Powerhouse Kale
Once upon a time there was a testing procedure used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine the antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables. It was called the ORAC test (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity).
Researchers would look at all the different antioxidants and phytochemicals that are found in a plant food and determine how well they worked together as a team to fight cell-damaging free radicals. The foods were given what is called an ORAC rating. Kale consistently scored as number one among the vegetables. (The ORAC test has since been retired, but kale continues to score high rankings on virtually all the tests that have replaced it.)
Kale is actually a type of cabbage, which means that it has even more health benefits than its antioxidant power alone. Like others in the brassica family, it contains powerful phytochemicals such as cancer-fighting indoles. It’s also high in sulfur, and contains a compound known as sulforaphane, which helps give a boost to the body’s detoxification enzymes and may help fight cancer as well. Sulforaphane is formed when vegetables containing it are chopped or chewed, and it triggers the liver to remove free radicals and other chemicals that may cause DNA damage. Several studies—including one in the Journal of Nutrition—have demonstrated that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer proliferation.
Kale is also loaded with calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, and bone-building K. It contains seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and 10 times as much lutein and zeaxanthin, eye-promoting carotenoids known to help protect against macular degeneration. And 2 cups contain about 4g of protein and 3g of fiber, making it an all-around nutritional powerhouse vegetable. Better Nutrition, February 2020, 17.
Recipe – Winter Greens Salad
Ingredients
1 large bunch curly green kale, ribs removed, chopped into small pieces, sprinkled lightly with salt, massaged for about 30 sec.
1 medium avocado, diced
Dressing
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes
¼ cup soak water
6-8 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 medium lemon (¼ cup juice), or to taste
1 ½ Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, optional
½ tsp. salt, scant
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
Process
Cover sundried tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes to rehydrate. Remove from water; reserve ¼ cup soak water; let cool. Transfer tomatoes and soak water to blender. Add oil, lemon juice and zest, honey, nutritional yeast and salt; blend until smooth. Stir in pepper flakes. Combine prepared kale and dressing; toss until thoroughly coated. Gently fold in avocado and enjoy.