What’s All the Hoopla about Kale?

First of all, I love the word hoopla and just realized I’m not incorporating it into my daily conversations nearly enough. Kale. When was the first time you heard the word “kale”? If you are over the age of 20, it likely wasn’t when you were a child. Is it a recent discovery in the world of green vegetables, the result of innovative farming, or has it always been there, and just wasn’t getting any love? Kale is like the new kid who arrives at middle school. Probably no more interesting, charming or better than the kids you sit next to every day, her sheer newness makes her more exciting. It is starting to wear off, but I still feel a little extra cool when I order the kale salad or make kale escarole soup for my fam.

While I like kale, I have to wonder when it hired a PR company. Turns out, it didn’t have to. A publicist named Oberon Sinclair apparently loved kale so much, she decided to promote the heck out of it. As soon as Gwyneth, Ellen and Dr. Oz jumped on, the kale was pretty much in the barn. Kale even has its own day.

Does it nutritionally stand up to all the hype?

Kale is rich in vitamins A and K, is a great source of calcium and cooked kale gives you more iron per ounce than beef. You want food that packs a punch, think dark green leaves. As Popeye was aware, spinach is another amazing source of vitamins and nutrients, providing more fiber, magnesium and iron than kale.

Kale though has more calcium, more of the antioxidant vitamin C and can provide 900% of your RDA of vitamin K. Vitamin K prevents bone loss, especially important after menopause.

Bottom line, yes, nutritionally kale is all its cracked up to be, but don’t forget your superfood friends just because a new kid came to town.

Chicken and Kale Casserole:
So Yummy That You’d Never know It’s Good for You.