Kale

Kale

See also :

• Cabbage
• Cruciferous Vegetables
• Indole-3-carbinol

Special Precautions of Kale

• Anti-Thyroid or Goitrogenic : All members of the cabbage family -- broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, kale, mustard, turnip, black red radish -- can cause goiter because they all contain glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are modified amino acids. Goiter is the enlargement of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency. When radish is chopped or chewed, glucosinolates break down into isothiocyanate, oxazalidine-2-thione, nitrite and thiocyanate ion. Isothiocyanates, oxazalidine-2-thione and isothiocyanate ion can cause goiter, by interfering with the production and secretion of essential thyroid hormones. Without these hormones, the body's ability to burn and use energy is jeopardized.
• Cruciferous Vegetables are excellent accumulators of heavy metals, including thallium. Cruciferous vegetables include: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, collard and mustard greens. While considering kale’s explosion in popularity, Hrecent reports made the link between cruciferous vegetables and possible thallium toxicity.

The benefits of Kale are

Kale is highly nutritious, has powerful antioxidant properties, and is anti-inflammatory. One cup of cooked kale contains an astounding 1,328 percent of the RDA for vitamin K, 192 percent of the RDA for vitamin A, and 89 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. It’s also a good source of calcium and iron. It also has more antioxidant power than spinach, protecting against free-radical damage. Kale is extra rich in beta-carotene (containing seven times as much as does broccoli), lutein, and zeaxanthin (ten times the amount in broccoli).

• A Natural Cancer Fighter – Kale contains an abundance of glucosinolate enzymes that release isothiocyanates, which don’t allow carcinogens to become active and speed up their removal from your system. Kale is in the same plant family as broccoli and cabbage, and, like its cruciferous cousins, it contains high levels of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which guards against prostate, gastric, skin, and breast cancers by boosting the body’s detoxification enzymes and fighting free radicals in the body. The indoles in kale have been shown to protect against breast, cervical, and colon cancers.
• Detoxifies Your Liver & Protects Your Heart – Sulforaphane, another glucosinolate and anti-cancer compound found in kale, helps your liver more efficiently remove toxins. Kale reduces arterial inflammation, and its high levels of fiber have been found to lower LDL “bad cholesterol.”
• The Vitamin K in kale promotes blood clotting, protects the heart, and helps build strong bones by anchoring calcium to the bone.
• Natural Sunscreen Protection – Kale contains the highest quantities of beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that work from the inside out and act as “natural sun block.” These antioxidants help protect the plant from damaging UV rays, and in turn help protect your skin.
• More Iron than Beef – Kale gives you more iron per calorie than beef and provides essential fiber – necessary to prevent heart disease and digestive disorders – which beef does not provide. It also delivers 2g of protein per cup, making it a viable meat alternative.
• Non-Dairy Source of Calcium – Kale supplies more calcium per calorie than milk and is easier for the body to digest.
• Rich in Potassium.
• Boosts Your Eyesight Better than Carrots – One of the most important vitamins for eye health is vitamin A. If your body is deficient, you can develop night blindness, dry eyes, and age-related macular degeneration. One cup of kale provides 206% of vitamin A, per the recommended daily allowance.
• Anti-Aging Skincare – Vitamin C delivers a plethora of health benefits, including fewer wrinkles and firmer, softer skin. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that those who didn’t eat enough Vitamin C had more age-related dry skin than those who consumed the recommended daily allowance. One cup of raw, chopped kale provides 134% of your recommended daily allowance!
• In Chinese medicine, kale is used to help ease lung congestion.
• Chlorophyll-benefits
• High in Kaempferol
• Anti-inflammatory.