Iron Rich Kale Offers Healthy Food Alternative

A member of the Brassica (mustard) family of plants, Kale is among the earliest cultivated Brassicas with many similarities to wild Brassica Oleracea on the western coasts of Europe. Kale is also referred to as collards or colewort. The Celtic ”kale” derives from “coles” or “caulis” used by Greeks and Romans to describe Brassicas.

Kale was first recorded in North America by 1669, but thought to have been introduced there much earlier.

Kale contains more iron and calcium than almost any other vegetable. Kale is also a good source of folate, beta carotene and vitamins E and C. It also contains bioflavonoids and other substances that protect against cancer.

Kale should be cooked quickly on minimal water to preserve its rich stores of beta carotene and vitamin C. It can be chopped, steamed and stir fried with other vegetables. Kales shrinks considerably during cooking.

For creative recipes and ideas on how to incorporate kale into your diet see the following clip which recently aired on CBS Sunday Morning. http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/kale-turns-over-a-new-leaf/