Currently we are having a great on-going Kale harvest in the newly re-done no-dig beds at Homeland. Here’s a little bit on Kale and how we mostly consume it.

According to Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-kale) Kale is one the healthiest and most nutritious plant foods in existence. Here are some interesting facts about it.

A single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams, which comes with a total of 33 calories, 4 grams of carbs, grams of fibre and 3 grams of protein):

• Vitamin A: 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene)
• Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
• Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
• Manganese: 26% of the DV
• Calcium: 9% of the DV
• Copper: 10% of the DV
• Potassium: 9% of the DV
• Magnesium: 6% of the DV
• It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus

(OK now memorise that for the year-end exam…)

Futhermore, kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants like Quercetin and Kaempferol. Oxidative damage is believed to be among the leading drivers of aging and many diseases, including cancer. Kale also contains sulforaphane and an indole-3-carbinol (good luck if you know what those are!), both that have been shown to help fight the formation of cancer at the molecular level. Kale contains bile acid sequestrants, which can lower cholesterol levels, which might lead to a reduced risk of heart disease over time. And the list carries on, even covering eye health and weight loss too. In short, it packs quite a punch.

There are many ways you can prepare and consume kale – from raw juice to cooked to soup, and of course like we mostly do it – as baked crisps (chips if you wish). I guess we do it that way because it is the easiest (only?) way the children would eat it. Anyway, lately we are having a lot of yummy kale crisps.