a hardy cabbage of a variety that produces erect stems with large leaves and
no compact head.
What Is Kale Good For?
Hail to Kale!
Kale Nutrition Facts
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Botanical name: Borecole
Thriving even in frost, kale is an easy-to-grow green that keeps on giving:
cut the smaller, paler green leaves to anchor or mix into fresh garden
salad;
use the larger, dark greens for stir-fries, pizza topping, or soup, while
the plant keeps right on growing.
One variety is known as dinosaur kale in Tuscan regions for its glossy,
crinkly, green-to-violet-colored leaves. Kale has a relatively short life in
terms of crispness, so it's best to use within a few days of harvesting.
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Health Benefits of Kale
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If vitamins could be packaged and labeled as such, they would look very
much like kale. That's because the vitamins offered by just one cup of this
relatively
little-known veggie can trump a whole week's worth of other foods: 684% of
the daily value of vitamin K, 206% of the suggested daily amount of vitamin
A, and 134% of vitamin C (and even more vitamin C in the Scottish
curly-leaf variety).
Kale can legitimately be called a
superfood,
if only after one particular study, which reported the high antioxidant
activity in this vegetable. The phytonutrient indole-3-carbinol aids in DNA
cell
repair, while at the same time slowing the growth of cancer cells. With its
sulforaphane content,
kale protects against prostate and colon cancers.
It also has properties that studies show ca ease lung congestion, and is
beneficial to your stomach, liver, and immune system. It contains lutein
and
zeaxanthin, which help protect your eyes from macular degeneration.
Kale has been compared to beef, which is known as a "go-to" food for iron,
protein, and calcium. Kale's anti-inflammatory capabilities are unrivaled
among
leafy greens, especially relating to the prevention and even reversal of
arthritis, heart disease, and several autoimmune diseases.
Omega-fatty acids are called essential because your body needs them to
remain healthy, but they need to come from sources outside the body; kale
is an
excellent source of these healthy fats. Benefits of these often-talked
about but little understood compounds include their ability to help regulate
blood
clotting, build cell membranes in your brain, and protect you against heart
disease and stroke. They may also help combat autoimmune diseases, such as
lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
One serving of kale contains 121 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids and 92.4
milligrams of omega-6 fatty acids.
Kale is one of the best vegetables for your health. See:
The Best and Worst Vegetables to Eat
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table with 2 columns and 7 rows
Kale Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: One cup (67 grams) of raw kale
Amt. Per Serving
Calories
33
Carbohydrates
7 g
Protein
2 g
Fiber
1 g
Potassium
299 mg
table end
Studies Done on Kale
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According to one study
1,
among all the foods involved in the research, kale was shown to have the
highest protective effect against bladder cancer, the sixth most commonly
diagnosed
cancer in the U.S.
Kale has a very impressive number of flavonoids, each with its own healthy
job to do in your body, including 32 phenolic compounds and three
hydroxycinnamic
acids, which can help keep cholesterol levels within the normal range and
scavenge harmful free radicals in your body
2.
Two of the most important flavonoids kale has in abundance are kaempferol
and quercetin.
It should be noted that the effectiveness of several antioxidants and
vitamins in kale are diminished when cooked
3.
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Kale Healthy Recipes: Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup
Kale Healthy Recipes
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Ingredients:
list of 9 items
. 1 pound dried cannellini beans
. 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
. 1 large onion, minced
. 2 large garlic cloves, minced
. 1 Tbsp. minced fresh
sage
. 2 tsp. minced, fresh rosemary
. 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
. 1/3 pound of kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped
. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Procedure:
list of 5 items
1. In a large saucepan, cover the dried beans with water (completely) and
soak overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Add onion
and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sage and rosemary and
sauté
for 1 minute.
3. Add beans and stock. Cover and adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer,
cooking until the beans are almost tender - about 1 hour, then add the
kale.
4. Cover and continue simmering until the beans and vegetables are tender.
5. Remove pot from heat and mash some of the beans against the side of the
pot until soup is a nice, hearty consistency, adding water if necessary.
Season
to taste with salt and pepper.
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This recipe makes six servings.
(From Healthy Foods for Your Nutritional Type by Dr. Joseph Mercola)
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Kale Fun Facts
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Kale was first cultivated from wild varieties by the Greeks and Romans and
later spread throughout Europe, where the leaves were called "coles," and
then to the British Isles. From there it was transported to the Americas.
The first time it was recorded in the U.S. was in 1669, referred to as
"colewarts."
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Summary
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A Brassica that's made a name for itself as one of the healthiest foods
grown in the garden - or found in local farmer's market or supermarket
produce
section, for that matter - kale is becoming better known in the U.S., not
just for the distinctive flavor it brings to soups and salads, but because
of the many health benefits it provides. Loaded with vitamins, eating this
green vegetable helps you fight cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases,
and even macular degeneration. With all these good things, it could be what's
for dinner.
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