This Green: What Makes Kale Leaves So Healthy?

One of the previous articles discussed the cruciferous family, which includes cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kohlrabi. One of the health vegetables that has started to appear in various supermarkets in the last two years is kale leaves, considered a "super cabbage" belonging to the cruciferous family. Kale leaves, with their green color, are tasty and healthy. What makes kale leaves so healthy? Firstly, they contain a high amount of dietary fiber. The role of fibers is to help balance cholesterol and sugar levels, thereby maintaining the health of blood vessels and the heart. They also help create a feeling of fullness, thus aiding in reducing the need for excessive eating.

Kale leaves are particularly rich in several vitamins and minerals, and here are some examples: Vitamin K – Its main role is in assisting the blood clotting process. This vitamin is produced in our intestines by flora bacteria (good bacteria) but sometimes our intestinal flora is damaged, causing digestive disorders and impeding the production of the vitamin and resulting in its deficiency in the body (considered rare), which can manifest as ongoing nosebleeds, gum bleeding, uncontrolled bleeding after an injury, and more. Kale leaves provide a very generous amount of this vitamin. It should be noted that people taking Coumadin (a blood thinner) are not allowed to eat kale leaves and other green leaves. Another important role of the vitamin is related to bone building, meaning that sometimes a deficiency in this vitamin can explain calcium loss from the bone - osteoporosis.

Kale leaves also contain a very high amount of Vitamin A, as well as a high amount of Vitamin C, which is so essential for the immune system and many other functions. It also contains various vitamins from the B group, particularly folic acid, which is essential for fetal development, the building of genetic material in cells, and many other functions. Kale leaves contain two well-known substances that are very important for eye health: lutein and zeaxanthin, which are considered strong antioxidants. The leaves also contain different substances that suppress the development of pre-cancerous cells. Moreover, studies have shown that various substances found in kale leaves help prevent cancer, especially colon and breast cancer. Kale leaves also contain different substances that help detoxify the body in general and the liver in particular. Kale leaves should be eaten as one eats regular cabbage and other vegetables, and of course, care should be taken—as with all leafy vegetables—to clean them thoroughly to prevent insects. To your health!

Eliahu Schechter is an iridologist and natural therapist