Swiss chard is a green that is closely related to beets. The same betacyanins and betaxanthins found in beets are found in chard. Swiss chard also contains antioxidant phenols and flavonols, which have been shown in the laboratory to inhibit the growth of some types of cancer cells.
Chard is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and K, and the minerals potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. It also provides the B vitamins B6, thiamine, niacin, and folic acid, and the minerals calcium, selenium, and zinc. It is a good source of carotenes and fiber. With 27.4 percent of the recommended daily value for potassium and 47 percent of the recommended daily value for magnesium in a one-cup serving, chard helps keep blood pressure down.
Swiss chard does contain measurable amounts of oxalates, so over-consumption can cause problems for those with kidney disease, gout, vulvar pain, rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions that may require a low-oxalate diet.
Look for Swiss chard in season at farmer's markets. This leafy green is delicious when young and tender, as well as later in the season, when the leaves are larger and the ribs are tougher. It should be a deep, dark green, without yellowing or browning, and the leaves should show no signs of wilting. Store chard in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. It will keep for three to five days. Do not wash it until you are ready to use it.
Prepare the chard by washing it well to remove all the grit. If you have tender baby chard, you can cook it stems and all. If you have older, tougher chard, trim the leaves away from the stems and central ribs and cook the leaves separately from the stems and ribs. The stems and ribs taste slightly of beets.
You can stuff chard leaves the way you would cabbage leaves, with a filling of whole grain and seasoned ground turkey or tempeh. Try tossing pasta with olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic, and steamed Swiss chard, or add steamed chard to omelets and frittatas. You can use chard in place of spinach in many dishes.
Tomatoes are one of nature's best sources of lycopene. Cooking tomatoes makes the lycopene more available, but that doesn't mean you need to avoid raw ones. One cup of raw tomato still provides plenty of lycopene, as well as lutein, vitamins A and C, carotenes, anthocyanins, and potassium.
It is the lycopene, however, that has made tomatoes a SuperFood. It may be the best substance for quenching oxygen free radicals, and it helps protect the skin from the aging effects of ultraviolet light. Lycopene has been researched for its potential in combating several types of cancers, including prostate, breast, pancreatic, and intestinal cancers. Interestingly, however, in some studies lycopene alone did not convey the same protection as eating a diet rich in tomatoes. So there are certainly more health-protecting treasures inside this versatile food.
A study in 2007 found that broccoli and tomatoes together were better at fighting prostate cancer than either vegetable was alone. Although the study was done on rats, the tomato-broccoli combination was effective enough to have strong implications for humans as well. The fiber and antioxidants in tomatoes have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar levels. In at least one study, a high dietary intake of tomato products significantly reduced both low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels, while making the cholesterol less vulnerable to oxidation.
Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes. Choose tomatoes that have the deepest color, with a smooth skin that has no cracks or holes. Tomatoes that are ripe and ready to eat have a distinct tomato smell. If you can't smell them, they won't have much flavor, either. To get the benefit of everything that tomatoes have to offer, seek out heirloom varieties as well as the familiar red ones. Yellow, orange, and even purple tomatoes all bring different phytochemicals to the table. With many of the heirloom varieties, the tomato may be multi-colored without being unripe.
Lycopene is fat soluble, so it is more bioavailable if you eat your tomatoes with a little fat, such as olive oil or cheese. If you're trying to eat broccoli with your tomatoes, try an omelet filled with broccoli and tomatoes cooked in olive oil. Add a side dish of lightly steamed broccoli florets and shredded mozzarella to a bowl of tomato soup at lunchtime. Or make it a pasta dish, with chunky tomato sauce, steamed broccoli, and mozzarella on whole wheat pasta.
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