If we talk about trends in healthy cooking, kale is one of the healthiest and most popular vegetables. Its enormous nutritional benefits have made it the queen of green products. Discover in this post all his ownages, curiosities, how to preserve and cook it.
Kale is a kale traditionally widely consumed in Central Europe that began to be cultivated in the USA during the eighties and is currently consideredranked as one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. It has so many properties that it has come to conquer the top of the international celebrities.
Known in Spain as kale or collard greens, kale belongs tothe cruciferous family; that is, directly related to broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or Brussels sprouts, vegetables with which we are most familiar in ourthe country.
Nutritional properties of kale
This very fleshy green leafy vegetable is an excellent source of fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals. In relation to its vitamin content, the presence of vitamin K, beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamin B6 stands out. But the contributionThe most important nutritive of kale is its high content of mineral elements, mainly calcium and iron. It is for these properties and nutritional richness that kale is considered a super food: it contains more calciumthan cow's milk and more iron than beef.
Kale provides us with 135 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams of raw leaf, and if we add that it is an excellent source of vitamin K, potassium and magnesium, becomes an ideal food for the maintenance of the good state of the bones. A recent study published by the University of CreigHton, Omaha, Nebraska, shows that the calcium in kale is better absorbed than that in milk.
It is also a good source of plant-based iron , kale has more iron per calorie than meat.bovine. But although the bioavailability of this mineral is limited, we can increase its absorption in the body by using foods rich in vitamin C along with its intake.
It also contains phytonutrients, natural substancescharacteristic of vegetables with great antioxidant power, such as carotenoids and flavonoids, the two main antioxidants that help prevent cancer.
All these valuable nutritional properties that kale offers with an aporYou calorie that is around 45 kcal per 100 grams, make it a food concentrated in good nutrients and light at the same time.
Kale contains more calcium than cow's milk and more iron than beef.
In the market
When buying kale, its freshness is important, recognizable by a firm trunk and an intense green leaf color. A recommendation: the smaller the leaves, the more tender it will be and its flavorr will be smoother. To keep it in optimal conditions, it is best to store it unwashed in a perforated plastic bag inside the refrigerator. So it can hold up to 5 days.
In the kitchen
LThe best thing about this vegetable is its versatility: it is delicious steamed, blanched or sautéed, in stews, soups or salads, and juices and smoothies. If we prepare it raw in salad, it must be taken into account that it is a fairly hard leaf, so it is usually dressedzar (with lemon and spices) and then let it rest and so it softens a little. It is also delicious steamed and sautéed with different seasonings (curry, mustard vinaigrette, soy sauce ...). Another way to cook it is by baking thes leaves until crisp (haven't you tried our Kale chips yet?). In smoothies or juices we must know that its flavor is strong and a little bitter, but this bitterness is softened by adding sweet fruits. It is also possible to add it to stews or mixes.clarify it with a puree, or a hummus, or a pesto, to add nutrients, fiber and good color as texture to it,
As you can see, this cruciferous, apart from being 50% of the "naming" of our flexiterian restaurant Flax & Kale, is aVery complete superfood rich in essential nutrients that will make (and make) the delights of your (our) dishes and whose antioxidant properties make it recommended to consume it for all types of diets. It is therefore not surprising that, in the United States, the priOn Wednesday in October, celebrate National Kale Day .
