Kale, a type of green leafy vegetable from the family of ‘Cabbage’ is a powerhouse of nutrition, vitamins and minerals. It is a slightly sharp-tasting leafy vegetable and can be used in various recipes be it a salad, add it to your pasta, sauté with garlic, bake it with cheese or dish into a dal. Often referred as Karam Saag in many parts of India, Kale is nowadays found very easily on the shelves of supermarkets.

Benefits of Kale

Consuming Kale at least once a week will meet several of your nutritional requirements and helps diabetics in keeping their sugar levels low.

High in Fibre: Kale is very high in fibre and low on calories. A cup of kale has only 36 calories and 5 grams of fibre. According to studies, the fibre amount in Kale has significantly helped those suffering from Type- 1 diabetes in regulating their blood sugar levels and has improved the levels of insulin, lipids in those with Type- 2 diabetes.

Antioxidants: Kale is a powerhouse of an antioxidant called alpha-lipoic acid. It plays an important role in reducing the stress levels especially among the diabetics besides decreasing the occurrence of peripheral and autonomic neuropathy.

Reduces the Risk of Heart Ailments: Kale is a wonder veggie for those suffering from heart related ailments. High in potassium, Kale reduces the risk of stroke, protects against the loss of muscle mass, restores bone density and prevents formation of kidney stones.

Cancer Care: Kale like other green leafy vegetable comes with ample amounts of chlorophyll that prevent the body from absorbing heterocyclic amines. Its high iron content boosts the levels of haemoglobin, transports oxygen to various parts of the body. The chlorophyll in Kale binds carcinogens and prevents in absorbing into the body.

For Stronger Bones: Kale is in high on Vitamin K and it helps in preventing brittle bones and fractures. It also improves the absorption of calcium.

Fights Infection: Cooked Kale is rich on Vitamin C, which helps in fighting several infections, builds collagen a key protein for healthier skin and hair. Regular consumption of Kale also decreases the risk of anaemia.

Promotes Heart Health: Kale is endowed with compounds called bile acid sequestrants, that are known to reduce blood cholesterol levels and increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Being extremely rich in vitamins C and K and a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids, all these nutrients are healthy for the heart and optimise cardiac functions.

The presence of lutein in kale offers protection against plaque formation in the arteries and prevents atherosclerosis. Apart from these, potassium and magnesium in kale help control blood pressure levels, where high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack.

Manages Diabetes: Kale abundant in dietary fibre delays the gastric emptying time and lowers blood sugar spikes in diabetes patients. The addition of kale to the diet regimen helps in meeting nutritional needs as well as improved blood sugar levels.

Combats Inflammation: Kale has the right balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (1:1) that promotes this balance in the body and reduces inflammation. These inflammatory actions of kale help to reduce inflammation and ease symptoms of arthritis and other chronic disease conditions.

Kale Dal:

Ingredients:

1 cup of Kale leaves, roughly cut

1 cup toor Dal

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 green chilli, slit

1 tsp of turmeric

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

1 tsp oil or ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dal

A pinch of asafoetida

Preparation:

Rinse roughly cut Kale leaves, add it to toor dal, onion, garlic, green chilli along with sufficient amount of water.

Pressure cook for 4 whistles. Mash the dal. Add turmeric and salt.

In a small kadai, add oil and temper it with mustard, urad dal and asafoetida.

Mix it with the mashed dal.

Relish it with rice or roti.