Kale

See also : Cabbage
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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.

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.

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. The vitamin K in kale promotes blood clotting, protects the heart, and helps build strong bones by anchoring calcium to the bone. 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). In Chinese medicine, kale is used to help ease lung congestion.