Discover the newest super food of the stars, its health benefits AND cautions.
Every leaf of kale you chew adds another stem to your tree of life.
Kale was once called the ‘poor people food’ but now it’s the new trend. Celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Woody Harrelson, and Gwyneth Paltrow are all eating kale to feel better and keep the ‘sleek physique’ needed for stardom.
Did you know?
- There are over 50 varieties of this
- National Kale Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday of October.
- Kale plants continue to produce late into winter. It is the perfect green for seasonal eating in fall or winter.
- Its needs a frost to become sweeter. The frost converts some of plant’s starch into sugar.
- In Scotland, an invitation to “come to kale” was an invitation to dinner.
- An adult hippopotamus at Washington D.C.’s National Zoo eats 10 pounds of kale a day!
10 Health Benefits of Kale:
1. Kale is high in iron
Per calorie, it has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.
2. Can help lower cholesterol levels
The fiber fiber in kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. It’s best when kale is cooked instead of raw.
3. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food
One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.
4. Visual Benefits
Kale is abundant in two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which act like sunglass filters preventing damage to the eyes from excessive exposure to ultraviolet light.
5. Kale is high in calcium
Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility.
6. Supports normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity, and bone health.
The high amount of Vitamin K helps nourishes those activities in the body healthy.
7. Kale is high in Vitamin A
Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.
8. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat
One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.
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