Kale Is It the New Beef?

>> Monday, July 30, 2012


Move over Popeye and make room for the “king of greens,” kale”. Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable being recognized for its exceptional nutrient richness, health benefits, and delicious flavor.

Eating a variety of natural, unprocessed vegetables can do wonders for your health, but choosing super-nutritious  kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits, including cancer protection and lowered cholesterol.

Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. A leafy green, kale is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K — and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

What makes kale so exceptional? Here is why it’s a superstar vegetable — and ways to work it into your diet.

Benefits of Kale: 

1. Anti-inflammatory:

Inflammation is the number one cause of arthritis, heart disease and a number of autoimmune diseases, and is triggered by the consumption of animal products. Kale is an incredibly effective anti-inflammatory food, potentially preventing and even reversing these illnesses.

2. Iron: Despite the myth that vegetarians are anemic, the number of non-vegetarians with iron-deficiencies is on the rise. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef.

3. Calcium: Dairy and beef both contain calcium, but the U.S. still has some of the highest rates of bone loss and osteoporosis in the world. Kale contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is also better absorbed by the body than dairy.

4. Fiber: Like protein, fiber is a macronutrient, which means we need it every day. But many Americans don’t eat nearly enough and the deficiency is linked to heart disease, digestive disorders and cancer. Protein-rich foods, like meat, contain little to no fiber. One serving of kale not only contains 5 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber, but it also provides 2 grams of protein.

5. Omega fatty acids: Essential Omega fats play an important role in our health, unlike the saturated fats in meat. A serving of kale contains 121 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 92.4 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.

6. Immunity: Superbugs and bacteria are a serious risk to our health. Many of these come as a result of factory farm meat, eggs and dairy products. Kale is an incredibly rich source of immune-boosting carotenoid and flavanoid antioxidants including vitamins A and C.

7. Sustainable: Kale grows to maturity in 55 to 60 days versus a cow raised for beef for an average of 18-24 months. Kale can grow in most climates and is relatively easy and low impact to grow at home or on a farm. To raise one pound of beef requires 16 pounds of grain, 11 times as much fossil fuel and more than 2,400 gallons of water.

*Anyone taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K may interfere with the drugs. Consult your doctor before adding kale to your diet.



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>> Friday, July 6, 2012


                                                              Thirsty?

As the weather starts getting warmer, having something cold and tasty to drink is on my mind a lot. When we are thirsty, water really is the perfect choice. It keeps us hydrated and healthy, it has no calories, and it is inexpensive. Here is a comparison of some drinks I found:

Beverage
Calories Per 8 ounces
Grams of Sugar per 8 ounces
Cost Per Gallon
Tap Water
0
0
$0.00435
Bottled Water
0
0
$1.57
Sugar-Free Drink Mix
2
0
$2.59
Sports Drink
50
14
$4.19
Regular Soda
100
27
$4.44
Diet Soda
0
0
$4.44
Bottled Tea
0-90
0-23
$8.32
Energy Drink
0-140
0-31
$13.48
Orange Juice
110
24
$7.61
100% Fruit Juice
120
29
$7.64
Lemonade (from mix)
60
16
$1.50
Juice Boxes
90
21
$4.80
Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk
180
24
$4.17

If plain water is not for you, here are a few ideas to try:

  • Freeze juice in ice cube trays and cool down your glass of water with flavored ice cubes.
  • Put cut up fruit in a pitcher of water in the refrigerator – the flavor of the fruit will flavor the water. Oranges, lemons, limes, kiwi and berries work really well for this.
  • Put water in a special cup or water bottle and store it in the refrigerator so it is easy to grab in a hurry. Sometimes water tastes great plain when it is in a special cup.
  • Add low-calorie drink mixes (such as Crystal Light) to your water.

Check out choosemyplate.gov this May through August to see what the USDA is doing to promote drinking water instead of sugary drinks




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