Why Kale?

Kale , the powerhouse cult and the hippest green of the decade that dares to swap the other counterpart varieties despite their bitter profile where bitter speaks even better. 

Here is why KALE !.

            WHY KALE?

One can have hundreds of reasons to exclude these thick sturdy green leaves, but they host thousands of nutritional benefits to including in our diets.

Kale, the curly leaves are alkaline, bitter and one needs to acquire its taste to benefit the essential nutrients.

They are a member of the same infamous brassica family to which the broccoli, the collards and the brussel sprouts belong.

They are notoriously bitter and infamous for being genetically modified but better than any other greens in terms of their health benefiting and health-promoting phytochemical contents.

Why is Kale good for you?

Here are some health benefits of kale
We know vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy skin, healthy vision and mucus membranes.
Kale leaves are rich in vitamin A giving you 206% of RDA in one cup.
Kale helps with producing collagen with its high vitamin C content other than just waving off the cold and flu.
We also know the role of vitamin K in bone health and brain health.
Vitamin K is important in the osteotrophic process of bones in terms of bone formation and bone strengthening and kale is one of the excellent sources of vitamin K with one cup providing 650% of RDA

Kale and woman's health

If you are not new to Estrogen Dominance(ED), then you must be very ancient to the compound known as Indole-3-carbinol and its role in ED.
This compound is what makes all the cruciferous vegetables bitter and it has a major role in women's health.
Kale is good for hormonal issues and women can greatly benefit them during those dark pesty days for a balance. Kale along with tahini is great in the luteal phase.

What are the nutritional benefits of kale?

Kale has a protein score of 92 which is near-perfect to our ideal 100.
1 cup of kale will provide you with 2g of protein,5g of fibre, no fat and its calorie count stands at just 33 and with sulphur in plenty, they are great for detox smoothies and for keeping the liver health in check!

Can kale  give you diarrhoea?

Kale is the ultimate health food and a natural detoxifier.

According to a study by Baylor College of medicines, researchers found that kale contains a flavonol known as kaempferol which inhibits the pancreatic cancer cells from growing.
If you are a kale newbie and you consume a larger quantity of kale, then it can give you a run, positively by eliminating the nasties from your GI tract.
In other words, diarrhoea can be seen as stomach cleansing too. 

If you have constipation, then go the kale way as it is a natural laxative and like other greens, kale contains magnesium that softens the stools and can benefit you to go!

Can kale cause stomach upset?

Although kale is a good thing to go in the body, it is loaded with an insoluble carbohydrate known as raffinose that is not broken down during digestion and that can give you a gross side effect of causing a stomach upset until the bacteria in the gut ferments it.

To benefit from the positives, eat kale in smaller quantities first.
Check the volume of kale consumption as introducing any new food with high fibre content can cause digestive disturbances.

 

Who should not eat Kale?

 

Although kale is superstar when it comes to offering the nutritive benefits as listed above, it can pose risk to the people who's thyroid health and kidney health are compromised.

 

Since kale is genetically modified from wild cabbage which belongs to cruceiferous vegetables, it contains high amounts of goitrogens that can interfere with the thyroid functioning.

Kale also contains oxalic acid which is an antinutrient that can disrupt the kidneys if you already have issues with your kidney health, it is better to avoid kale.

 

Disclaimer

 

Athough kale is hailed as superfood which I don't agree as every food has its super benefits and its just food, kale is not for everyone and exercise caution if you already have digestive issues with introducing kale especially if you are a kale newbie.

 

How to cook with kale?

 

One of the best ways to eat kale is to turn them into kale chips by baking them in the oven on a very low setting. 

The patience of this low setting ensures the chips turn out crisp to the bone but crunch to the bite without assaulting the nutritional value of kale.

How to make kale chips?
 

The best kale chips are a result of patience and planning. It all starts from the shopping.
Look for the thick sturdy and firm varieties of black kale known as cavolo nero.
In the event, you can't find the black variety, then go for the dark green curly ones.

KALE CHIPS RECIPE

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Resting time: 5 mins
Total time: 25 mins

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 cup kale leaves (stalks removed)

1.5 Tbsp olive oil or any neutral oil, divided

1 handful of cashew nuts and almonds

Seasonings:

Sea salt, as per taste
1/4th tsp cayenne pepper
1/4th tsp cumin powder
1/4th tsp ground fresh black pepper
1/2 lemon zest

DIRECTIONS: 

1) Wash the kale to remove any grit and get rid of all the thick stems and stalks.

2) Preheat the oven to 150C. Grease the baking trays with half tsp of the oil and put the trays into the oven to preheat as well.

3) Drain the kale leaves of water onto the kitchen towels and dry every single leaf with a towel or tissue whatever you have.

De-moisturising is non-negotiable and a single step for foolproof success for the crispiness. No moisture!

4) Use your hands or kitchen shears and cut the leaves into small pieces.

5) Massage the kale leaves with the remaining oil by getting into every nook and cranny of the kale.

6) Mix all the other seasonings and gently rub the leaves into the seasoning mix and coat well.

7) Remove the hot baking trays from the over and arrange all the leaves onto the baking trays.

Ensure they are placed at a considerable distance from each other. Do not overcrowd the trays.

8) Bake the kale chips for about 10 min until the chips go brown but not charred or burnt.

9) Once you find the edges going curly and brown, remove the baking trays from the oven.

Rest them onto the kitchen platform for about 5 mins allowing them to get crispier in the trays.

10) Serve them with any dip of your choice.

Frequently asked questions on Kale Chips

How to store kale chips? How to keep kale chips crispy?

Kale crips are better straight out of the oven. But, they can be stored in airtight containers for good 3 days at room temperature.
Before storing them, ensure the chips are completely cold and there is no trace of moisture or heat content coming from the warmth of the oven or the chips.
Line an airtight container with a kitchen towel and throw in some crystal salt, not the table salt.
The crystal salt helps absorb any moisture and keeps the rancid smell of the oil away from the chips.

How long do kale chips last?

Homemade kale chips can last in the airtight container for a good 3-4 days.
To further prolong their shelf life for a day or two, you can sprinkle a dash of sea salt or crystal salt on the kitchen towel before storing the chips at room temperature in a pantry.
They are not good candidates for the freezer though.
The chips lose their crispiness with each passing day but a quick reheat in the oven can bring back their crispiness.

Why are my kale chips soggy?

Moisture retention makes the kale chips go soggy.
If you haven't removed the water content from the leaves before baking, then do not add salt before baking.
The moisture from the salt and the water will steam the leaves instead of baking them and the chips can go soggy.
Also, overcrowding the chips on the baking tray can add to their sogginess. Place the chips away from each other on the tray just like potato chips.

Why are my kale chips not crispy? How to make kale chips crispy?

The best way to avoid the kale chips going soggy is to dry them thoroughly before adding any salt to the seasonings.
Dry every single leaf using a kitchen towel, tissue or use a salad spinner.
The leaves must be bone dry if you want to add salt before baking to ensure foolproof crispiness.

What is the best type of kale for making kale chips?

Selecting the right bundle of kale for making the best chips is the key.
Look for big, firm curly leaf kale.
This variety is what most grocery stores will have and these are dark green and sometimes purple.
This kale type is quite versatile for making chips and is the most common one that you will find in the local supermarkets.
This vitamin-rich green variety is more affordable than the other varieties with its low cost.

How to make kale chips without oil?

Kale chips were traditionally made without oil in the traditional ovens using lemon juice as a drizzle, provided each leaf is individually dried using tissue paper.
Although crunchy, these chips won't last their crispiness for long when baked without oil.
Another way to make kale chips without oil is using a toaster oven or a dehydrator.
Dehydrator gives far better results in terms of retaining their nutritional value as the food is only dehydrated and not cooked.

Can we make kale chips in the microwave?

Kale chips can be made in the microwave, but microwaves are defamed as degenerating the DNA structure of any food.
Kale being a powerhouse packed with microgreens, It is best avoided in microwave cooking.
Alternatively, a toaster oven can fetch you the chips in about 10 mins.

Why are kale chips bitter?

Kale is a cruciferous green belonging to the same Brassicaceae family where other members like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, mustards
and collard greens come from.
They all contain a compound known as Indole-3-carbinol that makes these vegetables and greens bitter.
Hence, kale is bitter.
But burnt kale chips can be more bitter than browned kale chips. So keep a watchful eye on the oven time.

Takeaway- In conclusion, kale have them all in abundance than any other green leafy vegetables.  

 

So, be it in the form of kale flakes, kale powder, kale crackers, kale popcorn, kale chips, raw or cooked, kale is healthy and is preloaded with powerful antioxidants and one of the nutrient-dense greens available to us.

Simply put, let's tag them as super greens of this decade if not a superfood.