All Hail Kale, the Queen of Greens
The greenish blue thick leaves found in your produce bouquet are nutrient-packed varieties of kale, including Blue, Siberian, White Russian and Curly kale. Considered the queen of nutritious greens in the cruciferous family, kale is a cousin to cabbage and broccoli. Also called borecole, kale’s scientific name is Brassica oleracea in the Acephala Group. Kale has recently become popular for possessing many important vitamins and minerals and is being hailed as the “new beef” and the “queen of greens.”
Kale was consumed before the Middle Ages and was once one of the most common greens in Europe, which comes to no surprise since kale is very versatile. It can be eaten raw or cooked and added to salads, stir-fries or sautés, soups, stews, casseroles, pizza, pastas, or any other dishes.
One cup of kale provides so many vitamins, minerals and health benefits that it is difficult to highlight them all. Kale is especially rich in iron, beating out iron-packed spinach, and it has more iron per calorie than beef. Adding to this leafy conquest over cows, Kale contains a very high level of calcium, beating out milk in a per calorie comparison. Kale is also a major contender in the battle against cancer due to its high levels of antioxidants and Vitamin K. Studies have shown kale helps prevent at least five types of cancer: bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Good for the heart, kale lowers cholesterol, partly due to its high levels of the important Omega-3 fatty acids. The combination of high amounts of Omega-3s and Vitamin K also make kale strong in anti-inflammatory characteristics, which aid in disease prevention. Additionally, kale has high levels of vitamin A, an important vitamin for eye and skin health, and vitamin C, an essential immunity booster. The numerous minerals found in kale, like copper, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus, also keep the body performing at its finest. This sweet tasting leafy green packs a huge amount of important nutrients for optimal health, making kale an obvious choice to add to your diet.
We are adding four varieties of kale to your bouquets now so you can receive its numerous health benefits. The kale found in your bouquet from Alegria Farm is harvested one hour before it is delivered and therefore it is at its peak nutrition state when you receive it. This makes it unlike the kale at the market, which has been sitting for days losing its nutrients.
If you believe Hippocrates that your food is medicine, then let Alegria Farm be your “Green Farmacy”. On our website at www.alegriafresh.com/produce.html, there is a one page description of the nutritional effects of each plant we are growing and their effects on the body. We hope you visit this page often.
Ready to try your kale? Here is a delicious recipe from Real Simple. It is so good you’ll forget you’re cooking healthy:
Whole Grain Spaghetti with Garlicky Kale and Tomatoes: http://alegrialiving.com/recipe/whole-grain-spaghetti-with-garlicky-kale-and-tomatoes/
