Exceptional Health Benefits of Kale

The end of winter and beginning of Spring can be a difficult time to plan healthy or farm fresh meals for you and your family. But, help is on its way. Have you ever considered putting a little kale onto to your dinner plate? The reason is simple. Kale offers incredible nutritional benefits so much so that experts report that kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around. That's right: kale's packed with vitamins, fiber and more, essential elements in promoting health and wellness and preventing disease.

Kale Promotes Lower Cholesterol

By steaming kale, you essentially preserve most of its cholesterol lowering benefits. While raw kale offers significant health benefits as well, experts report that steaming is the best approach for optimizing the vegetable's health properties. Lower blood cholesterol levels is associated with heart health.

Kale Can Lower Your Risk for Several Types of Cancer

The properties in kale are reported to lower risk of several types of cancer, including breast, colon, bladder, ovary and prostate. Experts report that the isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from the glucosinolates found in kale are key factors in lowering risk for cancer. While experts agree that consuming recommended daily amounts of vegetables is important to promoting a healthy mind and body, it appears that a diet rich in kale carries additional health benefits as well.

Kale's Cleansing and Detox Benefits

Kale's a healthy dietary choice, especially for its detoxification benefits. Again, the isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from the glucosinolates found in kale are key factors in regulating detox. While experts reports that a diet rich in vegetables does much do promote health and prevent disease, it appears that adding kale to your diet may do a whole lot more.

Inflammation Fighting Properties of Kale

Kale is comprised of more than forty-five different falconoids which is the same good stuff found in tea, vegetables, fruits and wine. As a result, these offer both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits such that kale fights chronic inflammation. This should be good news for anyone suffering from inflammatory disease, like arthritis, COPD and more.

Cooking with Leafy Kale

What I like about kale is its versatility as a vegetable or main course. For best results, wash kale thoroughly. Dry and cut leaves and stems into one-half inch sections. Steam for about 5 minutes and you're ready to enjoy the vitamins and nutrients that kale brings to your lunch or dinner table. You can also chop the vegetable and add to soups and stews. By adding kale into your diet, you boost the amount of vitamins and minerals you get during the day.

RESOURCES

The Truth About Kale
Food Recipes in WebMD

Mayo Clinic
www.mayoclinic.com

National Institutes of Health
www.nih.gov

Antioxidants
Medline
National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health

Antioxidants: An Answer to Aging?
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Understanding Free Radicals and Antioxidants
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