Kale is a nutritious food rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. It also contains nutrients that can support eye health, weight management, heart health, and more.
Loaded with important micronutrients and antioxidants, kale is one of the most nutritious leafy greens available.
In fact, kale contains a variety of beneficial compounds, some of which have powerful medicinal properties.
Plus, it’s versatile. It boasts a nutty, earthy flavor that works well in a wide range of recipes.
Here are nine health benefits of kale that are supported by science.
Kale is a popular vegetable and a member of the cabbage family.
It is a cruciferous vegetable and is closely related to cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Many different types of kale exist. The leaves can be green or purple and have either a smooth or curly shape.
The most common type of kale is called curly kale or Scots kale. It has green and curly leaves with a hard, fibrous stem.
A single cup, or 21 grams (g), of
- Calories: 7 or 8
- Carbs: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Vitamin K: 68% of the daily value (DV)
- Vitamin C: 22% of the DV
- Manganese: 8% of the DV
- Vitamin A: 6% of the DV
- Riboflavin: 5% of the DV
- Calcium: 4% of the DV
Each serving also contains a small amount of folate, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, and iron.
Adding more kale to your diet is a great way to boost your intake of these key vitamins and minerals, along with other important nutrients.
Like other leafy greens, kale is very high in antioxidants.
These include beta-carotene and vitamin C, as well as various flavonoids and polyphenols.
Antioxidants are substances that help
Oxidative damage is believed to be among the leading drivers of aging and many chronic conditions, including cancer.
But many substances that happen to be antioxidants also have other important functions.
This includes the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are found in relatively large amounts in kale.
Test-tube and animal studies suggest that these compounds may help ease inflammation, support heart health, slow the growth of cancer cells, and protect against chronic disease.
Vitamin C is an important water-soluble antioxidant that serves many vital functions in the body’s cells. For example, it is necessary for the synthesis of collagen, the most abundant structural protein in the body.
And kale is higher in vitamin C than most other greens. It contains about three times as much vitamin C as spinach and collard greens.
This makes kale an excellent addition to a healthy, well-rounded diet, alongside other fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.
Cholesterol has many important functions in the body. For instance, it is used to make bile acids, which are substances that help the body digest fats.
The liver turns cholesterol into bile acids, which are then released into the digestive system whenever you eat a high fat meal. When all the fat has been absorbed and the bile acids have served their purpose, they are reabsorbed into the bloodstream and used again.
Certain substances in kale can
One 2016 study in 149 people with metabolic syndrome found that consuming 14 g of kale powder every day for 8 weeks significantly reduced levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, along with blood pressure, belly fat, and fasting blood sugar levels.
Vitamin K is an important nutrient.
It is absolutely critical for blood clotting, and it does this by “activating” certain proteins and giving them the ability to
The well-known anticoagulant drug Warfarin actually works by
Kale is an excellent source of vitamin K, with a single raw cup containing almost
The form of vitamin K in kale is K1, which is different than vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 is found in fermented soy foods and certain animal products and
Cancer is a condition characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells.
Kale is actually loaded with compounds that are believed to have protective effects against cancer.
One of these is sulforaphane, a substance that has been shown to help block the formation of cancer at the molecular level.
It also contains a indole-3-carbinol, another substance that is believed to
Kale is often claimed to be high in vitamin A, but this is not entirely accurate.
It is actually high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body can convert into vitamin A.
Adding kale to your diet, alongside a variety of other foods rich in vitamin A, can help you meet your needs for this essential vitamin.
Though your vision tends to worsen as you get older, there are certain nutrients that may help support healthy vision over time.
Two of the main ones are lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoid antioxidants that are found in large amounts in kale and some other foods.
Kale has several properties that can support weight management.
For starters, it is very low in calories but still provides significant bulk that should help you feel full.
Because of the low calorie and high water content, kale has a low energy density. Eating plenty of foods with a low energy density has been shown to aid in weight loss.
Kale also contains a small amount of fiber, which is an important nutrient that has been
Although there are no studies directly testing the effects of kale on weight loss, it makes sense that it could be a useful addition to an eating pattern aimed at weight loss.
Adding kale to your diet is relatively simple. You can simply use it for your salads or add it into recipes.
A popular snack is kale chips, where you drizzle some extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil on your kale, sprinkle it with salt, and then bake in it an oven until it’s dry. It tastes delicious and makes a great crunchy, super healthy snack.
A lot of people also add kale to their smoothies in order to boost the nutritional value.
At the end of the day, kale can definitely be a healthy and nutritious addition to a balanced diet and can be enjoyed in a variety of recipes.