Why is swiss chard good for you

This makes Swiss chard an anti-hypoglycemic vegetable and one of the best foods to incorporate into a blood sugar-stabilizing diet. Another unique benefit of Swiss chard is its effect on pancreatic beta cells. Beta cells in the pancreas are responsible for producing insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar.

In addition to its special phytonutrient abilities, Swiss chard is high in fiber , with almost four grams per one-cup serving of cooked chard. Fiber helps slow down the release of sugar in the bloodstream following a meal, in addition to having heart health and digestive health benefits.

Swiss chard is a great source of vitamin K and calcium, two key nutrients needed to maintain a strong skeletal structure. Just one cup of cooked Swiss chard provides more than percent of your daily vitamin K needs! Vitamin K is an essential nutrient for bone health. It reduces fracture rates because it activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein that helps form bones. This nutrient found in Swiss chard helps modulate bone metabolism, aids in bone growth and protects the body from bone mineral loss common in the aging process.

Additionally, a number of other nutrients are found in chard that support skeletal health, including iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Swiss chard benefits digestive health by helping reduce inflammation within the digestive tract and regulating bowel movements that draw toxins out of the body. Swiss chard also contains about four grams of dietary fiber in just one cup of cooked greens, which helps regulate blood sugar levels, improves colon and digestive health, prevents constipation and diarrhea, and also helps you to feel fuller in the process.

Many studies show that regularly eating vegetables with high betalain levels provides significant protection against certain oxidative stress-related disorders, which includes neuro-degenerative diseases.

Yet another benefit of Swiss chard nutrition is that this vegetable is an excellent source of carotenoids called lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been getting significant research attention lately due to their ability to protect vision and ward off eye disorders, such as glaucoma. According to studies carried out by the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging , carotenoids are able to protect the retina and cornea and defend against age-related disorders of the eyes, including macular degeneration, glaucoma, night blindness and cataracts.

They do this by absorbing damaging blue light that enters the eye before it can cause disturbances to the retina. Betalains found in Swiss chard nutrition also protect the health of the nervous system, including specialized nerve signaling, which is crucial for the communication between the eyes and brain.

Swiss chard benefits skin by helping protect against free radical damage, such as the type caused by UV light. Studies show that eating nutrient-dense leafy greens may be one way to help reduce development of wrinkles, other signs of photo-aging and even skin cancer.

Swiss chard provides a high amount of magnesium, potassium, calcium and other minerals that are crucial for muscle and nervous system health. Swiss chard nutrition contains an impressive 38 percent of the daily magnesium needs for every one-cup serving of cooked chard, which helps improve circulation and reduce muscle cramps and pain that can result from a magnesium deficiency. Swiss chard can usually be found at farmers markets and in grocery stores available throughout the year, but technically its peak season is during the summer months, from June through August.

Look for Swiss chard that has tall, vibrant leafy greens that do not have many signs of discoloration, wilting or holes. The stalk should be thick and crunchy and may come in colors other than green. For example, Swiss chard can commonly be found in shades of white, red, purple, yellow or even be multicolored. Swiss chard tastes mild, although some find that it does have a somewhat bitter and strong flavor, especially when eaten raw.

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Enter Email Sign Up. It inhibits the activity of a specific enzyme named alpha-glucosidase. This means that less cards are broken down to simple sugars, which allows the blood sugar levels in the body to remain stable, and prevent the plunges and peaks that are so dangerous for diabetic patients, or for those people who are at a high risk of developing diabetes. Swiss chard has a significant amount of calcium in those leaves, which means that Swiss chard is a major boost for bone health.

Calcium, as well as the other minerals found in this vegetable help to stimulate bone growth and development, including magnesium and vitamin K. Swiss chard is a valuable source of both potassium and vitamin K, both of which are found in significant amounts in the brain, and are integral parts of boosting cognitive development and abilities.

Add some Swiss chard to your diet and expand your mind! Iron and copper are both essential elements of red blood cells, and without those two minerals, people can develop anemia, which shows itself as weakness, fatigue, stomach disorders, and lack of concentration. By ensuring a proper amount of red blood cells by eating food like Swiss chard, you can increase circulation of the blood and oxygenation of essential organs within the body.

The anti-inflammatory and phytonutrient antioxidants found in Swiss chard, along with potassium, all contribute to reducing blood pressure and stress on the cardiovascular system.

Some hypertension is due to pro-inflammatory enzymes within the body, which the organic compounds in Swiss chard are able to neutralize. Therefore, Swiss chard protects those who eat it from a variety of conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes.

Swiss chard has a huge amount of beta-carotene, which has been linked in many ways to optimal eye health and a reduction in macular degeneration, glaucoma, night blindness, and other vision-related conditions. Book Now. Dental Care.

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List of Partners vendors. Chard and other leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses: They are very low in calories, carbs, sugars, and fat, but high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Thanks to these nutrients, chard has many health benefits, and is a valuable addition to your diet.

Swiss chard and other chard varieties are easy to cook, versatile, and readily available. The USDA provides the following nutrition information for 1 cup of raw chard. A 1-cup serving of chard has 0. As with most non-starchy vegetables, there is no scientific study of the glycemic index of chard. However, its estimated glycemic load is very low about 2. Anything under 10 is considered low. As a leafy green vegetable, chard has a negligible amount of fat almost all of it unsaturated.

Chard is also not a good source of protein, so you will need to consume other foods to get enough of this macronutrient in your diet. Leafy greens like chard are packed with nutrients. Chard is an excellent source of fiber, vitamin K just one large leaf has four times the daily requirement , vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. It is a good source of vitamin E, copper, choline , calcium, and riboflavin.

Like kale, spinach, and other dark, leafy greens, chard is highly nutritious. In fact, a CDC report on "powerhouse" vegetables gave chard a score of That means it has high amounts, per calorie, of 17 "nutrients of public health importance:" potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K.

The report says these powerhouse foods could be protective against chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Some of that protection could come from chard's antioxidants , which help the body fight inflammation and cell damage.

This, in turn, may help prevent or slow the progression of some diseases and infections. Research shows an association between the consumption of leafy green vegetables and a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease.

A study of almost 1, older people ages 58 to 99 found that those who ate more leafy greens, even just one serving per day, had a slower rate of cognitive decline due to aging.