Chard

“When you go for a walk, take seeds with you, poppies, rainbow chard, rocket. Plant them among the weeds in patches of wasteland. See what happens.” - Tom Hodgkinson

As pretty as it is healthy, chard is a welcome addition to your plate and your palate!

Five Fun Facts

• Rainbow chard is used as a salad green and a leaf vegetable; it dates back to the 4th Century B.C. and Greek Philosopher Aristotle even wrote about it!
• It can be used raw or cooked, but cooking it does give the leaves a more mild flavor.
• Chard is typically used as a substitute for spinach and pairs well with hearty greens like kale, mustards, and collards.
• It is a member of the beet family, but the roots can’t be eaten.
• Chards can reach up to 28 inches tall.
• Ancient Greeks and Romans once revered this vegetable because of its medicinal properties.

Nutrition Info

Chard is a good source of: 

• Vitamin K
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C 
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Potassium
• Dietary fiber

Benefits

Chard may be beneficial in the following ways: 

• Supporting activity with the detoxification process, activating and processing unwanted toxic substances
• Decreasing your chances of developing certain chronic diseases
• Helping to lower risk of lung cancer
• Promoting weight loss
• Is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that may also have anticancer properties
• Helping to fight heart disease by lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation and inhibiting blood clotting.

Cautions

Chard can be linked to grass allergies and can cause irritation for those who are allergic.

Suggested Recipes

For the Kids and Kids-at-Heart

Download this activity sheet to play Greens Bingo!

Colchesterfarm.wordpress.com; Healthline.com; Specialtyproduce.com; Pixabay.com; Quotestats.com; Webmd.com.

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