Chard

ChardorSwiss chard(/tʃɑːrd/;Beta vulgarissubsp.vulgaris, Cicla Group and Flavescens Group) is a greenleafyvegetable. In thecultivarsof the Flavescens Group, theleaf stalksare large and often prepared separately from theleaf blade;the Cicla Group is the leafy spinach beet. The leaf blade can be green or reddish; the leaf stalks are usually white, yellow or red.
Chard, like other green leafy vegetables, has highlynutritiousleaves. Chard has been used in cooking for centuries, but because it is the same species asbeetroot, thecommon namesthat cooks and cultures have used for chard may be confusing;it has manycommon names, such assilver beet,perpetual spinach,beet spinach,seakale beet, orleaf beet.
Chard was first described in 1753 byCarl LinnaeusasBeta vulgarisvar.cicla.Its taxonomic rank has changed many times: it has been treated as asubspecies, a convariety, and avarietyofBeta vulgaris. (Among the numeroussynonymsfor it areBeta vulgarissubsp.cicla(L.) W.D.J. Koch(Cicla Group),B. vulgarissubsp.cicla(L.) W.D.J. Kochvar.ciclaL.,B. vulgarisvar.cycla(L.) Ulrich,B. vulgarissubsp.vulgaris(Leaf Beet Group),B. vulgarissubsp.vulgaris(Spinach Beet Group),B. vulgarissubsp.cicla(L.) W.D.J. Koch(Flavescens Group),B. vulgarissubsp.cicla(L.) W.D.J. Kochvar.flavescens(Lam.) DC.,B. vulgarisL.subsp.vulgaris(Leaf Beet Group),B. vulgarissubsp.vulgaris(Swiss Chard Group)).The accepted name for all beet cultivars, like chard,sugar beetandbeetroot, isBeta vulgarissubsp.vulgaris.They are cultivated descendants of thesea beet,Beta vulgarissubsp.maritima. Chard belongs to thechenopods, which are now mostly included in the familyAmaranthaceae(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.
The word "chard" descends from the 14th-centuryFrenchcarde, fromLatincarduusmeaning artichoke thistle (orcardoonwhich also includes theartichoke) itself.
The origin of the adjective "Swiss" is unclear. Some attribute the name to it having been first described by a Swiss botanist, eitherGaspard BauhinorKarl Koch(although the latter was German, not Swiss). Be it as it may chard is used in Swiss cuisine, e.g. in the traditional dishcapunsfrom thecanton of Grisons.
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.
Cultivarsof 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 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 colored varieties often mistaken for a variety unto itself.
Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, withpetiolesthat 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 −4 °C (25 °F).It is one of the hardier leafy greens, with a harvest season that typically lasts longer than that ofkale, spinach, or baby greens.
Fresh chard can be used raw insalads,stirfries, soups oromelets.The raw leaves can be used like atortillawrap.Chard leaves and stalks are typically boiled orsautéed; the bitterness fades with cooking.
It is one of the most common ingredients ofCroatian cuisinein theDalmatiaregion, being known as "queen of the Dalmatian garden" and used in various ways (boiled, in stews, inSoparniketc.).
In a 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, raw Swiss chard provides 84 kilojoules (20 kcal) of food energy and has rich content (> 19% of theDaily Value, DV) of vitaminsA,K, andC, with 122%, 1038%, and 50%, respectively, of the DV.Also having significant content in raw chard aredietary fiber,vitamin Kand thedietary mineralsmagnesium,manganese,iron, andpotassium.Raw chard has a low content ofcarbohydrates,protein, andfat.
Cooked chard is 93% water, 4% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and contains negligible fat. In a reference 100 g serving, cooked chard supplies 20calories, 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).