Vitamins and Minerals Found Inside Kale

Kale -- loaded with nutrients our bodies seek, Kale can be both nutritious and delicious when juiced with other ingredients. Here are a few of the questions we attempt to answer about Kale.

• What vitamins in Kale make Kale so good for us?
• What is the best method for juicing Kale?
• What are some great buying tips for Kale?

Plus, we'll do our best to provide some general information about Kale that you might not find so easily elsewhere on the Internet.

Let's begin our exploration of Kale...

Vitamins and Minerals in Kale

Kale are probably best known for being loaded with calcium, but they also can be a great source of vitamin C and beta carotene; in fact a 1-cup serving provides twice the daily requirements for these 2 nutrients.

Here is a snapshot of the nutritional makeup of kale.

Vitamins in Kale

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K 
• Niacin
• Folate
• Trace amounts of some other vitamins.

Minerals in Kale

• Potassium
• Phosphorus
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Sodium
• Iron
• Manganese
• Selenium
• Trace amounts of copper and zinc.

To preserve its rich stores of vitamins A and C, you need to cook kale quickly in minimal water. It takes about 3 cups of raw kale to produce about 1 cup when cooked because it shrinks considerably in the cooking process.

Juicing allows you to get kale's full benefits. The next time you think about kale... think about how it might add a powerful boost to your daily nutrition through juicing.

Tips for Juicing Kale

Juicing kale can add both flavor and valuable nutrients to most any home-juiced cocktail... or it can result in a not-so-palatable drink that is difficult, if not impossible to swallow.

Here are a few tips for juicing Kale that may help turn your juicing experience into something you look forward to and thoroughly enjoy.

Kale makes a "green" juice and therefore should be combined with other vegetable juices such as carrot and cucumber.

Keep in mind that kale may cause gas in some people. (Even cooked, kale produces gas in some people.)

You will want to follow the purchasing and storing tips below for best results when juicing kale. 

Purchasing Tips for Buying Kale

If you are unable to grow your own kale, then here are a few tips for buying kale that may help you get the freshest ingredients. We'll also include a few storing tips for Kale that you might find helpful.

Look for crisp, deep green kale without thick, coarsely veined leaves.

Soak the leaves in a biodegradable produce wash (or simply rinse the leaves if the kale is organically grown).

After you spin-dry the leaves, store them in Zip loc bags in the refrigerator.

General Information About Kale

This article wouldn't be complete if we didn't include a little general information about Kale, as well as a few helpful links if you want to explore Kale further.

All forms of kale have been known for at least two thousand years.

Kale and collards are similar in many respects, differing in little more than the forms of their leaves. They are, in effect, primitive cabbages that have been retained through thousands of years. More highly developed forms which have been produced in the last two thousand years or so include; cauliflower, broccoli, and head cabbage.

Bearing the Latin name Brassica oleracea variety acephala, the last term meaning "without a head, kale have many names in many languages, as a result of their great antiquity and widespread use.

Kale are native to the eastern Mediterranean or to Asia Minor. They have been in cultivation for so long, and have been so shifted about by prehistoric traders and migrating tribes, that it is not certain which of those two regions is the origin of the species.

Wild forms of kale have become widely distributed from their place of origin and are found on the coasts of northern Europe and Britain.

Cool growing weather, fall frosts, and mild winters, impart a high sugar content and fine flavor in kale and collards making them an ideal plant to grow in cooler zones.

Kale and collards are among the easiest of all vegetables to grow. They are biennials, putting up their flower or seed stalks in the spring of their second season of growth.

Low in calories yet very filling, kale can be an excellent food source for those who are weight-conscious.

Additional Sources and Resources for Kale

The World's Healthiest Foods - Kale

Our Vegetable Travelers - Greeks and Romans Grew Kale and Collards

Be sure to check out both our "Juicing" and our "Smoothies" sections for delicious recipes and more using Kale!