15/03/2021
Daily kitchen healing
A-Z Of herbs spices and healing foods easily found in your kitchen
24 Kale
Kale is high up there in the superfood category and is the king of the super healthy greens and is considered to be one of the healthiest and nutritious foods in existence.
Kale ids loaded with beneficial compounds and some of them have powerful medical properties.
Kale is closely related to the cabbage and is a cruciferous vegetable like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts.
There are many different types of kale and the leaves can vary in shape, size and can be green or purple but the most common is curly kale or scots kale which has green curly leaves and a hard fibrous stem.
Kale is very high in vitamins A, B6, C, K, manganese, magnesium, calcium, copper and potassium it also contains high levels of vitamin B1(thiamin) vitamin B2(riboflavin) vitamin B3(niacin) iron and phosphorus. It also contains a small amount of omega 3 it is low calorie and low carb making it a great addition to any healthy diet and making it one of the most nutrient dense foods in existence.
Kale contains very powerful antioxidant’s making it great for reducing oxidative stress which is the main cause for many diseases including cancer.
Kale has very powerful heart protective quality’s and it can lower blood pressure. It is a strong anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-depressant and anti-cancer.
Kale is so high in vitamin C in fact 4.5 times higher than spinach and it is been show it be highly absorbable when consumed in kale making it a great food to consume to maintain a healthy immune system.
Kale is also one of the worlds best sources in vitamin K1 which is critical for blood clotting and it does this by activating certain proteins and giving them the ability to build calcium.
Kale also contains lutein and zeaxanthin which are powerful nutrients that protect the eyes and can lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
Kale can lower the risks of heart disease and Alzheimer’s and it lowers cholesterol and it is also a good source of minerals most people don’t get enough of it is also low in oxalate which is a substance found in some plant foods that prevent our bodies absorption of these vital minerals.
Kale is also known for its ability to promote detoxification because it contains a compound known as isothiocyanates which break down highly toxic compounds in the body making it easy for you body to remove them this makes it a great liver support and great for healthy skin and hair and bones. It has also been shown to help assist in a healthy weight loss plan.
As you can see kale has really earnt its reputation as the ultimate superfood.
The best way to consume kale is raw as cooking diminishes the nutrients but a word of warning although highly nutritious kale contains a substance called goitrin which can affect the thyroid function if consumed in large quantities so if you have been diagnosed with a thyroid condition it is best not to consume kale unless cooked but in most cases it will not cause any harm and with kale being such a nutrient dense food a small amount added to your diet is all that is needed so a small amount added to a salad or a smoothie is highly unlikely to affect your thyroid health.
IMMUNE BOOST KALE AND BANANA SMOOTHIE
2 cups of kale stems removed
2 cups of water
2 cups of chopped pineapple (frozen is best)
1 banana (frozen optional)
Juice of ½ lime
2 tablespoon chia seeds
BLEND KALE AND WATER ADD THE REST AND BLEND AGAIN DRINK ENJOY.
