We’re all told to eat Kale.
It’s so good for us they say!
But the reality is that, for a lot of people, they just don’t eat it, cause they think it tastes like crap! And if you’ve never been given a great recipe, or you just try to eat it raw in a salad, you might be right.
But, what if i told you that it has so many amazing benefits, and there are a stack of nice ways to eat it, would you be more inclined to try adding it to your weekly grocery shop?
Well i hope so, and by the time you’ve finished reading this, you might agree 🙂
Kale is part of the cabbage family, and can be green or purple, curly or smooth.
It’s one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, containing so many micro-nutrients all in one small serving.
With just 1 cup of raw Kale, you can expect to recieve the following vitamins and minerals, along with carbohydrates, protein, fibre, and omega 3 fatty acids (the good fats).
- Vitamin K: 684% of the RDA.
- Vitamin A: 206% of the RDA (from beta-carotene).
- Vitamin C: 134% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B6: 9% of the RDA.
- Manganese: 26% of the RDA.
- Calcium: 9% of the RDA.
- Copper: 10% of the RDA.
- Potassium: 9% of the RDA.
- Magnesium: 6% of the RDA.
- Contains 3% or more of the RDA for Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Iron and Phosphorus.
Did you know that Kale is also very high in antioxidants, which includes beta-carotene, vitamin C, as well as various flavonoids and polyphenols.
Antioxidants are substances that help to counteract the oxidative damage done by free radicals in the body, and they are believed to be among one of the biggest contributing factors of aging and many diseases, including cancer.
Antioxidants can also have many other important functions.
In the case of Kale, this includes the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are found in large doses in Kale, and have the ability to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, protect the cardiovascular system, and can also help as a anti-viral. and anti-depressant.
So, have i sold you yet, on why you should WANT to eat Kale regularly?
If so, then check out two off my favorite ways to prepare kale, below……
Kale Chips
Remove kale from the stalk and place on a baking tray in a single layer. Lightly spray with either coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 180 degrees until crisp (about 10-15 minutes). Remove and leave to cool before storing in a sealed container.
Kale, Pear and Walnut Salad
1 large bunch of kale
1 ripe avocado
1 pear
1/2 cup walnuts
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Strip kale of the stalks and chop into 1 cm chunks. Place in a medium bowl. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado, and massage gently through the kale. Add the zest and juice of the lemon, salt and pepper to taste and mix through. Lastly add the walnuts and finely sliced pear (skin on), mixing gently to combine.
The avocado and lemonn juice helps to soften the kale, making this such a tasty salad.
I hope youv’e been inspired to start giving kale a go, and adding it into your day 🙂
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