Sunday, December 18, 2011

Kale? Yes, please.


Kale is a Superfood from the Brassica family. It is a green leafy vegetable that is becoming increasingly more popular because of it's health benefits such as promoting good eye health, lowering cholesterol and detoxifying the body. Kale is also known for it’s anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants while still being low in calories. Super indeed!

The number of nutrients that kale contains is impressive. Kale contains Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, B6, Magnesium, Potassium, Manganese, Phosphorus and Copper. Kale also contains Lutein, Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber.

Kale comes in many varieties and colors. Dinosaur kale, which is sometimes knows as Tuscan kale, tends to be sweet and blue-green in color. Ornamental kale is more mild in flavor and great in salads because of it's tender leaves. Curly kale tends to have a stronger flavor and bumpy texture.
photo: Maria Quiroga
Kale is a great green vegetable to have stocked in the kitchen because it can be cooked in so many ways. You can stir-fry it, steam it, eat it raw, creamed, baked as chips or you can add it to a soup or sauce.

For most of us kale is healthy and nutritious, but if you have gallbladder or kidney problems you may want to avoid kale because of the oxalates. Kale is also heavily sprayed with pesticides so it’s best to buy organic kale when possible to avoid exposure.

I love kale and eat it a couple times a week in stir-fry and soup. How do you like to eat your kale?

2 comments:

  1. Raw kale salad!! Chopped into very small pieces with lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mixed with dried cranberries, frozen blueberries, and almond slices. Toss and let sit for 5-10 minutes to soften the kale. DELICIOUS!!!!!!

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  2. Sounds great! I will have to give that at try this week.

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