September is our month of greens, and I am sure that nutritionist everywhere would hang their heads in shame in my general direction if I let the month go by without highlighting kale. So why are all us health nuts so Koo-koo for Kale? It is because calorie for calorie, kale is one of the most nutrient dense plant foods that you can put into your body. Let me tell you all about it.
Nutrition – One cup of chopped Kale will provide you with 10302 IU of Vitamin K, 80mg of Vitamin C and 547mcg of Vitamin A. It also has 90mg of Calcium, 1 mg of Iron and 121 mg of omega 3 fatty acids. All those numbers may not mean much to you, but let me tell you that in one cup of kale you are getting 206% of your daily requirement of vitamin A, 134% of your daily requirement for vitamin C and 684% of your daily requirement for vitamin K! Not bad for a little leaf.
Cancer prevention – Studies have found that a component of kale (Isothiocyanates, to be specific for you science nerds) can protect the body from bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostate cancers. Its other antioxidant components make it an awesome choice for protecting yourself from any and all free radical damage and cancer causing agents.
Anti-Inflammation – The awesome omega-3 content of kale serves countless roles in the body. One of the most important is its role in reducing unnecessary inflammation in the body. Inflammation plays a role in many of our modern diseases, from heart disease to arthritis, so keeping it at bay is an awesome protective and preventative step to take for your overall health.
Detoxification – Kale is super high in water and fibre. Water helps to flush the system of wastes. Fibre is responsible for binding to toxins in the body (namely the digestive tract) and ushering them out of the body. It also helps to regulate and stimulate elimination. Keeping your system clean and clear of toxins and regular elimination is so important for maintaining overall health.
So why not throw some kale into your next salad, soup, stir-fry or smoothie? If you are wary of its bitter taste, know that you can soak your kale in some orange juice or lemon juice before you use it, and it will soften the texture and smooth out its taste. Yummy!
Ali Washington RHN
Want to know more? Contact Ali at unitycoaching@gmail.com