Want a riot of fall or winter color? Growing Swiss chard can provide vibrant, colorful stems. Better yet, it's tasty. Our guide explains how! Growing swiss chard is a delicious and healthy way to cultivate a member of the Amaranthaceae family. It is known as s nutritional powerhouse and is loaded with nutrients and vitamins, especially A, C, K, and the vitamin B group. Even better, this leafy vegetable has an extremely low-calorie count. One cup of chopped Swiss chard contains only 35 calories. Growing Swiss chard can be a great thing for your health!
The word “chard” descends from the French word cadre, meaning artichoke thistle. Unfortunately, the origin of the word “Swiss” is less clear, especially as the vegetable is not native to Switzerland. Regardless, it is used extensively in traditional Swiss cuisine. It was first described by a Swiss botanist, which may have something to do with the term “Swiss” in its name.
Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable closely related to beets. However, while beets are grown for the roots, chard is generally cultivated for its leaves, which incidentally taste much like beet greens. With swiss chard, how to grow it successfully is relatively easy, and the health benefits of this tasty vegetable are well worth the effort.