It had to be Kale. My first blogpost had to be about a vegetable (almost godly) that is literally worshiped by the “Nutritarian” fraternity for it’s superlative health benefits.
Kale, also known as Tuscan cabbage, is a part of the cruciferous vegetable family, and is among the most highly nutritious green leafy vegetables to be found on Earth (There maybe some other miracle herb growing somewhere around not known to man though!). Created too much hype around Kale already? Fortunately, Kale lives up to the hype delivering concentrated nutrition.
Kale has Anti-Cancer properties including cartenoids and flavanoids as antioxidants. Glucosinolates present in Kale helps the detoxication process. Kale helps lower cholestrol leading to reduced risk of Cardiovascular disease.
Fun Fact: 1 cup of cooked Kale delivers a whopping 98% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A and 1180% of Vitamin K ( reduces risk of Arthritis and bone loss ).
The Question you maybe asking is – “I don’t like the taste of Kale, it tastes bitter so how do I eat Kale?”. Fortunately, the answer to this question is pretty easy. Kale is best eaten steamed until it becomes slightly tender and the color intensifies. In addition, I top it off with some salt free Italian seasoning to give it a bit of a zing! In fact, steamed Kale lowers cholesterol more than uncooked Kale as the fiber related substances in the steamed version do a better job of binding together with the bile acids in the stomach. Having said that, I do eat my Kale raw as well when I am feeling like having a salad. Mind you, it still is a powerhouse when eaten raw.
You can also juice raw Kale along with other vegetables such as cucumber, celery, ginger ( for that added zing! ) and some apple to offset the bitterness.
Would love to know your thoughts on Kale, and how you incorporate it in your diet.
