Kale is a member of the cabbage family Brassica oleracea. Of all the super healthy greens, kale is acclaimed as king. Some of the beneficial compounds in kale have powerful medicinal properties.
A single cup of raw kale ( 2.4 ounces) contains:
- 206% of DV of vitamin A (daily required value)
- 684% of DV of vitamin K
- 134% of vitamin C
- 9% of vitamin B-6
- 26% of manganese
- 9% of calcium
- 10% of copper
- 9% of potassium
- 6% of magnesium
This 2.4 ounces also contains 3% or more of DV for thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and phosphorous. This nutrient dense green contains very little fat, but that fat is mostly the healthy omega-3. And it pumps another 3 grams of protein into your diet.
I love my kale cooked until tender in bacon grease and served over boiled potatoes. However, as a salad vegetable, cut the leaves from the center rib, discard the rib which is very fibrous, chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces, rinse under cold water and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt massaging the salt into the kale. It is tenderized and ready to use in your salad much like lettuce, spinach or curly endive.