Swiss Chard

Rich in vitamins and so nutritious, chards are very easy to grow! Swiss Chards are propably the most under-appreciated of all vegetables. The thick stems can be cooked like asparagus. The baby leaves can be used as fresh salad greens or cooked like spinach. While the leaves are eaten, it is in the same species as the garden beet (beetroot), which is grown primarily for its edible roots.

The word Swiss is used to distinguish Swiss Chard from French spinach varieties. Popular among Mediterranean cooks, our finest varieties can be traced back to Sicily. The dark green leaves of this beet relative are a very good source of beta carotene and vitamin C and a good plant source of iron and calcium. (Family: Spinach, Chenopodiaceae).