For vegetables, Kale is King

Kale tops the list as one of the healthiest vegetables you’ll find in the produce aisle. It’s a nutrient-dense food at its best, providing a host of health benefits for vision, heart, cancer and bone health for very few calories. And it scores a NuVal score of 99.

This leafy green is considered a cruciferous vegetable — a cousin to broccoli and cauliflower. Its impressive health benefits include:

‧ Top source of eye-healthy carotenoids — beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin — which may help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.

‧ Abundant supply of sulforaphane, a potent cancer-fighting agent.

‧ Vitamin A and C, folate and soluble fiber, all important for heart health.

‧ Bone health booster, by providing both vitamin K and calcium.

‧ Weight management — at only 36 calories per cup with a good source of filling fiber.

When selecting kale, choose dark-colored kale bunches with small to medium leaves. Avoid brown or yellow leaves. Store kale in a plastic bag in the coldest part of the fridge for three to five days.

To increase the absorption of lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins A and K, which are fat-soluble nutrients, cook with a small amount of oil.

Top Ways to Enjoy Kale

‧ Soups: Add chopped fresh or frozen kale to vegetable or bean soups.

‧ Stir-fry: Add chopped kale to a stir-fry.

‧ With your favorite noodles — soba, fettuccine or rice noodles: Add chopped kale when pasta is about 5 minutes from being done. Season with a small amount of sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt.

‧ A Tasty Substitute: Substitute kale in recipes that use spinach or collard greens.

‧ Meat and Potatoes: Cook sliced potatoes until almost tender. Add chopped kale (tough stems removed) and sliced low-fat turkey sausage. Cook until kale is tender and sausage is cooked through.

Basic Saut?ed Kale

Serves 4 (about 1?2 cup each).

Simply saut?ed kale seasoned with a blast of sherry vinegar is a deluxe combination.

All you need

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Grand Selections extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 to 11?2 pounds kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped; 1?2 cup water; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1?4 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 2 to 3 teaspoons sherry vinegar or Grand Selections red wine vinegar; 1?4 teaspoon salt.

All you do

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons, until bright green, about 1 minute. Add water; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Push kale to one side; add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the empty side and cook garlic and crushed red pepper in it until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat and toss together. Stir in vinegar to taste and salt.

* Tip: A 1- to 11?2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves. Remove the tough ribs, chop the kale, then wash it — allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Nutrition facts per serving: 102 calories, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 4g monounsaturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 195mg sodium, 516mg potassium, 12g carbohydrate, 0g added sugars, 2g fiber, 4g protein.

Nutrition bonus: 350 percent daily value Vitamin A, 230 percent daily value Vitamin C, 15 daily value Calcium.

Carbohydrate servings: 1?2
Exchanges: 11?2 vegetable, 1 fat (mono)

Source: adapted from Eating Well, Inc.

The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

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