Can you eat silverbeet raw?
In this short article, we will answer the query, “Can you eat silverbeet raw?.” We will further consider the questions of what are the varieties of silverbeet, the nutritional profile of silverbeet, how to eat silverbeet, the safety of eating silverbeet, and the health benefits and potential risk of eating silverbeet.
Can you eat silverbeet raw?
Yes, you can eat silverbeet raw. Silverbeets are edible green leafy vegetables that are similar in appearance to spinach but with a much more intense flavour.
The leafy vegetables can be used in any way that the original spinach can be used and are rich in vitamins and minerals for a healthy body.
What are the varieties of silverbeet?
Silverbeet resembles spinach but is larger, has a stronger flavour, and appears in different forms.
- The basic variety of silverbeet is a green, leafy vegetable that has a white stalk with no broken or discoloured regions on the leaf stalks.
- However, there are additional coloured variations, including green silverbeet, red silverbeet, and rainbow chard, which have green leaves with red, orange, or yellow stems and veins.
What is the nutritional profile of silverbeet?
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a 36-gram cup of raw silverbeet has the following nutrients:
- 7 calories
- 0.65 grams of protein.
- 0.07 grams of fat.
- 1.35 grams of carbohydrates
- 0.6 grams of fibre
- 0.4 grams of sugar.
A similar 36 gram cup of cooked silverbeet contains the following micronutrients:
- Calcium of 18 mg
- Iron content: 0.65 mg.
- Magnesium 29 mg
- Phosphorus 17 mg
- Potassium 136 mg
- Sodium 103 mg per raw cup.
- vitamin C 10.8 mg.
- Vitamin A 110 mcg
- Vitamin E 0.68 mg
- Vitamin K, 298 mcg.
- Folate of 5 mcg
Likewise, the silverbeet contains small amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.
The antioxidants alpha and beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and choline can all be found in silverbeet. A cup of Swiss serving contains 44% of the daily needed vitamin A and 18% of the RDI for vitamin C.
How to eat silverbeet?
Silverbeet is similar to spinach with a stronger earthy flavour and can be used in the same ways as spinach and other green leafy vegetables. The food uses are diverse and include:
- Silverbeet can be eaten raw in salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and wraps.
- They can also be braised, boiled, sautéed, and added to soups, frittatas, pies, gratins, and casseroles.
- In scrambled eggs, you can add a handful of raw silverbeet leaves.
- You can add a handful of silverbeet leaves and stems to a fresh juice or smoothie.
- You can season silverbeet leaves and stems with ground black pepper, chopped garlic, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese in a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve it as a side dish or as a topping for baked potatoes.
- Green silverbeet can be eaten raw if thinly sliced and seasoned with olive oil.
Is it safe to eat silverbeet raw?
It is generally safe to eat silverbeet raw with no complications whatsoever. You only have to choose good quality silverbeet leaves and stems to enjoy the great flavours of the food.
However, it is important to limit seasoning them with salt as the leaves are high in sodium.
They are high in diverse vitamins and minerals, which are important for maintaining the healthy state of the body.
What are the potential health benefits of eating silverbeet?
The rich mineral and vitamins profile of the green leafy vegetables are responsible for several benefits reaped from their consumption. Some benefits derived from silverbeet are:
Can lower blood pressure.
High blood pressure is more common in people whose diets are deficient in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
These minerals can lower blood pressure by helping arteries dilate and expelling sodium from the body. Silverbeet contains all three of these mineral elements and can aid in their absorption, particularly magnesium.
They can lower blood pressure, inhibit platelet aggregation, and preserve or improve endothelial dysfunction.
Can prevent osteoporosis.
Bone health can be improved by getting enough vitamin K as the vitamin can affect bone matrix proteins, improving calcium absorption and lowering calcium excretion in the urine.
Consuming leafy greens like silverbeet, arugula, and spinach can help to boost your vitamin K intake as they are also good sources of calcium.
What are the potential downsides of eating silverbeet?
Silverbeet is essentially high in vitamin K. Since vitamin K is involved in blood clotting, it may reduce the efficiency of blood thinners.
Thus, people who take blood thinners such as Coumadin or warfarin should not suddenly increase their intake of vitamin K-rich foods by limiting silverbeet green leafy vegetables.
Although silverbeet is low in calories, it has significantly high levels of sodium, which can cause health problems.
It is crucial to remember that the overall diet is the most essential factor in illness prevention and good health. It is great to have a varied diet rather than focus on a single meal as the key to optimum health.
Conclusion
In this short article, we have answered the query, “Can you eat silverbeet raw?.” We have further considered the question of what are the varieties of silverbeet?, the nutritional profile of silverbeet, how to eat silverbeet, the safety of eating silverbeet, and the health benefits and potential risk of eating silverbeet.
