytime
temperatures start to regularly hit 30 °C, the harvest season is coming to an end.
Culinary use Fresh young chard can be used raw in salads.
Mature chard leaves and stalks are typically cooked or sauteed; their bitterness fades
with cooking, leaving a refined flavor which is more delicate than that of cooked spinach.
In Egyptian cuisine, chard is commonly cooked with taro root and coriander in a light broth.
Nutritional content Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K, and
C, with a 175-g serving containing 214%, 716%, and 53%, respectively, of the recommended
daily value. It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber, and protein.
All parts of the chard plant contain oxalic acid.
References
External links Farmgirl Susan. "How To Grow Your Own Swiss
Chard From Seed & Why You Should". Archived from the original on July 13, 2014.