Swiss Chard : Four health benefits

Known by ancient Greeks for its medicinal properties, Swiss chard is one of the most highly nutritious vegetables. Chard is available year round and has a slightly tougher texture and earthier flavor than spinach. The leaves of it are full of vitamins,but the root is not.

Benefits of Swiss chard

• Rich in fiber a cup of Swiss chard contains about 14.7 percent of the daily requirement. Regular fiber intake can help reduce high cholesterol levels and helps maintain normal blood sugar levels (after a day of stuffing your mouth full of strawberry cupcakes.)
• Who says broccoli is the only vegetable that provides huge amounts of vitamin K! Organically grown Swiss chard is an awesome source of vitamin K because of an humongous 700 percent of recommended intake of vitamin K. In case you didn't know, vitamin K is needed in your diet to promote bone health and limit neuron damage in the brain.
•  Tired of eating oranges to get your vitamin C?  Try cooking up a plate of Swiss chard! Chard contains about 33 percent of recommended levels per 100 grams and, if you didn't know vitamin C is needed to eliminate free radicals from the body.

Swiss chard is an excellent source of iron which is needed for red blood cell formation and anemia prevention.

Words of caution

• Swiss chard contains a high amount of oxalates and when too concentrated in the body can crystallize and create health problems.
• If possible only buy local organic Swiss chard from  a farmers market or an organic grocery store.
• Only select leaves that are rich in color and have no holes .
• Swiss chard is highly perishable so use it as soon as possible.

Further reading
Food Reference