Addressing the Wail of Kale

Have you ever gone to the supermarket and inadvertently bought something you thought was something else? It’s hard to mistake a loaf of white bread for wheat or a box of Apple Jacks for Grape Nuts, but that’s a different story in the produce section. Particularly when it comes to kale, a long leafy vegetable that bares striking resemblance to romaine lettuce (yet is not even in the lettuce family).

Kale is the black sheep in the cruciferous family – even brussel sprouts have more of a following. For most black sheep, there’s a reason for their disreputableness. Not so with kale. While cabbage and kale are similar in flavor – in fact kale is a direct descendant of the cabbage –cabbage gets an entire holiday dinner devoted to it (St. Patrick’s Day). The only thing kale gets are quizzical looks from produce-buying onlookers.

The only reason I can surmise as to why kale is not eaten more often is it’s just not well known in today’s society. So, as I’ve done in the past with other less popular produce, this piece is an attempt to bring more attention to kale.

Believe it or not, kale used to be one of the most widely used and eaten vegetables in all of Europe during World War II, as it provided a host of nutrients that were otherwise lacking because of food rationing. Due to the fairly uninspiring way in which kale was traditionally prepared (boiled), it has since lost the ubiquitous presence it once held at kitchen tables. However, there have been attempts at reintroducing kale to European nations recently. Britain’s The Daily Mail reported of a marketing campaign in 2007 that attempted to “relaunch” kale to its WWII popularity status. Britons will make the determination of whether or not that re-launched effort bore fruit (or should I say “vegetable”?).

In the meantime, the nutritional density is the main reason why kale thrived during World War II. Kale is one of the best sources one can find for vitamin A; just a cup’s worth of chopped kale equals out to 192 percent of one’s daily recommended value (at a meager 37 calories to boot). It’s also a great source for vitamin C, as well as minerals like iron, niacin, potassium and phosphorus.

Like all cruciferous vegetables, kale is a powerful anti-cancer agent, containing a special chemical compound called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane activates the liver to produce enzymes that help ward off cancer-causing free radicals in the body.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, kale can actually help diminish the chances of developing various lung diseases – even in those that smoke!

We all know about the health hazards of smoking, right? Yet there are millions of people who live well into their 90s, smoked all their lives, smoked since their teens, yet are free of lung diseases like emphysema. How can this be? Researchers say it’s likely due to their diet, particularly those high in vitamin A.

In studying what impact smoking plays on the nutrients the body consumes through food, Kansas State University researchers discovered that a chemical in cigarettes inhibits the body’s ability to absorb key vitamins like vitamin A, leading to deficiency in vital nutrients. But a diet rich in vitamin A counteracts this effect, reducing the likelihood of developing emphysema and lung inflammation. Researchers came to this conclusion through a series of lab tests, where rats exposed to smoke and fed a diet low in vitamin A developed emphysema; meanwhile, rats exposed to the same amount of smoke did not develop emphysema when fed a diet rich in vitamin A.

Regarding kale’s nutritional benefits, there’s a whole lot more where that came from. My hope is this piece will help put kale back on the culinary map. Perhaps its lack of popularity has something to do with not knowing how to prepare it, but with the prevalence of kale recipes that popped up after a routine search by yours truly, this isn’t likely.

I won’t delude myself into thinking this piece will send shockwaves into the kale producing market, but if even one person take now takes a chance on kale, this ode of mine hath not failed.