Kale is a dark, leafy green considered by people as a superfood. This vegetable belongs to the cabbage family, which includes cauliflower, broccoli, and collards. Kale has been a popular diet food because it is not only low in calories, but is also rich in vitamins and minerals. When you include kale in your daily food intake, you will enjoy the following benefits to your health.
Help improve blood circulation
Kale contains vitamin K, an important nutrient that is essential for blood clotting. It works by activating certain proteins in the body, and allowing them to bind calcium. This vegetable is one of the best sources of vitamin K. In fact, a serving of raw kale contains vitamin K about seven times the recommended daily amount.
Help fight diseases and delay signs of aging
This vegetable is rich in antioxidants. It contains vitamin C, vitamin K (as mentioned earlier), beta-carotene, as well as polyphenols and flavonoids. These antioxidants have the ability to help combat oxidative stress caused by free radicals in the body. Oxidative damage is said to be one of the leading causes of aging and serious illnesses, such as cancer.
Kale is extremely low in calories, but can keep you feeling full for a while. This is because it has low energy density and high water content. Eating food with low energy density can help you lose weight, according to several studies. Even though it is low in calories, it contains fiber and protein, which are crucial when it comes to health and fitness. While there is no direct study on its effects on weight loss, it does make sense that it can be a great addition to your healthy diet.
Help lower cholesterol
Cholesterol is actually useful. It is used by the body to produce bile acids that help digest fat. The liver performs this function, and then releases the substances into the digestive system each time you consume a fatty meal. There are substances, however, that bind the bile acids in the digestive system to prevent reabsorption and reduce the total cholesterol in the body. The good news is that kale contains these sequestrants, and regular consumption of this vegetable will help reduce your risk of heart disease over time.
Help boost immune system
Vitamin C is another essential nutrient. This antioxidant is water-soluble and performs various important functions in your body cells. One example is its role in collagen synthesis to keep your body health and protected from early deterioration.
Kale contains more vitamin C than many other vegetables, with about five times as much as spinach. This vegetable is, in fact, one of the world’s greatest sources of vitamin C. A cup of raw kale even has more vitamin C than an orange.
Can help fight cancer
Cancer affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by the overgrowth of cells. Kale is packed with compounds that were found to have cancer-fighting qualities. Sulforaphane is one of those compounds, and it was discovered to have the ability to fight cancer formation at the molecular level. Cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, may help lower the risk of certain cancers, according to studies.
Can help strengthen bones
Kale is rich in calcium, a nutrient that plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health and cellular functions. It also contains magnesium, which may help protect against heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.
In addition, this leafy green has potassium, a type of mineral that has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease and blood pressure. It also helps promote collagen synthesis to keep your body cells healthy, allowing you to stay strong and youthful for a longer time.
Possible health benefits of kale include lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, protecting against heart disease, and helping prevent constipation. Kale may also improve bone, skin, and hair health. Kale is a healthful addition to a varied diet, and people can use it in numerous ways.
By drinking kale juice, you can keep your bones and teeth healthy, and reduce your risk of osteoporosis as you age. Kale Juice contains has large amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin to help protect your retina from ultra-violet light damage and improve your sight.
It's a good source of plant-based calcium, needed for strong bones and teeth, and has low levels of a natural compound called oxalate, which makes the calcium more available for absorption. Kale is also a good source of vitamin K, which studies suggest works with vitamin D to support healthy bone metabolism.
Kale is a nutritious food rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. It also contains nutrients that can support eye health, weight management, heart health, and more. Loaded with important micronutrients and antioxidants, kale is one of the most nutritious leafy greens available.
People who may need to avoid or limit kale intake are those who form oxalate-containing kidney stones or take the blood thinners Coumadin or warfarin. Be sure to check with your health care professional or dietitian if you have questions.
Avoid large amounts of raw cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Large amounts can disrupt the thyroid gland. Those with thyroid issues should consult with their doctor and be more aware when consuming raw cruciferous vegetables.
What foods help detoxify the liver? Some great foods to help cleanse and support liver function include leafy greens like spinach and kale, avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, grapefruit, green tea, turmeric, apples, olive oil, citrus fruits, beets, and cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
Omega-3s, which are great for brain health, are found in Kale. Kale contains large amounts of vitamin C (one serving of kale has as much vitamin c as an orange), vitamin A, vitamin K, and is high in brain-supporting antioxidants including beta-carotene, flavonoids, and polyphenols.
Kale also provides healthy carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Cons: As an abundant source of vitamin K, kale must be used with caution if you're using blood thinners.
Steaming is a better option than boiling because you don't lose as many nutrients with this cooking method, according to Gray. “You're not giving it heat treatment for very long, so it's closest to raw that you can get and you still are cooking it to some degree,” she said.
Kale consumption significantly improves bowel movement and alters certain gut microbes – Japan RCT. The intake of kale has been found to modify the gut microbiota and increase defecation frequency, especially among those with low stool amounts, say Japanese researchers.
Kale contains phytochemicals, sulfur-containing indolic glucosinolates, and aliphatic glucosinolates that have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity [18].
Owing to these properties, kale has become widely known as a medicinal food source to treat bowel ailments, obesity, malnutrition problems, and chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer; to reduce DNA damage and enhance vitamin C, carotene, and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity; to increase ...
Kale and other greens (such as swiss chard, arugula, spinach, etc) are also loaded with oxalates, a compound that can promote kidney stones and severe pain in the body organs and tissues.
This type of fiber is indeed useful for smooth bowel movements and overcome constipation. However, excessive consumption of rigid fiber can cause digestive problems. Fiber from kale leaves can get stuck in the intestines.
According to research, kale contains "progoitrin, a compound that can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis, and thiocyanate ions, which can crowd out the iodine your thyroid needs." When consumed in large quantities, "one could experience a swelling of the thyroid, often called a goiter."
A study found that drinking kale juice on a daily basis for three months increased HDL (good) cholesterol by 27 percent, and at the same time it lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol by 10 percent. Kale proves to be particularly useful when it comes to cholesterol regulation when it's steamed.
It's rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help neutralize harmful compounds and support liver function, which plays a role in detoxification.
You should drink 1 or 2 kale juices a day. You only need 3-4 servings of kale a week to get the health benefits. This recipe yields almost half of your daily fiber, so 2 a day is probably a good max. For the rest of the day, I recommend sticking to water or unsweetened green tea.
When putting healthy green vegetables like kale in your smoothies, you can increase the number of healthy nutrients your body receives. Drinking a green smoothie a day can help you increase the amount of iron and vitamin K in your system.
Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance
Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
