The umbrella name for “leaf beet” includes Swiss chard and
also encompasses spinach or spinach beet. A close relative of the beet, leaf
beet is an ancient vegetable cultivated for its attractive, tasty leaves.
Native to the Mediterranean area, it is well known to Greeks
who also ate its roots with mustard, lentils and beans. Aristotle wrote about
the red chard in the 4th century B.C., and Theophrastus recorded
both light and dark green varieties.
The Romans introduced it to central and northern Europe, and
from there it slowly spread, reaching the Far East in the Middle Ages and China
in the 17th century.
The name chard comes from the French “carde” and derives
from the resemblance of the leaf stalks to the globe artichokes and cardoons.
Swiss chard is high in sodium, potassium, iron and magnesium
and is an exceptional source of beta carotene. In folk medicine the juice of
the chard is used as a decongestant; leaves are said to neutralize acid and
have a purgative effect.
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