Kale Nutrition Facts

If you're a hardcore steak-and-potatoes person, then the thought of eating green veggies must appear nothing short of a punishment to you - right? Well, besides the taste factor, meat, poultry and seafood are also extremely rich sources of dietary nutrition - this is what you would argue, won't you? Hey, don't get me wrong here - I am absolutely no practitioner of vegetarianism! Of course non vegetarian dietary options are some of the most rich sources of certain extremely essential nutrients like iron, proteins and calcium. Therefore, your argument has as much ring of truth as the statement, "The sun rises in the East", has! However, if you go through the various kale nutrition facts discussed in the subsequent paragraphs, you might assume a more favorable attitude towards green vegetables! After all, you can always strike a harmonious balance between vegetables and non-veg food items in your daily diet! It's like taking in the benefits of both!

Nutrition Facts about Kale

Before jumping to kale nutrition facts, let's take a look at some generic facts about kale. Also known as borecole, kale is a form of cabbage which may be green or red in color and in which the inner leaves, at the very center of the cabbage, do not cluster into a cabbage head. It is a close relative of most wild cabbages as well as some well-known cabbages such as broccoli, collard greens, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. Besides being a very good source of vitamins and minerals which makes it a significant vegetarian culinary candidate, kales also have decorative value. Yes, flowering kales come in a variety of pastel shades and are mostly cultivated for their ornamental leaves of various vibrant hues! Owing to this same reason, flowering kales, which are edible as well, are used to garnish many dishes - these colorful and curly leaves add color to any platter!

Check out the following table on kale nutritional value to get a load on the health benefits of kale cabbage.

Kale Nutrient	Content in 1 Cup (67 g approx.)
Ash	1.0 g
Betaine	0.1 mg
Calcium	90.5 mg
Carbohydrates	6.7 g
Copper	0.2 mg
Fats	0.5 g
Iron	1.1 mg
Zinc	0.3 mg
Magnesium	22.8 mg
Sodium	28.8 mg
Manganese	0.5 mg
Selenium	0.6 mcg
Phosphorus	37.5 mg
Potassium	299 mg
Proteins	2.2 g
Vitamin A	10302 IU
Thiamine	0.1 mg
Riboflavin	0.1 mg
Niacin	0.7 mg
Vitamin B6	0.2 mg
Vitamin C	80.4 mg
Vitamin E	321.6 mg
Vitamin K	547 mcg
Folic Acid	19.4 mcg
Vitamin B5	0.1 mg
Water	56.6 g

Kale Nutrition Benefits

Judging by the above mentioned nutrition facts about kale, it must have registered to you by now what a storehouse of health benefits this cabbage must be. True to this assumption, kale is indeed a treasure-house of health and nutrition. All those vitamins make kale an excellent storehouse of antioxidants and a reservoir of energy and vitality. Proteins, calcium and other minerals promise to strengthen the biological building blocks of muscles, bones, teeth and nerves. Iron takes care of mental concentration and red blood cell formation while potassium keeps a check on heart health and blood pressure. Vitamins A and C ensure accelerated cell repair leading to good eyesight, great skin and healthy mucous membrane. Vitamin K acts auxiliary to calcium in strengthening teeth and bones besides keeping the possibility of neuronal damage at an arm's length.

Therefore, it can be said in conclusion to the above discussion of kale nutrition facts that kale is an excellent reservoir of nutrients and fortifies the body against osteoporosis, anemia, cardiovascular diseases, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer. Being extremely low in fats and high in antioxidants, this cabbage is excellent at keeping cholesterol in check. Therefore, I think it would be wise to make some place for this powerhouse vegetable on that plate heaped with steaks, sausages and buffalo wings! What say?