Kale is a leafy form of cabbage that comes in a range of colours from dark green to purple, with curled or wrinkled leaves that don’t form up a sense head.
Initially, I had once thought of the name Kale as some super handsome protagonist in a romance novel but alas!, It’s not,
I got to find out about Kale being a veggie from some novels I read but it never caught my interest long enough to find out how it looked like, what it does and the likes, not until I came across it in Agrostory integrated services, where I interned.
Mr Goodluck Edozie, CEO, Agrostory Integrated Services talked about this plant and I’m sure we all know it’s practically unknown to many in Nigeria but this smart, wonderful man has been planting and supplying to those that know and see the value of kale here in Nigeria.
I got curious, and I had to know what those people knew about this kale that I didn’t, I made a bit of research and boy, was I blown out of my mind.
By now you would want to know more about this Kale I’ve been championing- another name for it is leaf cabbage, of which its difference to the generic cabbage is way better.
Some might agree with me when I say it is certainly easier to chop! Here are the benefit Kale presents:
Benefits of Kale
According to Kris Gunnars of Healthline, “Of all super healthy greens, kale is king”.
I find cause to believe Gunnars, and you’d agree with him when you find out about the amazing benefits of kale:
- Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Kale contains very little fat, but a large portion of the fat in it is an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha linolenic-acid. Eating more kale is a great way to increase the total nutrient content of your diet.
- Kale is much higher in vitamin C than most other vegetables, containing about 4.5 times much as spinach. Kale is actually one of the world’s best sources of vitamin C. A cup of raw kale contains even more vitamin C than a whole orange. Like what?… Never had I heard before nor did I think it possible that a veggie would ever beat an orange in Vit C production!
We really should stage an epic rap battle for these two. - Kale helps lower cholesterol levels which also leads to a reduced risk of heart disease over time. When I finally plant and harvest my kale, I’m going on a ‘kale-fest’. I don’t know about you guys but I’m in serious need of some cholesterol flushing, you’re free to join me.
- Kale is one of the world’s best sources of vitamin K. With a single raw cup containing almost 7 times the recommended daily amount. Vitamin K helps with blood clotting.
- Kale is actually loaded with compounds that are believed to have protective effects against cancer. One of these are sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol which are substances that are believed to help prevent cancer.
- Kale is a Good Source of Minerals and vitamin A.
- Kale has several properties that make it good for weight loss. Due to its low calorie and high water content, kale has a low energy density. Eating plenty of foods with a low energy density has been proved to help weight loss in various studies.
So for cutely chubby people like me, kale is definitely a road to take on our weight loss journey. - Kale is what I call an ‘ornamental veggie’. It can be used as decorations around homes, work places and it works great as a bouquet too!
I urge my organic brides to jump on it!
With the benefits listed above, I’m sure we all agree with Gunnars and myself that Kale indeed is ‘of Royal green blood’ right?
So it is with this realisation, my dear readers, you know, that too much good can be bad as you plan on binge eating kale now that we understood how amazing it is – Moderation is however advised.
Eating too much Kale comes with it’s fair share of risks especially for people under medication of heart diseases such as beta-blockers as the potassium in kale interferes with these drug’s work, the blood-clotting vitamin K in kale also interferes with the work of blood thinners (Warfarin/Coumadin). So if you fall under this category, eat kale wisely and with your doctor’s permission.
Another set are people with kidneys diseases, the kidney cannot remove excess potassium from the blood and kale is abundant in potassium.
Just so you would guess,, there are different ways in which kale can be eaten:
- as a salad,
- as chips,
- as a smoothie,
- as a side dish,
- as an addition to your soups.
If you’re looking for a place to snatch some gorgeous organic kale, allow me to redirect you to Agrostory integrated services. You’ll get your Kales worth gold.
Be sure to let me know how it goes in the comments section. Let’s hold hands and walk together to a healthier future. Until next time cuties. Don’t miss me too much!
