Of all the superfoods available in the market, Kale remains one of the winners due to its medicinal properties. It is a green leafy vegetable from the wild cabbage family, similar to collards, cauliflower, and broccoli. It is easy to cook and can help any dish taste better with its distinct flavor.
Eating Kale daily can help ditch those multivitamin pills, as they are loaded with phytonutrients. Being low in calories makes it a more important addition to the daily diet. It is available throughout the year and has a sweet and earthy flavor. It maintains an impressive nutritional profile, which makes it remain on top of the world’s healthiest food items.
List of Top 10 Health Benefits Of Kale
Listed below are the top health benefits offered by Kale.
1. Lowers the Risk of Developing Cancer Cancer
Kale is a cruciferous vegetable that is, in turn, part of the plant’s Brassica genus. The potent combination of phytonutrients, antioxidants like flavonoids and carotenoids, and anti-inflammatory properties in Kale helps to combat the risks of Cancer Cancer in the prostate, colorectal, lung, and breast. These leaves are rich in sulforaphane compounds, which are cancer-fighting.
Its Vitamin K content prevents the damage caused by free radicals that can lead to cancer.
It has indole-3 carbinol compounds that curb the development of CancerCancer. People with a higher risk of developing CancerCancer should ensure they eat Kale daily.
2. Reduces Cholesterol Levels
The fiber compounds in steamed Kale attach with the bile acids within the body’s digestive system. Bile acids are then excreted, and the toxins are flushed off from the body quickly. The circulatory system performs effectively, and it helps in maintaining cholesterol levels to normal ranges.
Kale has a group of resins that lowers the absorption of dietary fats and prevents the increase in cholesterol levels. One has to make sure that it is steamed before consumption.
3. Helps In Detoxification
The resins found in Kale can fight against carcinogens due to the presence of vitamin C for buffering the lining of the stomach to flush away the body’s toxins. The array of phytonutrients helps Kale fight against the buildup of bacteria in the abdomen. When the bloodstream is infused with these phytonutrients, it can create a defense mechanism in the circulatory system to fuel the potency of the agents that fight against the toxins.
4. Lowers Inflammation
People with arthritis, asthma, and autoimmune disorders face severe pain and inflammation. Kale has ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and lowers the inflammation and the associated pain.
Including Kale in morning smoothies and vegetable juices helps reduce inflammation due to the presence of Vitamins C and E. It also protects the body from being attacked by cytokines, the pro-inflammatory molecules.
5. Enhances Eye Health
Kale is an eye-friendly superfood loaded with loads of carotenoids that are essential for the body to produce Vitamin A, which protects the cornea and restricts the eye cells from degenerating to ensure excellent eyesight for many years. Also, it has carotenoids, such as zeaxanthin and lutein, which are essential for eye health.
Kale also protects against age-related eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. It also performs like a filter in the sunglasses and prevents eyes from different kinds of damage, from UV rays to sun exposure. Taking Kale in salads, soups, and juices regularly would help maintain excellent eyesight.
6. Offers Cardiovascular Support
Kale offers excellent protection against cardiovascular diseases. Its antioxidants protect the cells from free radicals. The rich potassium and magnesium content maintains the blood pressure level and prevents the possibility of developing strokes.
Its bile-binding properties help lower the LDL cholesterol, which otherwise is harmful to the heart. It also improves the HDL level in the body and reduces the risk of heart disease. Having kale juice with chia and flax seeds helps promote cardiovascular Health.
7. Aids in Diabetes Management
Kale is fiber-rich, making it an ideal choice for people with Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes. It helps Type 1 diabetes patients by lowering their blood glucose levels. When those who have type 2 diabetes consume Kale, it helps in improving the insulin, lipid, and blood sugar levels in the body.
The presence of omega-3 fatty acids in this leafy green vegetable helps prevent the rise of glucose levels. It also prevents oxidative changes that are stress-induced and improves sensitivity towards insulin.
8. Helps in Weight Loss
Kale is an excellent choice for people who wish to lose a few extra pounds. Using it as a part of a weight loss diet is beneficial as it is rich in fiber, carbohydrates, and calories. It helps you eat less and feel fuller for several hours.
It is rich in fiber and has a low density and water content that aids in losing weight fast. When Kale is added to the daily diet, one is satisfied to eat a big meal without adding any calories.
9. Quick Recovery from Anemia
A person suffers from anemia and fatigue with low red blood cells. To improve the levels of hemoglobin and to increase the red blood cells, the body requires iron. The iron present in Kale helps in preventing anemia.
The vitamin C in Kale improves the body’s ability to absorb iron. It also has folic acid and Vitamin B12, essential for boosting the body’s energy and helping in recovering from anemia.
10. Promotes Bone Health
Kale is rich in essential nutrients. Vitamin K and calcium are present in it, are suitable for bone health, and have a significant role in avoiding osteoporosis. It also helps retain the calcium and Vitamin K inside the matrix of bone. This makes it a great alternative to dairy products and a boon for lactose-intolerant people.
Popular Ways to Add Kale to Daily Diet
- Soup: Add leaves of Kale to your favorite soup to make them richer in fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
- Steaming: The other popular way to take leaf cabbage is in steamed form. Steam it till the leaves are soft. Red pepper powder or pepper flakes and salt could be added for flavoring.
- Pasta: Adding finely chopped leaves in pasta makes it healthy.
- Salad: Mix Kale with other green vegetables to make a tasty and healthy salad. Adding lemon juice directly to the leaves and allowing it to wilt before mixing it in the salad would make them tastier.
- Smoothie: Some of the fruits that could be used with leaf cabbage for a tasty and healthy smoothie are Apple, Banana, and Pineapple. These fruits mask the flavors of vegetables well.
Kale Nutrition at a Glance (per 100 g raw)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 50 kcal [Source] |
| Protein | 3.3 g |
| Total Fat | 0.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g (includes ~2 g fiber) |
| Vitamin A | 769 µg (≈85% DV) |
| Vitamin C | 120 mg (≈133% DV) |
| Vitamin K | ~565 µg |
| Calcium | 135 mg (≈10% DV) |
| Iron | 1.7 mg (≈9% DV) |
| Potassium | 447 mg (≈10% DV) |
| Data based on USDA & database aggregators. | |
FAQs about Kale
Why Kale is good for Health?
This green leafy vegetable contains vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6, A, K, and C. It is also loaded with nutrients, such as protein, dietary fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. It also contains ALA or Alpha Linoleic Acid, an omega-3 fatty acid good for overall Health.
Kale possesses antidepressant, antioxidant, cardioprotective, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Doctors often recommend adding Kale to their diet 5 times a week to stay free from infections and illnesses.
Is raw Kale good for you?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. Taking it in cooked form or equal proportions with other vegetables is good. Eating just raw leaves in the salad in large quantities is not recommended. Below are some of the ways one could have them that are considered as safe –
- Cook: Steam the leaves well for 5 to 7 minutes till they are soft. One could also cut the middle stem to make it even more soft for the stomach. It could also be steamed with olive oil or garlic.
- Care about Proportion: Making salad just with leaf cabbage leaves with little other ingredients might not be a good idea. Use its leaves for garnishing or as a part of the whole salad.
Why eating it raw in large quantities might be bad for Health?
Eating it raw or in the form of the main ingredient in the juice might do some bad than good for the body.
- Gas & Bloating: It could lead to stomach-related issues like gas or bloating.
- Kidney Problems: Since it is a high-oxalate food, consuming it raw in large quantities might lead to kidney stones. Well, in the long run, it could aid in it.
- Metabolic Activities: In some cases, it was found to affect the thyroid gland. Kale interferes with the thyroid gland’s ability to absorb iodine, essential to make T3 and T4. If thyroid is not making enough T3 and T4, it could lead to Hypothyroidism.
