5 Reasons To Love Kale (+ Kale Chips Recipe)

It seems that kale has become one of the popular kids these days. Just a few years ago I had never even heard of it, and now it’s consistently the first vegetable on my food shopping list each week. Different foods can certainly become fads for a period of time, but I personally don’t think kale is one of them. I think this guy has risen to our awareness for a reason; I think kale is here to stay. If you haven’t brought this leafy green vegetable into your life just yet, I highly suggest you do so — but not before reading these 5 reasons behind my suggestion!

Kale kale

1. It’s a detox food.

Kale contains both fiber and sulfur — both of which aid in the health of your liver, helping to rid your body of toxins. Here’s an awesome kale smoothie recipe that will help your body detoxify!

2. Vitamin A, vitamin A, vitamin A.

Kale contains over 100% of your daily vitamin A requirement — 133% to be exact, which is more than any other leafy green in existence. Vitamin A does incredible things for your immune system, is great for your vision, and can even help fight cancer by inhibiting the production of DNA in cancerous cells.

Kale on stone

3. It’s anti-inflammatory.

Many of the foods we’re regularly exposed to — like cereals, grains, processed foods, and more — can cause inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can contribute to illnesses like depression, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, so it’s important to avoid foods that we know will inflame us. Kale’s anti-inflammatory properties come from the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to play an important role in its reduction!

4. It’s easy to grow.

I haven’t tried growing kale myself just yet, but my sources tell me that I probably should. While kale grows best in cold-weather conditions, it can actually be grown in most climates — and during any season. If you don’t have access to an outdoor garden, you can even grow it in a pot, as long as it has at least 6 inches of space in the pot to grow. Kale is also pretty skilled at resisting disease — it’s a gardening beginner’s dream!

Fresh kale, kale chip

5. Kale chips are delicious.

If you haven’t yet tried kale chips, please let your first time be with homemade kale chips. They’re incredibly simple to make, and I have yet to find a store-bought version that tastes better than homemade kale chips.

Kale chips in brown bag

A simple (delicious) kale chips recipe: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Break your (rinsed) kale into bite-size pieces, drizzle with olive oil, and toss with a pinch of sea salt and garlic powder. Place the pieces on a cookie sheet, pop it in the oven for about 15 minutes (or until it’s crispy), and you’re good to go. Simple as pie and delicious as can be.Kale chips on stone

These are just 5 of the many, many reasons to incorporate kale into your diet. Add your own reasons in the comments!

More healthy recipes from the BLDG 25 Blog.

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10 years ago

I love kale, you can easily add it to any meal.
xx

http://www.bohemianjourneys.blogspot.com

10 years ago

Kale is awesome =) I like putting it on pizzas instead of spinach, it’s delish!
<3 xoxo Annjelina

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10 years ago

Kale chips are one of my favorite snacks and they are SO easy to make!

10 years ago

My favorite kale chip recipe is sesame kale. It is so good! I swear!
a bunch of kale
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 or 2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Mix all together until coated.
Bake at 350f until crispy but not burned at the edges.

bre
10 years ago

I usually put lemon pepper instead of garlic powder!! Very tasty

10 years ago

Dont forget to make sure your kale is very dry after you have rinsed it or they will come out soggy instead of crispy :)

Nicole
10 years ago

Sub cayenne pepper for garlic powder if you would rather have it with a bit of a kick.

kaitlyn
10 years ago

kale salad with pine nuts and light tahini sauce. omg…. burst of goodness

jessi
10 years ago

I planted some kale, along with other veggies two weeks ago, it just started sprouting and I can not wait until its ready to harvest and eat!! yummm

Tina Yonas
10 years ago

I LOVE Alive & Radaint’s Kale Chips they are THE BEST! Shop.kaiafoods.com :)

10 years ago

I love kale. I did’t know you could plant it inside. I live about 40 minutes from the nearest store so it would be nice to grow my own. I keep meaning to make Kale chips but I always forget and use it for every other dish that we eat.