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What is Kale? What are its health benefits?

Kale refers to a dark and leafy green vegetable that you can eat either raw or cooked. This healthy superfood has been a popular choice of dinner since the Roman period. Kale refers to the type of cabbage which includes collards, cauliflower, and broccoli. It is full of several minerals and vitamins such as vitamins A, C, K, folate, lutein, etc. To lead to healthy and fit life, you also need to include kale vegetables into your diet. There are numerous delectable dishes that you can seamlessly prepare using kale. Hence, if you want to know more about how kale works for a healthy life. Then, in this article, we will discuss the various benefits of kale vegetables and how does it ensure a healthy life for an individual.

Benefits of Kale

Enriched with several nutrients

It is the king of healthy vegetables enriched with several nutrients that are essential for the body and thereby ensure a healthy life for an individual. A single cup of kale comprises approximately 206% of vitamin A of DV; vitamin K is 684% of DV, vitamin C is 134%, 26% of manganese, 10% of copper, 9% of vitamin B6 and many more. Though kale has very little fat, a large proportion of fat comprises kale in the form of omega-3 fatty acids, which is also beneficial for health. Hence, through this, we can get the idea that kale vegetable is the most nutrient-dense food you can eat, and it promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Full of antioxidants such as Kaempferol and Quercetin

Another factor that further justifies the statement is that kale can ensure a healthy lifestyle. Similar to other antioxidant vegetables, it is also full of antioxidants that are beneficial for the body. The antioxidants such as beta-carotene, polyphenols, flavonoids, etc. The free radicals in the body cause numerous diseases such as cancer and also makes the process of aging faster. But the effects of free radicals in the body can be effectively neutralized by antioxidants. Apart from lowering the effect and preventing the occurrence of any disease caused by free radicals, the antioxidants help in providing protection to the heart, lowering blood pressure, having anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects, etc.

Good source of vitamin C

Kale and kale plants both are good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for the body, and it is a water-soluble antioxidant that has numerous essential functions in the body cells. In comparison to other leafy green vegetables, kale vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin C. The vitamin C content in kale is approximately 4.5 times higher than the other green and leafy vegetables. The consumption of a single cup of kale can provide you with more vitamin C than consuming one orange.

Reduces cholesterol and keeps heart diseases at bay

Cholesterol is very harmful to the body, and it can be the cause of numerous heart-related diseases. The consumption of kale plants helps to body to make bile acids, and this bile acid further helps the body to digest fats easily. When all the bile acids are absorbed, they are again reabsorbed into the bloodstream and used again.

Actually, kale comprises bile acid sequestrants, which help lower the cholesterol level in the body. Hence, due to reduced absorption of cholesterol in the body, the chances of blockages in the heart, heart attack, or stroke are prevented. In a research study, it has been found that drinking kale juice daily for a few weeks increases the level of HDL in the body, which is good cholesterol and lowers the LDL significantly.

Also Read: How To Reduce Cholesterol Naturally 

Often people tend to suffer a lot due to degradation in the health of their bones. But this can be effectively tackled with the help of kale vegetablesThe consumption of kale furnishes the body with an adequate amount of essential nutrients such as vitamin K, calcium, and potassium. All these nutrients supplied by kale help in increasing overall bone health. They help in enhancing the durability, strength, and density of the bones. Similarly, this will further lead to a reduced risk for bone-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

Promotes eye health

As kale vegetable comprises a rich amount of zeaxanthin and lutein, which helps in promoting effective health of the eyes of an individual. These two further help in reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Kale is also comprised of a rich amount of beta carotene and vitamin A which acts efficiently to promote healthy vision of the eyes.

Consists of Cancer Fighting Substances

The instances of the deadly disease cancer are increasing significantly. Hence you need to protect yourself from this deadly disease. This is only possible through the consumption of the kale plantKale is loaded with numerous compounds that provide protection against cancer. The compounds such as sulforaphane, indol -3 carbonyl, etc., play a vital role in preventing cancer diseases.

cancer - kale

 

Best sources of vitamin K

In the above discussion, kale vegetable is a nutrient-dense vegetable, and it is also present with vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for the body for effective blood clotting. A single cup of kale comprises approximately seven times the required amount of vitamin K for the body. The kale comprises the k1 form of vitamin K.

Hence, the above-discussed factors assert the fact that kale helps in promote an effective healthy life for an individual. Kale is rich-nutrient food, and it helps in preventing numerous diseases such as cancer, heart disease, etc. Hence, to stay healthy and fit, you should also try to incorporate kale into your diet.

Written by Jagannadh Ch