Chard (; Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, Cicla Group and Flavescens Group) is a green Leaf vegetable vegetable. In the of the Flavescens Group, or Swiss chard, the leaf stalks are large and often prepared separately from the leaf blade;[
]
Chard, like other green leafy vegetables, has highly nutritious leaves. Chard has been used in cooking for centuries, but because it is the same species as beetroot, the that cooks and cultures have used for chard may be confusing;
Classification
Chard was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Beta vulgaris var. cicla.[ Beta vulgaris var. cicla at Tropicos, accessed 2014-02-27] Its taxonomic rank has changed many times: it has been treated as a subspecies, a convariety, and a variety of Beta vulgaris. (Among the numerous synonyms for it are Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla (L.) W.D.J. Koch (Cicla Group), B. vulgaris subsp. cicla (L.) W.D.J. Koch var. cicla L., B. vulgaris var. cycla (L.) Ulrich, B. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (Leaf Beet Group), B. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (Spinach Beet Group), B. vulgaris subsp. cicla (L.) W.D.J. Koch (Flavescens Group), B. vulgaris subsp. cicla (L.) W.D.J. Koch var. flavescens (Lam.) DC., B. vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris (Leaf Beet Group), B. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (Swiss Chard Group)).[ Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris at Tropicos, accessed, 2015-02-27][ Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris. In: Uotila, P. (2011): Chenopodiaceae (pro parte majore). – In: Euro+Med Plantbase, accessed, 2014-02-27] They are cultivated descendants of the sea beet, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima. Chard belongs to the Chenopodiaceae, which are now mostly included in the family Amaranthaceae ( sensu lato).
The two rankless cultivar groups for chard are the Cicla Group for the leafy spinach beet and the Flavescens Group for the stalky Swiss chard.[ Sorting Beta names at MMPND ]
Etymology
The word "chard" descends from the 14th-century French language carde, from Latin language carduus meaning artichoke thistle (or cardoon which also includes the artichoke) itself.[ Chard, Online Etymological Dictionary]
The origin of the adjective "Swiss" is unclear. Some attribute the name to it having been first described by a Swiss botanist, either Gaspard Bauhin[ Forget Hip Kale, Get Your Green Fix From Swiss Chard , Clifford Wright, Zester Daily.] or Karl Koch[ Chard, Centre for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture] (although the latter was German, not Swiss). Be it as it may chard is used in Swiss cuisine, e.g. in the traditional dish capuns from the canton of Grisons.
Growth and harvesting
Chard is a biennial. Clusters of chard seeds are usually sown, in the Northern Hemisphere, between June and October, the exact time 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 continual process, as most species of chard produce three or more crops.
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.' [
]
Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, with petioles that range in color 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. In the Northern Hemisphere, chard is typically ready to harvest as early as April and lasts until there is a hard frost, typically below . It is one of the hardier leafy greens, with a harvest season that typically lasts longer than that of kale, spinach, or baby greens.
Culinary use
Fresh chard can be used raw in , stirfry, soups or .[ Chard leaves and stalks are typically boiled or sautéed; the bitterness fades with cooking.][
]
In the Talmud, a foundational Jewish text from late antiquity, chard is praised for its health benefits. In tractate Eruvin 29a, it is said that a cooked dish of chard "is good for the heart and good for the eyes, and all the more so for the intestines." In another passage, Berakhot 44b, it states: "Cabbage for food, mangold for medicine."
Chard is one of the most common ingredients of Croatian cuisine in the Dalmatia region, being known as "queen of the Dalmatian garden" and used in various ways (boiled, in stews, in Soparnik etc.).
Nutritional content
In a serving, raw Swiss chard provides of food energy and has rich content (> 19% of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamins vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C, with 122%, 1038%, and 50%, respectively, of the DV.
Cooked chard is 93% water, 4% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and contains negligible fat. In a reference 100 g serving, cooked chard supplies 20 , with vitamin and mineral contents reduced compared to raw chard, but still present in significant proportions of the DV, especially for vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, and magnesium (see table).
External links
