This veggie has deep, historic roots: it’s been around for more than 4,000 years. Check out these reasons why kale is such a hot produce item.
The Rich History of Kale
- As a close relative of mustard plants, it’s estimated kale in the wild made its way into human consumption 12,000 years ago.
- It was domestically grown and used in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean region at first.
- For many years, people assumed it was not fit for humans; it was mostly fed to livestock.
- In Italy, cavolo Nero, or black cabbage, helped usher the leaf to many tables.
Types of Kale
- Kale is a cruciferous vegetable family member, with siblings like cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
- Curly kale is the most common variety in most grocery stores, with a hearty flavor great for salads, smoothies or soups.
- Italian kale, such as Tuscan or dinosaur kale, offers a sweeter flavor and is excellent in salads, smoothies and soups. It makes great kale chips, too.
- Chinese kale has smoother leaves with a more bitter taste. Since it’s tougher, it works best when stir-fried, steamed or sauteed. You can find it in Asian markets.
- Russian kale is the prettiest one, with beautiful red/purple stems and veins. Mild taste, tender leaves and great color make it perfect for salads.
Kale Nutrition Facts
- Kale’s veggie family is known to help reduce cancer risk, support a healthy immune system, contribute to a healthy gut microbiome and manage blood pressure.
- Some kale lovers must be careful with intake. Cruciferous vegetables can have a blood-clotting effect and counteract Warfarin or Coumadin or other blood-thinning drugs.
- It's high in antioxidants carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, along with big quantities of vitamins A, K, and B6.
- A single cup of kale provides 100% of your daily folate and fiber needs. That’s its superpower.
- Kale is great for fiber, but not as powerful as spinach, for example. Its nutrient density is what led to what’s sometimes called the “Kale-ification” of dining/recipes from the late 90s to now.
Growing, Harvesting and Cooking Kale
- Kale grows great in the Midwest, and as a cool weather crop early spring planting, with either seeds or plants, it thrives.
- It’ll do just fine into the fall, flourishing long after most of the garden has died; just keep it in a sunny location according to package directions.
- When you want to harvest kale, cut off the leaves, progressively starting at the bottom of the plant. The plant will keep growing and developing new leaves on the top. By harvesting this way, you can enjoy kale for many months.
Learn more about nutrition services at Avera.
Cami Jacobsen RD, LD, a registered dietitian with Avera Medical Group Comprehensive Weight Management, contributed to this story.
