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Healthy food trends - kale

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Kale is a leafy, dark green vegetable (sometimes with purple coloring). It is full of nutrients and flavor. Kale belongs to the same family as broccoli, collard greens, cabbage, and cauliflower. All of these vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals.

Kale has become popular as one of the healthiest and tastiest green vegetables you can eat. Its hearty flavor can be enjoyed in many ways.

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WHY IT IS GOOD FOR YOU

Kale is full of vitamins and minerals, including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K

If you take blood-thinning medicine (such as warfarin, an anticoagulant drug), you may need to limit foods high in vitamin K. Vitamin K can affect how this medicine works.

Kale is rich in calcium and potassium and has a good amount of fiber to help keep your bowel movements regular. Kale contains antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and may also help protect against cancer.

You can also count on kale and its nutrients to help support the health of your eyes, immune system, and heart.

Kale is filling and low in calories, so it can help you maintain a healthy weight. Two cups (500 milliliters, mL) of raw kale have approximately 4.5 grams (g) each of fiber and protein for just under 50 calories.

HOW IT IS PREPARED

Kale can be prepared in several simple ways.

• Eat it raw. But be sure to wash it first. Add a little lemon juice or dressing, and perhaps other veggies to make a salad. Rub lemon juice or dressing into the leaves then allow them to wilt a bit before serving.
• Add it to a smoothie. Tear off a handful, wash it, and add it to your next smoothie of fruits, vegetables, and yogurt.
• Add it to soups, stir fries, or pasta dishes. You can add a bunch to almost any cooked meal.
• Steam it in water. Add a little salt and pepper, or other flavorings like red pepper flakes.
• Sauté it on the stovetop with garlic and olive oil. Add chicken, mushrooms, or beans for a hearty meal.
• Roast it in the oven for delicious kale chips. Toss freshly washed and dried kale strips with olive oil, salt, and pepper using your hands. Arrange in single layers on a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 275°F (135°C) for about 20 minutes or so until crisp, but not brown.

Often children take to raw vegetables rather than cooked. So give raw kale a try. Adding kale to smoothies can also help you get kids to eat their veggies.

WHERE TO FIND KALE

Kale is available in the produce section of the grocery store year-round. You will find it near the broccoli and other dark green veggies. It may come in bunches of long stiff leaves, baby leaves, or sprouts. The leaves can be flat or curly. Avoid kale that is wilting or yellowing. Kale will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.

RECIPE

There are many delicious recipes you can make with kale. Here is one to try.

Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale

Ingredients

• Two teaspoons (10 mL) vegetable oil
• Half cup (120 mL) onion (chopped)
• Half carrot (chopped)
• One teaspoon (5 mL) thyme (ground)
• Two garlic cloves (minced)
• Two cups (480 mL) water or chicken broth
• Three-fourths cup (180 mL) tomatoes (diced)
• One cup (240 mL) chicken; cooked, skinned, and cubed
• Half cup (120 mL) brown or white rice (cooked)
• One cup (240 mL) kale (chopped)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and carrot. Sauté until vegetables are tender -- about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add thyme and garlic. Sauté for one more minute.
3. Add water or broth, tomatoes, cooked rice, chicken and kale.
4. Simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Source: Nutrition.gov

References

Marchand LR, Stewart JA. Breast cancer. In: Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 78.

Mozaffarian D. Nutrition and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 49.

US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th ed. www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf. Updated December 2020. Accessed June 10, 2022.

US Department of Agriculture website. Seasonal produce guide: Kale. snaped.fns.usda.gov/seasonal-produce-guide/kale. Accessed June 10, 2022.

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Review Date: 6/22/2022  

Reviewed By: Stefania Manetti, RD/N, CDCES, RYT200, My Vita Sana LLC - Nourish and heal through food, San Jose, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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