Incredible, wondrous kale

Tonight when I arrived home from an outing in Manhattan, I was hungry. However, my hunger was specific. I was craving nutrients like you would not believe. After yesterday's lovely fireworks and fun festivities filled with chips, popcorn, hummus, carrots, and a few watermelon slices (that's what happens when you don't eat meat or cheese and have not adequately prepared for a picnic), I was feeling particularly lacking in appropriate sustenance and I couldn't decide what to eat for dinner that would fulfill the need. After some serious contemplation and searching of my kitchen, all I could think of that I wanted was steamed kale. Yes, you heard right, steamed kale alone. I've learned that if I am craving something that is decent for me, I need to fulfill that craving. So, I destemmed and rinsed half of a bunch of organic kale, steamed and lightly salted it, and then ate away. 

When I was finished, it was like something woke up in the blood coursing through my body and I wanted more. So, I gave my body what it wanted and prepared a second plateful. What pure deliciousness. I felt like I was naturally high and decided that I needed to figure out why kale had such a wondrous effect on me.

Here is what I found: According to Wikipedia (yes, I know it's not the best source, but let's face it, a lot of the information is good), "Kale is considered to be the most nutritious vegetable in the world with extremely powerful antioxidant properties." Let me repeat: The "most nutritious vegetable in the world." Awesome.

And if that's not enough to get you into this deep green leafy wonder-food, check out what the non-profit organization The World's Healthiest Foods has to say about it. According to their article, some of the many health benefits of eating kale on a regular basis (preferably 2-3 times a week) include:

1.  Lowers cholesterol and provides cardiovascular support.

2.  Lowers your cancer risk.

3.  Detoxifying.

4.  Contains over 45 different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoids.

5.  Contains omega-3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory.

6.  Good source of fiber.

Amazing, isn't it? If you are interested in trying out some dishes with kale, a simple search for "kale recipes" on google will reveal a ton of ways that you can incorporate it into your diet. Just remember, steaming the vegetable is said to be the best way to obtain the most nutrients. But, no matter how you cook it, one thing is clear: You can't go wrong by adding this vegetable to your diet.