Veggies that Pinoys should learn to eat

During field days conducted by the seed companies, we often see vegetables that are growing very well under local conditions but which no Filipino that we know of are really eating.

Just like the red Swiss chard, for instance. Recently, we saw some beautifully growing red Swiss chards among the vegetables under field trial at the Allied Botanical experimental farm in Tayug, Pangasinan. When we asked the fellow who was next to us what it was, she did not know it. Until Rowena Bienes explained that it is Swiss chard that contains a lot of health- giving nutrients.

We searched it in the Internet, and we were impressed by what we read. Swiss chard boasts of at least 13 polyphenol antioxidants. And it also contains syringica acid which is claimed to control sugar level in the blood.

We also found that no less than iconic American Martha Stewart has her own very simple recipe for sautéed Swiss chard. This consists of two cups chopped leaves and stalks sautéed with olive oil, thinly sliced garlic cloves, wine- vinegar, crushed pepper and coarse salt.

TWO KALES – Kale is another vegetable that grows well under local conditions but not many Filipinos are familiar with it. It’s too bad because this vegetable is also packed with a lot of health-giving nutrients.

There are two types of kale at Allied Botanical. One is the Chinese kale which has smooth leaves and stem. The leaves and stems can be stir-fried or used in recipes such as chopsuey and soupy dishes. The other type, Tostana, is best used for making juice or smoothies, according to Bienes.

AMARANTH – There are a lot of amaranth species but only a few are being recommended for commercial vegetable production. The variety with red leaves is very vigorous under low- land conditions. Yet not many Filipinos are growing it for their own consumption or for sale.

We discovered in the Internet that amaranth is heavily loaded with healthgiving nutrients. These include niacin, protein, Vitamins A, C, B6, rivoflavin, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. The leaves can be a substitute for spinach recipes, can be made into juice, tempura and more.

Amaranth produces a lot of seeds. Since they are very cheap, they can be used to grow micro greens. These are young seedlings which are harvested when they have barely a set of true leaves. The harvested seedlings are used in salads or for making soups.

ASHITABA – Many people know Ashitaba as a healthful tea. But it is also very good as vegetable. In fact, in Taiwan, young Ashitaba leaves and stalks are pack in styropor and sold like ordinary vegetables for cooking in supermarkets.

When Adela Ang shared with us a bunch of Ashitaba leaves, we simply stir-fried the same with lots of garlic. It was simply great. Adela says that the leaves, including the tender stalks, can be used in sinigang, tinola, and other recipes.

What’s good about Ashitaba is that you can grow the plants in pots. Pro- vide them with rich organic growing medium and culture them on tables under partial shade. Thirty pots that are taken care of properly can supply one’s kitchen needs. You just harvest one leaf from each pot at a time.

It is time more Filipinos take a good second look at the nutritious exotic vegetables that grow well under local conditions.

UNIQUE GOURD – This is the Shaolin gourd or ‘upo” which is very prolific. It is unique because of its neck that sets it apart from many locally grown varieties. The fruit tastes like the many other varieties but some buyers buy it because of its unusual shape. When fully mature and dried, it can be made into a unique water jug which the farmer can use in his farm.

CHINESE KALE – The Chinese kale is one of lesser known vegetables to many Filipinos, but more people should include it in their daily meals because it is very rich in nutrients and antioxidants. The leaves and stems are easy to prepare by stir-frying. This vegetable grows pretty well even under lowland conditions. There is another type of kale called Tostana. It has long leaves that look puckered. The Tostana kale is best used for making juice or smoothies.