There is absolutely no doubt that kale is a healthy vegetable and one of the
superfoods! In fact, you can find endless blogs, reels, and articles, detailing
the benefits of kale. But then again, a big question doing the rounds these
days is – can you eat raw kale? Let us find out!
Kale is amazing!
We will focus on the benefits first! Kale is said to be everyone’s “leafy green
sweetheart”! It is anti-inflammatory, can protect against heart disease, and
has loads of vitamin C, calcium, and lutein (great for the eyes) and digestion-
boosting fiber. It has such a remarkable nutritional profile, so there is really
no wrong way to use it. It has found its way into salads, smoothies, green
juices, tacos, pasta dishes, and more.
So what is the issue?
Eating much of the leafy green won’t be a problem for most people, but a
handful need to watch their intake when it comes to raw kale. It is a
cruciferous vegetable, among the same family as cauliflower, broccoli, and
cabbage. That is why; it has a crunchy texture, along with numerous benefits.
However, when eaten raw, kale can suppress production of the thyroid
hormone responsible for regulating your metabolism, due to compounds
called glucosinolates.
What happens if you eat too much of raw kale?
Cruciferous veggies contain the following:
-
Progoitrin – a compound that could interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis.
- Thiocyanate ions – they can crowd out the iodine your thyroid needs.
So after consuming an extremely large amount of raw kale, you mightexperience hormonal irregularities that lead to fluctuations in blood sugar,weight, and overall metabolic health. In reasonable doses, the effect wearsoff, so the thyroid remains unharmed. As long as you don’t follow anunwisely restrictive diet, the kale consumption won’t cause a problem. Stickto the occasional raw kale salad or smoothie, and you will easily avoid theunpleasant side effects.
What are the healthy ways to eat kale?
Cook it
Well, this is somewhat stating the obvious, as we have mentioned why it isn’t
a good idea to eat raw kale! Glucosinolates are greatly diminished by
cooking, so it is good advice to boil, roast or stew your kale before eating.
This goes for other cruciferous veggies too.
Mix it up a bit
Be it any food, it should be enjoyed in different ways! Similarly, don’t always eat kale raw or juiced – roast, sauté, or bake it. You should also eat kale with healthy fats to give it a boost. It increases availability of fat-soluble vitamins D, E, A, and K from the food source, which works wonders for your health. Sauté kale lightly or drizzle with butter or extra-virgin olive oil – you will loveit!
Cut down a bit on the smoothies
As mentioned, a kale smoothie is fine, but consume it sparingly. Eat a normal, whole foods meal, rather than having a daily green smoothie. As of now,
there is no recommendation on the number of green smoothies you can
have, but it is best to limit consumption to 3-4 times per week, if you include
raw kale.
While kale ensures you stay healthy, collagen keeps your skin looking soft,supple, and young. Unfortunately, collagen production decreases as you startaging. So how can you make up for it? Include collagen in your diet just likekale! These Marine Collagen Crushes can be added to beverages andconsumed – simply pour, mix, and drink up. Check out the delicious flavorssuch as Matcha, Coffee, Lucuma, Acai, and Mango!
