In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is Kale?Health Benefits of KaleMost Common Types of KaleCooking with Kale
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is Kale?
Health Benefits of Kale
Most Common Types of Kale
Cooking with Kale
There are few garnishes that have exploded into superstar status quite the way kale has. In the last decade, it’s popped up on restaurant menus from coast to coast in just about any kind of dish: soups, salads, chips, smoothies, pizza, dolmas, even tostadas! This green leafy vegetable is everywhere, but what is kale? And what is it good for?
Kale is a cruciferous vegetable from the mustard family, which includes vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but it’s most closely related to cabbage. Like cabbage, its leaves are very tough and, while it’s growing, it can stand up to extreme temperatures–hot and cold. That translates very well in the kitchen: with kale, you can eat your leafy greens year-round, which might be part of the reason people can’t get enough of it.
One of the other reasons kale is so popular is that it’s low in carbs and calories. However, another great reason to consider working it into yourmeal plansis that it’s super nutrient-dense. That means it contains things like vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates and fiber. Here are five health benefits of kale.
1. Cancer Prevention
Featured Recipe:Kale Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
2. Vision
Kale contains vitamin A, which supports eye health so you can see better for longer. In 2 cups of raw kale, you get 100 mcg of vitamin A, which is about 11% of the Daily Value (DV).
3. Strong Bones
Like spinach, kale contains calcium, which is critical for bone health. Not only that, but it’s also an excellent source of vitamin K, which helps withbone density and reduces the risk of fracture. In 2 cups of raw kale, you get about 160 mcg of vitamin K, or more than 130% DV.
4. Healing & Immunity
Kale is an excellent source of vitamin C, which supports growth, immunity and helps repair wounds. For 2 cups of raw kale, you get 40 mg of vitamin C, which is 44% DV.
5. Heart Health
Eating kale may also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Ameta-analysisof eight studies found that eating plenty of leafy green vegetables is associated with a 15% decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
There are several types of kale you can find at the grocery store, but you can find even more types at the farmers' market if you know what to look for,
Curly
Tuscan
Tuscan kale (also called Lacinato or dinosaur kale) is almost as common as the curly kind. The stems on the Tuscan variety are also woody and fibrous, but the leaves are flatter than curly kale and are puckered like a seersucker suit. Curly and Tuscan kale are, for the most part, interchangeable, butTuscan kale goes really well in soups.
Chinese
Chinese kale (or Chinese broccoli) can be challenging to find outside Asian markets. It’s also nothing like Tuscan or curly kale. While you wouldn’t eat the stems on Tuscan and the curly variety, you want to eat the stems on Chinese kale along with the leaves. While you can eat the other types raw or cooked,Chinese kale is best when it’s cooked.
Red Russian Kale
There are many ways to eat this cruciferous vegetable–both raw and cooked. It’s very easy to work with and it’s inexpensive, so it’s good for everyday meals.
Raw
Kale makes great salads, but the one thing to do to make it tastier and easier to eat is to massage the leaves with olive oil after you’ve removed the stems and chopped it. This does two things: 1) it makes it easier to chew, and 2) it decreases the volume of the leaves so you can eat more of it and benefit from more of its nutrients. EatingWell has amassaged kale recipeto guide you through the process.
Cooked
Featured Recipe:Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta
Snacks
Featured Recipe:Kale Chips
Kale chipscan give you that savory snack satisfaction that potato chips do, only with more nutrients. As a bonus, they’re extremely easy to make. No massaging is required; just drizzle the leaves with olive oil and bake.
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