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