In the United Kingdom this refers to the green leaves of the beet family, including chard, Swiss chard, spinach beet and sugar beet. These are generally large, dark leaves with fleshy ribs, mainly of a creamy white but sometimes a vibrant red. Leaves are cooked in the same way as spinach. The ribs are peeled and cut into manageable chunks and boiled or added to soups or stews. They are tender when young, stringy when old. In North America it means beetroot.