Health Benefits of Kale (2024)

FAQs

What are the health benefits of kale? ›

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that provides a wide range of nutrients. Possible health benefits of kale include lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, protecting against heart disease, and helping prevent constipation. Kale may also improve bone, skin, and hair health.

RELATED: Believe It Or Not, Kale Actually Lives Up To All Of Its Hype—Here's Why. Manganiello says you can eat kale every day, just don't overdo it. She recommends one to two servings maximum of kale per day, leaving room for other healthy foods that provide an assortment of nutrients.

Kale is a nutrition superstar due to the amounts of vitamins A, B6, C, K, folate, fiber, carotenoids and manganese it contains. One cup of raw kale has just 20 calories.

Kale is a so-called “super food” because of its myriad health benefits. A single serving (one cup) contains more than a day's worth of vitamin A requirement, which is important for eye health and the immune system. It is also full of vitamins K, C, and B6 as well as manganese, copper, calcium, and magnesium.

Kale, for example, has more calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin K than spinach, while spinach has more vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, potassium, zinc, folate, and magnesium. They are both incredibly healthy options, but which one is best for your body is actually subjective.

Like many of the other foods on this list, kale is high in anti-cancer chemicals and antioxidants, both of which help cleanse the body of harmful toxins. Kale is also packed with tons of other vitamins and minerals that help promote detoxification.

With this in mind, nutrition experts say that most people should focus on adding more vegetables, like kale, to their diet instead of worrying if raw or cooked kale is better. “Though most cooking methods result in loss of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, kale is still worth eating in whichever form you prefer.

Kale is rich in vitamins C, E, and K. Together, these vitamins help your skin look younger and healthier. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that's great for brightening your skin's appearance; it can aid in brightening complexion (goodbye, dark spots !) and gets rid of fine lines and free radicals.

Anti-inflammatory foods

green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards. nuts like almonds and walnuts. fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.

While raw kale may boast the highest nutrient content, the study found that steaming retained the most antioxidants and minerals, compared with other cooking methods ( 7 ).

What are the pros and cons of eating kale? ›

Kale also provides healthy carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Cons: As an abundant source of vitamin K, kale must be used with caution if you're using blood thinners.

Both kale and broccoli are nutritious powerhouses. Like other green leafy vegetables, kale and broccoli have very low carbohydrate and fat content. The vitamins and minerals in the two vegetables are equivalent, although kale has a little edge over broccoli in terms of protein, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K.

Kale is also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that reduce your risk of macular degeneration and other age-related eye diseases. Kale offers an abundance of nutrients that support heart health, including potassium, fiber, folate, and calcium.

It is well-known that kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is rich in vitamin C . But did you know kale is also packed with iron; about 1.5 to 1.9mg per 100g to be precise? Because of its high vitamin C content, kale facilitates iron absorption and is great source of beta-carotene and healthy mustard oils.

“Cancer studies seem to show that raw kale is more beneficial than cooked, while cholesterol studies seem to show that steamed kale is more beneficial than raw,” says Harris, who recommends a bit of both in your diet. But whatever you do, don't boil, saute or stir-fry the veggie too long or with too much added liquid.

Kale offers an abundance of nutrients that support heart health, including potassium, fiber, folate, and calcium. As part of a heart-healthy diet, kale can reduce the risk of heart disease by helping lower LDL cholesterol, or “bad cholesterol”.