Beta vulgaris var. cycles

Beta vulgaris var. cicla, the chard, is a subspecies of Beta vulgaris, like beets, beets and beets, although sometimes Unlike these, it is cultivated to take advantage of its leaves instead of its roots and is used for consumption at any stage of its vegetative period.

Chard, like other leafy greens, has highly nutritious leaves, making it a popular component of healthy diets. Chard has been used in cooking for centuries, but being the same species than beetroot, the common names that cooks and cultures have used for chard can be confusing; it has many common names, including silver beetroot, perpetual spinach, beet spinach, seakale beet, or leaf beet.

Synonymy

Common name

Chard, wild chard, red chard, common chard, cultivated chard, sea chard, black chard, chard, Castilian chard, field chard, wild chard, crazy chard, celga.

Description

It is a biennial herbaceous plant (it flowers in the second year of its cultivation) cultivated as an annual. It is characterized by its large, veined, glossy green or reddish leaves; the petioles (commonly called pencas) are white, yellow or red, depending on the variety.

Image of microscopy of acelgae epidermis.

Geographic distribution

It is native to southern Europe, where it grows wild in the Mediterranean region. There are numerous varieties because it is widely cultivated in all temperate zones of the world. The cultivated variety has a more tuberous root than the wild one.

Cooking use

It can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked.
The entire plant is consumed, including the leaf stalks, if it is collected when they are small (less than 20 cm), but if they are allowed to grow, it is better to discard the stalk as it tends to become bitter. It is cooked just like spinach, of which it is related. The very tender plants can be eaten raw in salads.

It is a highly prized vegetable. It provides vitamins, fiber, folic acid and mineral salts with a high water content (48%). The outer leaves, which are usually the greenest, are the ones that contain the greatest amount of vitamins and carotenes.

Acelain tortoise, typical of Nice.

A slice of cheesecake and acelgae, tarte al d'jote, a common Tiles cake, Belgium.

Varieties

The best-known varieties are:

• 'Geneva', 'Winter King' or 'Lucullus', with white beds and rough leaves.
• 'Ruby', 'Borgoña', 'Arco iris', with thick, reddish paws.

Nutritional content

In a 100-gram (3.5-oz) serving, raw Swiss chard provides 84 kilojoules (20.1 kcal) of dietary energy and is rich (>19% DV) of vitamins A, K and C, with 122%, 1038% and 50%, respectively, of the DV. Raw Swiss chard also contains significant vitamin E and the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese, iron, and potassium. Raw Swiss chard is low in carbohydrates, protein, fat, and dietary fiber.

When Swiss chard is boiled, the vitamin and mineral content is reduced compared to raw Swiss chard, but it still provides significant proportions of the DV (table).

Properties

The juice contains up to 27% sucrose, as well as coniferin, galactinol, vanillin and a large amount of organic acids and sugars. One of its active principles is betaine that transforms triglycerides into lipoproteins. Amino acids include isoleucine, glutamine, and arginine. In addition, there are saponins, derivatives of xanthine and choline.

Ornamental use

This plant is also widely used as an ornamental plant, especially in public areas.

The petioles of the varieties of different colors (yellow, orange, vermilion red or green anise) and the forms of the abundant foliage are spectacular.

Ornamental varieties can also be used in the kitchen.

Red stem cell

Cultivation

Like beets, chard requires cool, deep, well-loose, and well-smoked soil. Propagation is done by direct sowing in spring, around April.

The leaves can be harvested from two and a half months after sowing, and are collected until the first autumn frosts, except in the case of greenhouse cultivation. The outer leaves are progressively removed in the case of the leaves. varieties of chard, and the entire plant is cut in the case of varieties of chard and spinach, which form new leaves.

The main producing countries are France, Italy and Spain.

Taxonomy

B vulgaris var. cycla was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum 1: 222. 1753.