Chard (Geundae)

Health Benefits

What the old record says. The Donguibogam lists chard in its vegetable section under the name 莙薘. It is a record that the leafy green on today's table also carried a name in an old medical text, and it is not a judgment that holds today.

The red pigment — betalains. The red veins and stalks take their colour from betalain pigments. Chard shares a species with beet, so it carries the same class of pigment in its leaves and stalks. The antioxidant experiments on record, however, were run on beet, and they do not carry over directly to eating chard.

Nitrate — what studies have observed. Chard is classed alongside spinach and beet among vegetables high in nitrate. Meta-analyses pooling randomised controlled trials of dietary nitrate have been reported, but they combine intake from vegetables with intake in supplement form, so they cannot be read as a statement about a plate of chard.

Eyes — what is established. It is established that lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the macula of the retina. Chard leaves contain beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, but that does not mean eating this vegetable holds off any particular eye condition.

Nutrition

• Vitamin K (Very high) — A fat-soluble vitamin abundant in the leaves
• Magnesium and iron (High) — Minerals held in the leaves and stalks
• Beta-carotene (Present) — The pigment behind the deep green

Betalains The red veins and stalks of chard contain betalain pigments characteristic of the species it shares with beet. Both forms occur, betacyanins and betaxanthins, though not at the concentration found in the beetroot.

Nitrate (NO₃⁻) Chard, like spinach and beet, ranks among the top vegetables for nitrate content.

Oxalic acid Chard sits with spinach among the leafy greens highest in oxalic acid. Oxalate dissolves into water, so the standard preparation is to blanch the leaves in boiling water and pour that water away, which takes out a good share of it. Blanching before the leaves go into a soup keeps less of it in the broth. Oxalate binds calcium and iron and holds back their absorption, and anyone with a history of kidney stones is safer not eating a large amount at one sitting.

Vitamin A (beta-carotene), K & C Even among leafy greens, vitamins A, K and C run high. Vitamin K per 100 g reaches several times the daily reference intake, so anyone taking an anticoagulant such as warfarin is safer keeping their intake steady rather than swinging it up or down, and discussing it with their doctor.

Magnesium, potassium, manganese & iron Chard carries a balanced set of minerals including magnesium, potassium, manganese and iron. Rather than one mineral dominating, several are present across the leaf and stalk.

Dietary fiber At about 1.6 g of dietary fiber per 100 g, chard sits at an average level among vegetables. The fiber is the soft kind typical of leafy greens, so the texture never turns coarse.

Syringic acid & ferulic acid Chard contains phenolic acids such as syringic acid and ferulic acid. What exists is observation at the animal-experiment stage, so for people the record still stops at composition.

Pairings

○ Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) — Geundae-guk, chard simmered in doenjang, is a fixture on the Korean home table. The fermented, savory depth of the paste softens chard's earthy note, bringing the minerals of fermented soybeans and the vitamins of a leafy green together in one bowl.

○ Sesame oil and perilla oil — The fat in sesame and perilla oil boosts the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like K, A, and E along with carotenoids. Using these oils in Korean-style seasoned greens (namul) or stir-fries makes good nutritional sense.

○ Garlic and ginger — Adding the warming seasonings of garlic and ginger balances the cooling character traditionally attributed to leafy greens. You also get the antibacterial and digestive support of allicin and gingerol from the pairing. Garlic · Ginger

○ Dried shrimp and anchovies — Simmering chard with calcium-rich ingredients such as dried shrimp and anchovies delivers a mineral synergy. The tender leaves and the savory depth of small shellfish and fish round out the flavor.

○ Olive oil and balsamic — In Western cooking, chard is lightly sauteed in olive oil or served as a salad or side with a balsamic dressing. The monounsaturated fat in olive oil helps with the absorption of carotenoids and betalains.

△ A history of kidney stones — Chard is one of the leafy greens highest in oxalic acid, so anyone with a history of calcium-oxalate stones is safer not eating a large amount at once. Blanching in boiling water and pouring that water away removes a good share of the oxalate, which is why the leaves belong in a dressed side dish or a soup rather than raw in a salad or a wrap. Drinking enough water, and eating chard in the same meal as a calcium-rich food, leaves less oxalate free to crystallise.

△ Anticoagulants — Vitamin K runs very high in chard, so for anyone taking warfarin or a similar anticoagulant a sudden rise or drop in intake can unsettle how the drug works. Keep the amount steady and monitor INR together with the prescribing clinician.

Varieties

• Green chard (Seed) — Pale green stalks and broad leaves, the usual soup type; picking outer leaves first keeps the harvest going.
• Red chard (Seed) — Red veins and stalks make the baby leaves a salad choice; the color fades when blanched, so use it raw.
• Rainbow chard (Seed) — Stalks come up yellow, orange and pink, handsome in a pot, though it grows more slowly than green chard.