10 Health Benefits of Kale
Kale Nutrition and Kale Juicing Recipes
You’ve probably heard about the health benefits of kale if you like juicing.
They’re as cool as an ice cold pineapple juice on a hot summer’s day.
By that, I mean that the benefits of kale are many. If you want to maximize the results of your juicing career, you better be juicing kale. It will help with all sorts of things, from juicing for cancer to boosting your energy.
Kale is a type of cabbage. It can be green or purple and the central leaves do not form a head. Since the leaves don’t form a head, many believe kale to be closer to wild cabbage than domesticated cabbage. Perhaps this innate “wildness” is what makes kale so awesome.
It turns out that people have known about the health benefits of kale for a while. Up until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common vegetables in Europe. Going further back in time, you’ll find that even the Romans used kale as early as 400 BC.
While kale is a type of cabbage, there are also many types of kale. There is:
- curly leaved kale
- plain leaved kale
- rape kale
- leaf and spear kale
- cavolo nero kale
Rape kale is named because it can be grown in winter. While other crops are “raped” by the winter cold, kale rocks out and kicks ass.
For as long as people have been juicing, they’ve been taking advantage of the health benefits of kale and supreme kale nutrition. Let’s take a look at 10 of those awesome benefits.
10 Health Benefits of Kale
- Kill Cancer. Like I said above, one of the health benefits of kale is that it prevents cancer. It boosts the body’s ability to defend itself from cancer cells. This means you feel better and you live longer. With potent antioxidants, cancer-causing free radicals don’t stand a chance. Kale also contains a bunch of glucosinolates. These awesome dudes have been found to prevent breast, bladder, prostate, colon, ovarian and gastric cancer.
- Fix Respiratory Problems. Kale packs a big hit of Vitamin A. Why is this good? Among other things, Vitamin A helps with respiratory problems. If you’re exposed to smoke or other things which cause these problems, be sure to increase your consumption of kale. Try juicing it!
- Get X-Ray Vision. One of the reasons that the benefits of carrot juice include being great for the eyes is the high content of Vitamin A. Kale is in the same league. With lots of Vitamin A, eyesight improves and the eyes adjust faster to new environments. This is extremely important at certain times. For example, think of what it’s like driving along the highway at night. All of a sudden, a car is coming in the opposite direction and its bright lights stun you. Immediately after, there is a white spot in the center of your vision. Vitamin A helps your eyes to adjust faster which means that this white spot will go away faster. Booyah!
- Titanium Bones. Well, close. The health benefits of kale include a large amount of calcium. If you’re juicing, the calcium will be raw and alive. It will promote great bone strength and (hopefully) make them as strong as titanium. Humans are the only mammals that drink milk after childhood. Stop drinking so much milk. Drink kale juice instead.
- Crush Disease. The health benefits of kale include a very powerful antioxidant called lutein. Lutein has a yellow pigment. This would make kale yellow, except that chlorophyll (another great ingredient) covers the yellow. Lutein has been found to have rockstar disease-fighting powers.
- Detox Your Liver. Another awesome health benefit of kale is that it is great for the liver. The benefits of beet juice are fantastic for this too. Kale’s liver-boosting powers are found in an ingredient called sulphorane. This sneaky (but beneficial) ingredient causes the liver to produce enzymes that increase detoxification. As a result, cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins are removed safely and properly. It’s also worth knowing that when your liver functions well, you feel amazing.
- Feel Amazing. Like I said, the health benefits of kale are awesome. It boosts your liver and transforms the rest of your body. As a result of consuming kale on a regular basis, you will feel amazing.
- Live Longer. Cut out bad stuff like junk food, alcohol and cigarettes. Consume kale and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Exercise a few times a week. Do all of that and you will definitely live longer.
- Lower Cholesterol. Another of the health benefits of kale is that it lowers cholesterol, thus increasing heart health. If you’re using kale, juicing for heart health can be very effective.
- Eliminate Rheumatoid Arthritis. With a huge variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the health benefits of kale include being able to help with arthritis and other joint problems.
Kale Nutrition Facts
One cup of cooked kale with no added salt contains 2.47 grams protein, 36 calories and 2.6 grams fiber.
Vitamins
- Vitamin A – 17,707 IU
- Vitamin C – 53.3 mg
- Niacin – 0.65 mg
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – 0.069 mg
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – 0.091 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 0.179 mg
- Folate – 17 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid – 0.064 mg
- Vitamin K – 1062 mcg
- Vitamin E – 1.1 mg
*Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.
Minerals
- Potassium – 296 mg
- Phosphorus – 36 mg
- Magnesium – 23 mg
- Calcium – 94 mg
- Iron – 1.17 mg
- Sodium – 30 mg
- Zinc – 0.31 mg
- Copper – 0.203 mg
- Manganese – 0.541 mg
- Selenium – 1.2 mcg
*Also contains small amounts of other minerals.
For more information, check out the great site at healthalternatives2000.com.
Kale Juicing Recipes
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