Health Benefits
Everyone knows kale is good for you, it’s a superfood - low in calories and high in nutrients.
The health benefits of kale go well beyond providing a truckload of vitamins and minerals; this superfood is packed with phytonutrients such as glucosinolates and flavonoids as well. Thanks to its broad nutritional profile, kale is thought to help fight cardiovascular disease, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis; to prevent several types of cancer and pre-mature aging of the skin; and to promote the health of the urinary tract. For details on these and other proven health benefits of eating kale, keep reading.
Kale is a nutritional powerhouse packed with antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, kaempferol and quercetin. It’s the best green in terms of antioxidants on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) chart—scoring 1,770 units while spinach is at less than 1,500.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to your body at the cellular level. The cellular damage caused by free radicals has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases and disorders, including macular degeneration of the eye, cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, asthma, an impaired immune system, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition to providing pure health benefits, kale's antioxidants can also provide beauty benefits. The free radical neutralizing effects of the antioxidants in kale can help keep your skin looking great by preventing loss of skin elasticity triggered by excessive ultraviolet radiation.
N.B: Because of high amounts of vitamin K, people taking blood thinners should not eat kale.
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What is in Kale that makes it so great? |
 Vit A – important for vision Vit B6 – for a healthy nervous system Vit C – helps with immunity Vit K – important in blood clotting to help stop bleeding, Calcium – for stronger bones Carotene – prevent macular degeneration Lutein – prevent macular degeneration Zeaxanthin – prevent macular degeneration Fibre – aids in digestion and bowel health as well as minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus |