As one of Europe’s most prominent leafy vegetables, kale is a wonderful raw food with a plethora of redeeming qualities. Featured in many famous dishes from Africa, Ireland, Asia, the Netherlands, Brazil, Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Montenegro and Portugal, kale is truly a global supplier. Despite its amazing health benefits and international allure, kale still remains largely under the radar in America. It’s so popular in Germany that social clubs and celebrations have evolved around the vegetable, but in America you rarely see kale in restaurants or even home-cooked meals. Perhaps it’s the temptations of fast food, meat, fried foods, and large portions that have kept kale largely undiscovered in the United States, but as health and diet agendas hopefully so too. they will do the uses of kale. As a super raw food that’s fairly inexpensive and readily available, there’s no reason we all shouldn’t be cooking with this leafy friend more often. Mostly promoted and supported by vegan, vegetarian, and raw food enthusiasts, everyone would be better served by including more kale in their daily eating routines. Very easy to cook and with a voracious variety of uses, it shouldn’t be difficult for anyone to increase their consumption of kale. After we learn a bit more about kale and review its many health benefits, I’m sure there will be an outcry in supermarkets to buy it.
Kale belongs to the cabbage family and comes in green or purple leaves without heads. Other color variations may consist of whites, yellows, blues, and reds. The vegetable has a strong flavor and can become even more pronounced after being frozen or exposed to frost. The plant also does very well in harsh winter climates, making it very versatile when it comes to cultivation. Some close siblings to kale are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, rapini, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Kale is considered a superfood with many healing qualities. In addition to its nutritional values, kale is also often used for garnish and decoration. Most ornamental cabbages you see in gardens are from the kale family. Kale cultivars and loose leaf type classifications include curly leaf (Scottish Kale Lutes), smooth leaf, leatherback kale, leaf and spear (a cross between left kale and smooth leaf Kale Lutes), and cavolo nero (also known as Tuscan Kale Lutes and Dinosaur Kale Fights). The shape and texture of the leaves are the identifying marks of different kale and can range from wrinkled, curly leaves (Scottish) to flat leaves with finely divided edges (Siberian or Russian). A great feature of growing kale is that you can harvest the outer leaves when you need them without damaging the plant or the future growth of more inner leaves. Kale is very simple to grow and makes a great addition to any vegetable garden. It is interesting to note that young, tender kale is better for salads, while the mature leaves are better for cooking. Speaking of food preparation, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why we should include this raw food in our meals and dishes.
Boiling kale is not recommended, but steaming, microwaving, sautéing, and eating it raw is highly recommended. Kale is a prized raw food because it is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, glucosinolates, sulforaphane, vitamin E, vitamin A, iron, manganese, calcium, potassium, and manganese. It is these facets of kale that are known to prevent and combat medical terrors like cancer, cataracts, emphysema, and rheumatoid arthritis. A traditional serving of kale (1 cup) only contains 40 to 60 calories, making it a great weight loss aid. With a plethora of enriching antioxidant properties, compounds, minerals, and nutrients, the vegetable is also successful in preventing colds, improving skin tone, and boosting energy levels. Although it helps the liver, colon, and other vital organs, one special circumstance where it doesn’t help is those with thyroid problems. It contains goitrogen, a natural substance in kale, and if consumed too much, kale can interfere with the function of the thyroid gland or cause concern for people with thyroid problems. Regardless of this warning, kale is still a food that needs to be eaten more often by more people.
If you care about your health, the environment, and the raw food industry, you should have no problem jumping on the kale bandwagon. Kale recipes are rarely complicated and the food is so flexible that it can be used in smoothies, soups, salads, and even main dishes. Although kale is often cooked and paired with meat, we strongly recommend using it only in a raw food setting. By eating raw kale, we maximize its potential while helping the world and ourselves. A raw food diet is a great way to take care of the planet while nourishing your body, and kale is a perfect part of that plan. There are many amazing raw food cookbooks on the market that can show you some great kale recipes. The next time you’re thinking about eating something raw and delicious, hopefully kale will cross your mind and tummy. Here’s even a great kale soup and smoothie recipe to get you started on your quest for kale indulgence. You can also check out my raw food cookbooks for more great cooking ideas.
A couple of kale recipes to get you on your way to great health!
KALE SMOOTHIE (blend the ingredients well):
2 cups of filtered water
4 bananas
3 yellow mangoes
1 cup of raspberries
1 cup of red grapes
6 to 8 kale leaves
a few mint leaves
KALE SOUP (Mix all ingredients with warm water to desired consistency):
1 bunch of kale leaves
1/4 avocado
1/4 lemon peel
1 Roma Tomato
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups of filtered water (warm)
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt, pepper and onion powder to taste