I’m obsessed. It’s been over 4 years this Kale obsession of mine has rocked my world. Since I have been eating this gorgeous, glorious green, I have felt my absolute best. Through the thick of it all—late nights writing, researching and working to up long hours with babies, toddlers to little girls, and balancing the whole mom/work thing … I don’t get sick; have intense focus; rarely get a craving; sleep soundly and am devoted to health. Seriously the more you eat well, the more you want to eat well. And Kale will kick start it for you.
- I drink my kale
- Sautee my kale
- Love them raw … try with some nutritional yeast sprinkled on top.
Here’s why kale is the superfood I need everyday.
It’s … Kind Of Fatty (In A Good Way!)
We don’t typically think of our greens as sources of even healthful fats. But kale is actually a great source of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), the omega-3 fatty acid that’s essential for brain health, reduces Type 2 diabetes risk and boosts heart health as well.
More Calcium Than A Container Of Milk
Kale vs. milk — it isn’t a direct comparison, but it’s worth noting that kale has 150 mg of calcium per 100 grams, while milk has 125 mg. And of this, calcium absorption from Kale is 50% higher than diary products and it doesn’t produce phlemng and won’t cause acid in the body or inflammation.
It’s Better With A Friend
Kale has plenty of phytonutrients, things like quercetin—which helps combat inflammation and prevents arterial plaque formation—and sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting compound. But many of its top health-promoting compounds are rendered more effective when you eat the stuff in combination with another food. Fats like avocado, olive oil or even parmesan can make fat-soluble carotenoids more available to the body. And acid from lemon juice helps make kale’s iron more bioavailable as well.
It Has More Vitamin C Than An Orange
One cup of chopped kale has 134 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C, while a medium orange fruit has 113 percent of the daily C requirement. That’s particularly noteworthy because a cup of kale weighs just 67 grams, while a medium orange weighs 131 grams. In other words? Gram for gram, kale has more than twice the vitamin C as an orange.
Queen of Vitamin A
Kale has 133 % of our daily vitamin A requirement—more than any other leafy green, so eat up.
Looking for some yummy Kale recipes? Nourished.ca