6 Things You Didn’t Know About Kale

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This green leafy vegetable may seem boring, but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. Packed with nutrients, kale has quickly taken the world by storm and has become a “superfood” staple to healthy eaters around the world. Kale is the perfect veggie to throw in a smoothie or salad, and it is especially delicious when baked in the oven to make kale chips (recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Kale-Chips/). With its popularity on the rise, here are 6 interesting facts you probably didn’t know about kale:

1.) It’s a powerhouse food in more ways than 1

Not only is kale packed with antioxidants, but one serving gives you more than 100% of your daily dose of vitamin A and vitamin K. Eating lots of kale can even lower your risk of developing certain cancers!

2.) Eating kale makes you happier

Kale is incredibly high in carotenoids, which are an antioxidant linked to optimism. So more kale = more happiness.

3.) Kale has been around for a long, long time

Although it has only recently become popular in the United States, kale has been in cultivation around the world for over 6,000 years. It was very popular in Europe during the Middle Ages and it arrived in the United States during the 17^th century.

4.) Kale has saved lives

Because it is such a hearty vegetable and so easy to grow, kale might have saved lives in the United Kingdom during World War II since it was one of the few foods they could cultivate.

5.) We aren’t the first to be kale obsessed

Although celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie have been raving about the benefits of kale recently, Thomas Jefferson was actually one of the first to jump on the kale bandwagon. Apparently, Jefferson was kale crazy and grew several different types in his garden in the 1800’s.

6.) Kale is one of the few vegetables that actually enjoys the cold

Kale is not easily damaged by cold and continues to produce throughout the winter. The best time to harvest kale is actually after the first frost, as it is sweeter because some of the starches have turned to sugar.

Want to learn more about this amazing superfood? Check out these websites where I got most of my facts to learn more cool tidbits about kale!

http://www.webmd.com/diet/7-fun-facts-about-kale

http://nationalkaleday.org/kale-facts-trivia/

All Hail the Amazing Kale!

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