I'm sure you've heard of kale, and know it's super healthy, but are you a little bit confused about how to use this superfood?

(I know I was, that's why I wrote this post  ;-) )

This dark green leafy vegetable, cousins with broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels, is loaded with health benefits! 

Adding kale to your diet would help you meet and exceed vitamin A, B, C, K, iron, chlorophyl and calcium requirements, while hardly adding to your caloric intake.

Kale is highly detoxifying and provides lutein and zeaxanthin, which both help protect against macular degeneration (vision loss). As if that weren't enough, Kale is widely known for its antioxidant-related and anti-inflammatory-related health benefits, giving kale a "leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress." (2)

Kale is a great vegetable selection for cardiovascular health, immune system function and stomach and liver health, to name a few. Kale is also recognized for its role in decreasing cancer risk, including bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostrate cancers.

So now that you know many of the health benefits of kale, here are some tips to find and store this superfood:

• Kale leaves should be firm, fresh, unwilted and rich in a green color, free of any browning or yellowing, with moist hardy stems.
• Smaller leaves are more tender and mild in flavor than kale with larger leaves.
• You can find and buy kale year-round, however it is widely available at its peak, from mid-winter to early spring
• Keep your kale for about five days in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with as much air as possible removed from the bag.
  Heads up- kale becomes more bitter in flavor with prolonged storage.
• Rinse kale only right before use, under cool running water, then chop into 1/2 inch portions (1/4 inch portions for the stems) for speedy even cooking.
• Add some zest with a sprinkling of lemon juice, which can further enhance the phytonutrient concentration of this superhero vegetable.
• You can also make kale chips too-adding some olive oil, sea salt and popping them into the oven
• Also, try adding it in with your other healthy ingredients for your next green smoothie!

Helpful hint- cooking kale properly can help lower cholesterol. The key to cooking kale is steaming- as the fibers in kale bind better with bile acids in the digestive tract when they've been steamed, making bile acids more easily excreted, which helps lower cholesterol levels. Steaming kale results in maximum nutrition and flavor. Introduce steamed kale into your veggie smoothies, salads, or stir-fry creations for great health benefits!

Sources:
(1)http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/10/top-ten-best-superfoods.aspx)
(2)http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

How will you be using kale in your healthy eating plan? I'd love to  know, comment and share!

Debi Silber "The Mojo Coach"
www.TheMojoCoach.com