If you appreciate beauty inside and out, behold…The Kale. Personally, I find it so sexy and graceful-looking. I’ve often though about doing photo-shot wearing kale as a gown. Its external beauty  is just the tip of the iceberg, though. It’s a superstar vegetable because, on the inside, its a definite nutritional powerhouse.

History: Kale has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. Although it’s used as and looks like a dark leafy green for salads, it’s actually a form of cabbage. “Kale” is a Scottish word derived from coles or caulis, terms used by the Greeks and Romans when referring to the whole cabbage-like group of plants. The German word Kohl has the same origin. The cabbage-like plants are native to the eastern Mediterranean or to Asia Minor. They have been in cultivation for so long, and have been so shifted about by prehistoric traders and migrating tribes, that it is not certain which of those two regions is the origin of the species.  The Greeks grew kale and collards well before the Christian era; the Romans grew several kinds as well.  “Coles” were described also in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 13th centuries by European writers. It might appear that the Romans carried the coles to Britain and France, since the plants were so well known to the Romans and the species has been popular in those countries for so long. On the other hand, they may have been taken there somewhat earlier by the Celts. The first mention of the kales (coleworts) in America was in 1669.

Description: The scientific name for kale is Brassica oleracea. There are several varieties of kale, but the three most common are curly kale, red kale, and Lacinato kale. Curly kale has ruffled leaves with a bright green color, a lively pungent flavor with bitter peppery qualities. The red kale, which people usually call black or dark purple, is also ruffled with beautiful burgundy veins going through the leaf (see picture above). When you cut the stalks, these are a beautiful, almost fluorescent green. Red kale has a more mild flavor and tender texture.  The Lacinato kale is the most common. It is also called “dinosaur kale.” It is made up of dark blue-green leaves with a slightly sweeter, more delicate taste than curly kale.

Nutritional Info:

✰ Kale is ranked number one on the ORAC rating for best oxygen radical absorbency capacity (its ability to fight cell damaging free radicals) with a value of 1770. In other words, it’s a fantastic antioxidant (the next best is spinach with a value of 1260).

✰ Contains powerful phytochemicals like cancer-fighting indoles, plant compounds that have been found to have protective effects against breast, cervical and colon cancer.

✰ Very high in sulforaphane, which helps boost the body’s detoxification enzymes. Sulforaphane also triggers the liver to remove free radicals and other chemicals that may cause DNA damage. A study at Rutgers University published online in the journal Carcinogenesis suggest that sulforaphane may also offer special protection to those with colon cancer-susceptible genes.

✰ Kale is very rich in calcium, iron and Vitamins A and C, and bone-building Vitamin K

✰ Excellent source of manganese, copper, Vitamin B6 and potassium.

✰ It contains seven times more beta-carotene than broccoli and ten times more lutein and zeaxanthin, eye-promoting carotenoids known to help protect against macular degeneration. In one study, people who had a diet history of eating lutein-rich foods like kale had a 50% lower risk for new cataracts.

✰ 2 cups of kale contain 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

✰ Kale is rich in Vitamin E, which helps slow loss of mental function. Eating vegetables rich in Vitamin E along with a little fat, such as olive oil or salad dressing, increases the body’s ability to absorb this vitamin.

✰ In one study of 176 Australian men, researchers examined the diets of of a group treated for skin cancer and a group without cancer. The researchers found that men who ate more foods rich in beta-carotene (like kale) had a statistically lower risk of developing skin cancer.

✰  If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to second-hand smoke, then making vVtamin A-rich foods, such as kale, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life, suggests research conducted at Kansas State University.

✰ With its high Vitamin C count, kale provides protection against rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory polyarthritis.

✰ Contains calcium for a lot less calories and minus the fat in cow’s milk.  A cup of kale supplies 90.6 mg of calcium for only 36.4 calories, without the amount of protein that could acidify your blood enough to take calcium away from your bones like cow’s milk does.  A cup of 2% cow’s milk provides 296.7 mg of calcium but at the cost of an extra 121.2 calories, 14.6% of the day’s suggested limit on saturated fat, plus the excess animal protein (pasteurized) with not enough enzymes to break it down, acidifying the blood to the point that it defeats the purpose of taking in the calcium because it will take the calcium away from your bones, not to mention the mucus build-up around your intestinal lining that will block the absorption of nutrients.

✰ Consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as kale is known to have significant cardiovascular benefits.

Preparation: For salads you can cut them very finely (even the stems), add something sweet like dried cranberries to offset the sour or bitter taste of the leaf, and then soften the leaf by tossing it well in olive oil, lime, and sea salt. You can also lightly steam kale (for about 50 seconds) not just to soften but also to take the bitterness away and neutralize its oxalic acid. I like to take the raw leafs and just throw them in my morning or afternoon smoothie.  You can also saute them with garlic and a tad of vegan butter and sprinkle some sesame seed oil once it’s served.  It can also be added to a morning tofu scramble, or be served as a side. Always buy them organic because kale is one of the top 12 pesticide foods.

Sources: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu, veraveg.org, whfoods.com, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden PH.D

Pumpkins are the talk of the town during the holidays…at least in my mind. We love this deep orange fall vegetable for so many reasons. Pumpkins have what we call: “the whole package”. This festive vegetable is decorative (external features/looks) and cooked (internal features/substance) in a variety of tasty and healthy ways for everyone to enjoy and make all sorts of weird noises from pumpkin-induced pleasure for, because – its just that great!

History: References to pumpkins date back many centuries. The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for “large melon” which is “pepon.” Pepon was nasalized by the French into “pompon.” The English changed “pompon” to “Pumpion.” Shakespeare referred to the “pumpion” in his Merry Wives of Windsor. American colonists changed “pumpion” into “pumpkin.” The “pumpkin” is referred to in classics like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater and Cinderella.

Description: Pumpkin has vines that can grow up to 25 feet long. It has big and yellow flowers. Its fruit is large, greenish to bright orange, and contains several flat seeds. Pumpkins have a thick shell on the outside, with seeds and pulp on the inside. Their seeds are small, flat, green, edible, have tons of protein and are called: pepita. Pumpkins are now grown in warm climates worldwide, but mainly in North America.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)

Phytonutrients present in pumpkins are: beta-sitosterol, caffeic acid, cryptoxanthin, curcubitin, cucurbitaxanthin, ferulic acid, flavoxanthin, gibberellins, kaempferol, lutein, neoxanthin, quercetin, rutinosides, and zeaxanthin.

According to the University of Illinois, current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and may also protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases, as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. The bright orange color of the pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant: beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.

Pumpkin seeds (pepita) are rich in protein, iron, zinc and phosphorous and 100g of pumpkin seeds contains 29 g protein, 11.2 mg iron and 1144 mg phosphorous.

Application: When mixed with some silken tofu agave, spices and agar agar, this vegetable can make for a fabulous vegan pumpkin cheese cake. We make vegan pumpkin ravioli, soup and bread. It is also a tasty and healthier substitute for mashed white potatoes. The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked in both sweet or savory dishes, and are delicious toasted and sprinkled, served on salads.

-Did you know that 496 million pounds of pumpkins were produced in Illinois in 2008? Hmm… Interesting, I wonder what Halloween and Thanksgiving are like in Chicago…

Sources: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/pumpkins, http://www.vegsoc.org, Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson M. Hass, MD

Whoever created spinach in the vegetable kingdom was not kidding around. Those beautiful green leaves mean serious health business. Whichever way you eat them, they are tasty, nutritious, and versatile. I love me some spinach daily! And for Maryl, they have replaced lettuce in salads. In fact, here at HLife we’d like to dedicate Aretha Franklin’s song “Respect” to this amazing veggie!

History: Spinach originally came from Persia (now Iran) where it was known as aspanakh. The green leafy vegetable made its way to China in the seventh century, when the king of Nepal sent it over as a gift. Spinach was eventually brought to Europe in the 11th century, when it was introduced to Spain by the Moors (Muslims). In the 16th century, spinach gained popularity as it was known as the favorite vegetable of Catherine de Medici, from the famous Medici family of the Italian Renaissance. When she left her home in Florence, Italy, to marry King Henry II of France, she brought along her own cooks, who could prepare spinach in the many different ways that she liked. Since this time, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as “à la Florentine”. Spinach began to be cultivated in North America by the early 19th century.

Description: Spinach is a leafy vegetable that grows in a dark-green rosette. The leaves may be flat or curly, depending on the variety. In the US, spinach is grown mainly in California and Texas as a cool winter crop. An annual plant, spinach grows best in cool, damp weather and rich, moist soil. There are three main varieties of spinach:

• - The savoy variety has crinkly, dark green, curly leaves. The texture is rough and it has a very distinct taste. This variety is most commonly sold as fresh bunches.
• - The flat or smooth leaf, which is unwrinkled and spade-shaped, has a milder taste than the savoy
• - Semi-savoy, which has slightly curly leaves, is increasing in popularity as its leaves are easier to clean than the savoy. This variety is usually sold fresh.

Nutritional Info:

• - Two cups of raw spinach leaves provide: More than 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for Vitamin A. It also provides more than four times the recommended DV for Vitamin K.
• - An excellent source of folate (30% DV), Vitamin C (28% DV) and the mineral manganese (26% DV). In fact, spinach is the richest plant source for folate.
• - A good source of many essential minerals, including magnesium, potassium and iron.
• - A source of fiber, thiamin and Vitamin B6.
• - Great alternative to milk/dairy for calcium and Vitamin C
• - Contains the powerful anti-inflammatory quercetin and 13 other compounds called flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and anticancer agents.
• - The Journal of Nutrition published research that showed the spinach compound neoxanthin causes prostate cancer cells to self-destruct.
• - Spinach is a great source of iron. This is particularly important for menstruating women, who are a lot more at risk for iron deficiency. Also good to know for those parents out there who worry about their children’s iron levels and think that the only way to get iron is by eating meat. One cup of uncooked spinach has nearly 2 mg of iron- and only 15 calories.
• - Provides beta carotene — an antioxidant that has cardiovascular health benefits, reduces risk of cancer, may reduce risk of cataracts and improves immune function.
• - Contains lutein and zeanthine — these carotenoids protect the eyes from ultraviolet light and reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration. Lutein is fat-soluble, so adding a little olive oil to a spinach salad or sautéed spinach improves the body’s ability to use it.
• - Co-enzyme Q10 rejuvenates the brain cells and keeps the heart healthy. It is involved in the Krebs cycle, the mechanism by which the body produces ATP (energy/fuel). Spinach and broccoli are the only two vegetables known to contain Co-enzyme Q10.

Usage: We eat the leaves of the spinach plant both fresh and cooked. Cooked spinach has a pungent, earthy flavor, and can have a mushy texture while raw spinach is milder and crisp. We like to eat it raw in a salad with other veggies, sea salt, olive oil, and lime. It can be steamed (for literally fifty seconds,) made into a creamy soup, or lightly sautéed with garlic and mushrooms, and even added to a morning tofu scramble. YUM.

Buying and Storing: Shop for vivid, dark green spinach with firm leaves and stems. Avoid those with excessively thick, tough or woody stem ends. Smooth-leaf spinach is most often sold in bunches. Medium and Savoy varieties are more likely to be found loose or washed and partly stemmed in plastic packages. Spinach is relatively perishable and should be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator; it is best eaten as soon as possible after buying. Spinach is on the 12 Foods Most Contaminated with Pesticides list, so we always suggest buying it ORGANIC.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sources include: Iowa department of public health, The 150 healthiest foods on earth by Jonny Bowden PH.D, Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson M. Hass MD., The Antioxidant Miracle by Lester Packer.

For information, visit:
www.leafy-greens.org/greens/spinach_nn.html
www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/docs/caspinach.html
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/spinach.html