Issue 178

It’s incredibly appropriate that chard originates from Switzerland as, much like a Swiss army knife, they are literally packed with performance; from preventing cancer, to making sure your bones are healthy and even helping you see better. It’s probably one of the most versatile foods on the planet in terms of its health benefits. Clearly you’d be foolish not to incorporate it into your fighter’s diet.

1: Cutting Out Diseases

Ever heard of ‘phytonutrients’? Neither had we until we took a little look into the health benefits of Swiss chards. That being said, after we learned Swiss chards contain a large amount of phytonutrients, which help prevent diseases, we’re certainly going to be looking on the back of every food we buy now to see if it also has this disease-destroying nutrient.

2: Calorie Crusher

So many fighters struggle to make weight and we can’t really blame them. Cutting out food for a few days just will make even the most seasoned mixed martial artist feel terrible. Thus the reason why chards may be the way forward. It’s low on calories and could be a way to get rid of the hunger pangs, whilst making weight.

3: Stop The Staph

Not every gym in MMA is going to be the cleanest place in the world. With sweaty fighters rolling all over the mats that haven’t been disinfected and cleaned, the likelihood of getting an infection like staph is high. However, you can get your daily dose of vitamin C from chards, helping your body develop a resistance to infectious agents by boosting your immunity. How handy. 

4: Knocking Out Smokers

To the naked eye, chards are a simple green plant, but to the few who know the benefits of this great plant they know it has properties that counteract the harmful effects of carcinogens and benzo(a)pyrene, smashing the poisonous consequences of smoking to pieces.

5: Cramptastic

There is nothing worse than getting into your groove mid-training session and feeling a searing pain within your thigh. At first you fear a pulled hamstring, then you quickly realize it’s a cramp. Obviously, a cramp isn’t as bad as a pulled hamstring, but the pain is still excruciating nonetheless. Chards are here to rescue you from this issue, as the green leaf blocks calcium, which in turn stops the nerves from over-activating, making you less likely to have a cramp.

6: Eyes Wide Open

If your eyesight is bad – and unless your skills are the equivalent to Mr Miyagi, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee – it’s going to be incredibly unlikely that you’ll be able to dodge fast, accurate punches. Luckily for you, Swiss chard has plenty of vitamin A inside to make sure you slip any of your opponent’s strikes.

7: Unbroken Bones

There’s nothing worse than not being able to fight because you’re injured, but it’s even worse if you’re injured because your bones are broken. If you want to give the calcium in your milk a helping hand, eat some Swiss chard and get the benefit of its large helping of magnesium, beneficial to bone support.

8: Choking Out Cancer

With all the things Swiss chard can do, it still manages to find time to help prevent colon cancer due to its large amount of fiber. It truly is the Swiss army knife of superfood greens.