Chard, or Swiss chard, is another dark leafy green vegetable to add to meals!

Chard, sometimes called Swiss chard, is a leafy green vegetable with many of the same nutrition benefits as kale and spinach but isn’t as well known by many Americans.  Many people find they like it better than kale and spinach.

Here are answers to seven of the most common questions I often get about chard when I recommend it to people during nutrition counseling sessions:

Why should I eat it?

The reasons to eat this non-starchy vegetable are many!

• • Like other dark leafy green vegetables, chard contains important nutrients for your body, especially vitamins A, C, E, and K, and many of the B vitamins, including folate.  Folate helps prevent birth defects and cancer and is essential for brain development and cognitive function.

• • Vitamin K has several roles in your body, including keeping your bones healthy and strong as you age. Chard also provides potassium which is important because of the mineral’s role in keeping your heart healthy, managing blood pressure, and preventing strokes.

• • Chard is also a source of other key minerals, including calcium and iron.  If you are trying to reduce the amount of meat you eat, avoid dairy products, or follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, it’s another source of some of these nutrients.

Finally, there is fiber to consider.

Is the fiber in chard good for gut health and IBS?

Eating fiber from a variety of sources is one way to help keep your gut microbiome healthy and diverse.  As research reveals more about the key role our gut health plays in our physical and mental health, it’s becoming very clear that what we eat, or don’t eat, has effects that are far beyond weight and blood glucose levels. (For more about this read, “Gut health: 9 Ways your gut microbiome affects your overall health“)

Chard, especially when cooked, can provide fiber while remaining low in carbohydrates which is good if you are trying to manage your blood glucose levels.  Or if you have a condition that requires you to avoid consuming gluten, as many gluten free foods are low in fiber.  One cup of cooked chard has just under 4 grams of fiber and only 7 grams of carbohydrates.

If you have IBS, the great news is that chard is a low FODMAP food.  This means you can eat it freely.  Since it can be used either cooked or raw in a variety of dishes, this is a healthy way to increase the non-starchy vegetables on your plate while on all phases of the low FODMAP diet. (Read “What is the FODMAP diet?” for more details on this.)   It’s also another way to get fiber into your diet while managing your IBS.

What does it look like?

Full size chard looks very similar to spinach but with a longer stem.  The stem color can vary depending on the variety and could be white, deep orange, brilliant yellow, light pink, or dark ruby red.  Sometimes you’ll find “Bright Lights” Swiss chard, which is a combination of different varieties that have been grown and bundled together to provide a range of colors on your plate.  The color of the leaves is usually dark green but can vary slightly depending on varieties and growing conditions.

Can you eat chard stems? Or just the leaves?

Here’s one of the wonderful things about chard: you can eat both the stems and the leaves. It’s essentially a “no waste” food.

For small chard leaves, sometimes called baby chard, you don’t need to remove the stems.  As the plant leaf grows, the stem will grow as well and can be several inches long.  I usually separate the stems from the leaves and either cook them or treat them slightly differently depending on what dish I am making or if I am using them raw or cooked. 

Are chard and spinach the same vegetable?

No.  They are completely different plants.  Chard’s scientific name is Beta vulgaris, and as you may have guessed, it’s related to beets.  Chard leaves taste similar to spinach, but many people, including me, find that chard leaves don’t have that “iron” taste that spinach can sometimes have.  It’s a milder taste.

Are kale and chard the same vegetable?

If you don’t like kale, you may find you like chard or are at least willing to eat it.  Some people find kale bitter, and if it’s used raw, it can be a bit tough or chew.  Chard is far milder, and many people who avoid kale find it at least tolerable, if not enjoyable.  Unlike kale, chard leaves are very tender and can be used raw at any time.

How do I clean chard and store it?

Once you’ve bought your swiss chard from the fresh produce section of the grocery store or a local farm, here are some tips on keeping it until you are ready to use it.  

Put all of your chard in a large bowl when you get home and cover it with cool water.  Reach in and give all the greens a good shake to agitate them and the water.  Remove the greens to a towel or another bowl and look at the water left behind.  If it’s clear and there’s not much of anything, you’re ready to move to the next step.  If it isn’t, repeat the washing process until it is.

Once your greens are clean, either put them in a salad spinner or shake them by hand to get as much of the water off as you can.  Then loosely pile them in a large plastic container, place a paper towel on top of them, and put the lid on the container.

Keep the container on any shelf except the top of your refrigerator towards the front.  Doing this will help you to remember to use them as well as keep them from freezing, as the coldest spot in your fridge is towards the back. (That’s also why you should not put them on your top shelf!)

Don’t put your greens in the “crisper” or the vegetable drawer.  Doing increases the chance you’ll forget about them and end up having to throw them out.  If you clean and store them as I described above, your greens should stay fresh and ready to use for at least several days, if not longer.

Looking for other simple changes that can help you eat healthier, lose weight, or have a healthier gut?

Start by picking up some chard the next time you are at the grocery store, your local farm or farmer’s market, and trying it both raw and cooked in some meals.

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to eat healthier, click here and instantly download your free guide, “5 Secrets to Successfully Changing How You Eat”

Then get more personalized help related to your eating habits or health by booking your free discovery call. We can talk about what you want to accomplish and see if working with me would be helpful to you.