5 reasons to fall in love with kale all over again
Kale is a vegetable powerhouse topping The Nutrient Density Scale (and Gwyneth Paltrow’s grocery list) by packing some of the highest levels of health benefits when compared to any other food. So whether baking it into chips, using it as a base for your salad, or blending it into a smoothie, here are five reasons (some are quirky) you’ll have a new appreciate for this green goddess again:
1. It’s the Ultimate Superfood
Per calorie, kale packs more calcium than your glass of milk and more iron than beef! Since high-fiber foods provide volume and are slower to digest, eating kale will makeyou feel fuller longer on fewer calories.
Just 1 cup of kale will get you to 10 percent of your recommended daily amount of those inflammatory-fighting omega-3’s. Major studies have found that people who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetables like kale lowered their risks of heart disease, cancer, ALS, high cholesterol, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, and many more diseases and disorders.
2. Oh No, We’re Out Of Kale!!?!
An international kale shortage was reported during the spring and summer of 2014 and people were in an all-out panic. It turned out that a spike in a demand for the crop was misread as a shortage, instead of a clear reason for its sudden popularity.
3. Cold and Sweet
The colder the weather, the sweeter the leaves. If you think kale tastes too bitter, wait until winter. Not only is the plant frost intolerant, but it’s leaves react to the chill by producing sugars.
4. Roman Gods Loved Kale
Ok, that actually hasn’t been proven, but kale is over two thousand years old. As an easy-to-grow and robust plant, it was one of the most popular vegetables in Europe throughout the Middle Ages.
5. Love My Baby ‘Kale’
In 2013, more than 260 American parents named their babies ‘Kale.’ Doesn’t that convince to rush out to the produce section at your local grocery store? While we’re on the subject, Kale is a distant cousin of the wild cabbage in the cruciferous family, including broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower.We hope you’ve fallen in love with Kale (again) as much as we have. Craving Kale?
Try these delicious meals: Kale and Quinoa Salad, Mushroom Risotto
Learn more about 5 protein-packed veggies.
