Nutrition Fact For The Week: Swiss Chard

                                                 

Did you know that swiss chard can help control your blood sugar levels? Or that it is the second most nutritious vegetable? One of the veggie's in this week's box is swiss chard and not only does it taste good in a variety of meals but it is also very good for you.  

One cup of swiss chard provides your body with
all these nutrients.

Vegetables are a great source of phytonutrients, chemical compounds believed to benefit our health, and each vegetable is said to have a unique amount of phytonutrient content. Swiss chard has thirteen different polyphenol antioxidants, which is a type of phytonutrient and contains a cardioprotective flavonoid, the same stuff found in broccoli and kale. What also makes swiss chard so good for you is the syringic acid, and though the name might not sound like the best thing to be including in your diet, this very stuff is what gives the chard its ability to control blood sugar. The syringic acid reacts with the enzyme, alpha-glucosidase, which allows for a smaller amount of carbs to be broken down into simple sugars and as a result keeps your blood sugar at a steady level. So basically swiss chard = good for you. But that's not all.

Another phytonutrient found in swiss chard is betalains that are high in antioxidant pigments (the same stuff in beets). The reddish-purple and yellowish pigments are both found in the stem of th chard so now its doubly good for you. Like the syringic acid, betalain pigments doesn't sound like something that would benefit your health but it does. These pigments found in chard provide you with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. Though the latter is something we all don't enjoy talking about we can agree that when that part isn't working right it can make for a miserable day. But enough of that, let's talk about this vegetable's second place ranking because of its nutritional value.

Swiss chard, which is second to spinach, belongs to the chenopod family. This family four of beets, spinach, chard and quinoa tops the chart and has many unique health benefits that aren't found in other food groups. So just to recap on swiss chard's phnomenal record of keeping us healthy, we know that the syringic acid aids with blood sugar levels because it slows the breakdown of carbs into sugars. The pigments provide us with antioxidants. It's filled with vitamins, minerals, lots of fiber and has a great supply of calcium to keep bones strong. With all the benefits to including swiss chard in your diet and of course the spectacularly colorful stems, its hard to believe anyone can say no to any meal with this veggie in it.

There are a variety of ways to cook, prepare and eat swiss chard. According to the World's Healthiest Foods, a nonprofit website goal oriented in creating a healthier world, the healthiest way to eat chard is by boiling the leaves in order to free the acids and sweeten the taste.

This information was found on The World's Healthiest Foods website (http://www.whfoods.com/)

We will have some more great ways to enjoy chard in our next post that will incorporate some of last week's veggies that might not have gotten eaten yet. Enjoy!