More than a Garnish, Kale is a Superfood!

Ever stop to question why dark green curly edged leafs garnish your plate at restaurants and salad bars? The superfood kale on the side of your plate is one of the most nutrition packed vegetables that you can eat! Kale is not just a garnish, it is an edible superfood!

Kale is a sulphur containing vegetable, within the same family as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and collard greens.  These vegetables contain organosulphur compounds and are a super rich source of vitamins and minerals, which not only protect your health but prevent many types of cancer such as:

  • Stomach cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer

Garnishes such as kale are on your plate for a reason.  When kale and these vegetables are chewed and digested, the liver produces enzymes that disable cancer-causing agents in the body. Tumors can shrink in size from eating these vegetables with sulphuric compounds like brussels sprouts, cabbage and collard greens – according to a study in animals.

Not only

does kale and its powerful organosulphurs boost your cancer prevention, but kale also protects your eyes with phytochemicals carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin to protect your eyes. By shielding your eyes from sun and ultraviolet light damage, kale can help prevent cataracts! One study actually showed that people who had a diet rich in carotenoids had up to a 50% less risk for cataracts.

Kale: Good Nutrition

Kale is a superfood for preventing cancer and cataracts, but it is also super rich in the following vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin A

One cup of kale is a savory 36 calories, but it also contains 192% of your daily vitamin A! This is a superfood because you cannot overdose on a plant source of vitamin A!

Vitamin C

Kale also packs almost 90% of your daily value of vitamin C into 1 cup! Vitamin C has so many wonderful benefits:

  • Reduces inflammation damage (risk of heart disease and autoimmune diseases is high from inflammation).
  • Is a top free-radical scavenger, preventing damage inside and outside of the cells.
  • Helps to oxidize cholesterol.
  • Fights infections.
  • Strengthen and renew collagen in our skin for a healthy youthful appearance.

Calcium

Kale can keep your bones and teeth strong, as well as cleaning your blood vessels.  Calcium from kale partners with vitamin A and K2 in grass fed butter to create a a perfect combination for reversing osteoporosis and strengthening bones. Any food that can create strong

bones is a superfood in my book!

Manganese

Manganese is important for your sex hormones and nervous system. This trace minerals is crucial for fatty acid synthesis, which also helps boost metabolism and energy from proteins and carbohydrates. Manganese from kale is perfect for fat-burning and proper sexual functioning.

This wide array of vitamins, nutrients and minerals in kale also include:

  • Vitamin B6
  • Copper
  • Potassium
One distinct advantage of this potent superfood is slowing mental decline.  Three servings of this dark green leafy vegetable per day can reverse your age by 5 years – or 40% of your mental clarify. A great vegetable that makes you function as if you are 5 years younger-what could be better!

There is even more science behind this kale superfood hype.

Kale contains a phytochemical called indole-3-carbinol (I3C), that actually lowers the liver’s secretion of a chemical that normally transports LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) to tissues and blood vessels.  I3C has also been shown in studies to help fight the effects of xenoestrogens that make belly fat stubborn.

Other cruciferous veggies can help fight abdominal fat too.

Cooking with Kale

If you don’t know what kale looks like, it’s curly, leafy vegetables that is dark green, some even say bluish in color. The stalks of kale should be firm, but the leaves should not be limp or wilted. If you would like a milder taste of kale, try kale with smaller leaves.

What about those of us who are trying to work more kale into our diets but are still struggling with its sometimes harsh flavor?

  • Add chopped raw kale to any salad.
  • Sauté kale lightly with olive oil or grass fed butter, then add lemon and garlic to taste.
  • Braise chopped kale with chopped tart apples. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and serve with walnuts sprinkled on top.
  • Kale chips are a super alternative to potato chips.
  • Green smoothies with kale are a power house of nutrition!

Kale is a superfood that might garnish your plate, but worth every bite. In fact, it might be one of the most nutritious foods of vitamins and minerals on your plate, so eat it!

how to eliminate cravings and control appetiteLearn all about surprising foods that are making you fat vs fat burning foods in our brand new Fat Burning Kitchen program.

by Catherine Ebeling – RN, BSN & Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist co-authors – The Fat Burning Kitchen program

 

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