Happy national kale day! We all know kale is healthy and we should eat more of but sometimes it’s harder than it sounds; so I’ve rounded up four of my favorite fall kale recipes to make it a little easier!
So why is kale so healthy? It is part of the cruciferous vegetable family named for its flowers which are shaped like a crucifix. Cruciferous vegetables contain the highest concentration of vitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, folate, and fiber of any vegetable group. Only one hundred calories worth of cruciferous vegetables provides about 25-40% of your daily fiber requirement! Not only that, but they also contain anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Eating cruciferous vegetables daily can actually suppress the gene responsible for the genetic disposition to breast cancer. Chinese women who already had breast cancer and began eating 1 cup of dark leafy greens daily, had a 35% reduction in reoccurrence after only 30 days!
As far as how to prepare, chopping (or chewing, blending) raw kale is important to activate the cancer fighting isothiocyanates (ITCs). Steaming kale helps the fiber-related components do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract, making it easier for bile to be excreted which results in lower cholesterol. Eating a mix of both raw and steamed kale is ideal.
So seriously, go eat some kale!
