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Swiss chard

Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris

Also known as Chard, Silverbeet, Rainbow chard, Perpetual spinach

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A leafy form of the same species as beetroot, grown for its leaves and thick stalks rather than its root. The coloured stems owe their pigment to betalains rather than anthocyanins.

Heart HealthBlood Sugar & Metabolic HealthEye Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Healthy blood pressure

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Chard is a nitrate-rich green, and nitrate-rich vegetables as a group have been associated with small short-term reductions in blood pressure. There are essentially no trials on chard itself.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Insufficient evidence

Chard is often singled out for blood sugar because of a compound called syringic acid. That research is almost entirely in rodents and cell culture, and there is no dependable human evidence behind the claim.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Macular health

Eye Health
Insufficient evidence

Chard contributes lutein and zeaxanthin, and higher intake of these carotenoids from greens is associated with macular pigment density. Evidence specific to chard has not been generated.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Swiss chard

Ask about Swiss chard

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories19 kcal1%
Protein1.8 g4%
Total fat0.2 g0%
Carbohydrate3.74 g1%
Fibre1.6 g6%
Total sugars1.1 g—
Water92.7 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.03 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.04 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.07 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.063 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A306 µg34%
Vitamin C30 mg33%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E1.89 mg13%
Vitamin K830 µg692%
Thiamin (B1)0.04 mg3%
Riboflavin (B2)0.09 mg7%
Niacin (B3)0.4 mg3%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.172 mg3%
Vitamin B60.099 mg6%
Folate14 µg4%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline18 mg3%
Minerals
Calcium51 mg4%
Iron1.8 mg10%
Magnesium81 mg19%
Phosphorus46 mg4%
Potassium379 mg8%
Sodium213 mg9%
Zinc0.36 mg3%
Copper0.179 mg20%
Manganese0.366 mg16%
Selenium0.9 µg2%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene3647 µg—
Alpha-carotene45 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin11000 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.6 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Chard, swiss, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169991).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces soluble oxalate

    Boiling chard and discarding the water removes a substantial fraction of its soluble oxalate, along with some potassium and water-soluble vitamins.

  • with fatIncreases carotenoid absorption

    Cooking chard with oil or eating it alongside fat increases uptake of its lutein and beta-carotene, which are not absorbed well from a fat-free meal.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Very high oxalate content

    Chard is one of the highest-oxalate vegetables available, comparable with spinach and beet greens. People with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones are generally advised to limit it and to pair greens with a calcium source at the same meal.

  • Interaction

    Vitamin K and warfarin

    Chard is high in vitamin K1, which opposes warfarin. Large swings in intake can move INR out of range, so consistency matters and changes should be flagged to the clinic managing the dose.

  • Worth knowing

    Potassium in advanced kidney disease

    Cooked chard concentrates a lot of potassium into a small volume. In advanced chronic kidney disease, or on potassium-retaining medication, specific limits are usually set by a clinician.

  • Worth knowing

    Nitrate and young infants

    Like spinach, chard is naturally nitrate-rich, and standard infant-feeding guidance advises against reheating leafy green purées for babies in the first months of complementary feeding.