Kale: What’s all the hype about?!

It seems to me everyone these days is talking about kale. For those who have not yet heard of it, kale is by definition is “a hardy variety of cabbage that produces erect stems with large leaves and no compact head.”  Based on my research, kale is basically the super food that would knock Popeye off his feet. After hearing about all the health benefits to kale, I thought I’d see what all the hype is about.

Let’s get the facts on what this leafy veggie offers: 

• Low Calorie (36 calories per cup)
• High in Fiber, Iron, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium
• Zero Fat
• One cup has about 3g of Protein (Not a lot, but for those of you who don’t eat meat, it’s something!)
• Anti-inflammatory food: Which can help fight against asthma and arthritis
• Detox food: With the combination of fiber and sulfur, kale is sure to keep your liver healthy.

Now I know that the majority of you have heard some of the hype about kale, but if you follow this link, it will give you a refresher as to WHY it is so good for you.

Not convinced?! Check this out!

With all of those benefits it is hard to ignore the hype. Adding kale into your everyday routine does not have to be a complete difficult, but more so a healthy addition. If you normally eat salad with iceberg or romaine lettuce, try mixing some kale into to add the benefits while keeping the taste you love.

Another way to incorporate kale into your everyday diet is to puree it. When you mix a large handful of kale into a fruit smoothie you can hardly taste it!

There is also possibility of making kale chips. This is a recipe I have tried numerous times, and I have yet to be disappointed. All you need to do is preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break the kale into pieces as large or small as desired. Drizzle olive oil, sea salt, and any other seasonings you’d like over the kale and bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on your oven) on middle rack. Pull out of oven when the edges begin to brown, and they are done! Volia! This is not only delicious, but it won’t be a diet buster as well. You can keep little kale chips like this around your house as a healthy substitute for potato chips.

One last idea for now, is also the route of chopping up kale and adding it to your pizza as a topping, spaghetti sauce, soups, sandwiches, or anything else you can think of. These recipes, from experience truly do deliver in satisfaction, but just remember that eating kale, or any vegetable for that matter, is going to offer you the most nutrients and full supply of vitamins it offers if eaten raw.

Check out this link for some more awesome recipes!

Hope this inspires you to try kale soon!

Stay Healthy. Stay Strong.
Mary Marren