Red Kale
Similar in texture and flavor to
leafy green kale, red varieties — which are actually more
purple — add a splash of exotic
color, whether raw or cooked.
Nutrition Know-How
• Three servings of leafy
greens each day has been
found to slow cognitive loss by
40 percent.
• Kale is packed with phyto-chemicals like sulfur-containing
glucosinolates and isothiocya-nates that help ward off cancer.
• The fiber in kale helps
absorb and sweep out DNA-damaging chemicals and other
toxins that enter our bodies.
• Open-leafed plants in the
cabbage family, like kale, have
higher amounts of vitamins C
and A and carotenoids than
plants whose leaves don’t
see the sun. Carotenoids are
powerful antioxidants that also
support proper functioning of
the immune and reproductive
systems and lower the risk
of cataracts.
• Kale is an excellent source
of minerals, including calcium,
and manganese, a mineral the
body requires for many physiological functions.
• One cup of kale provides
1,300 percent of the recommended daily allowance of
vitamin K, which is important
for healthy blood coagulation
and maintaining bone mass.
Shopping Tips
• For optimum nutrition, buy
kale in season. A light frost
sweetens kale, so depending on
where you live, fall or winter is
the perfect time to enjoy it.
• Choose kale from organic,
biodynamic or responsible local
growers when possible. Greens
grown in better-managed soils
help you net maximum flavor
and nutrition and minimize
exposure to pesticides.
• Whenever you shop for
kale, buy lots of it because
it cooks down dramatically.
Keep blanched or precooked
leftovers on hand to add to
the week’s breakfasts, lunches
and dinners. ➺
