KALE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS LEAFY VEGETABLE

You probably first saw it as a garnish on a plate full of breakfast dishes such as omelets. Eventually, it worked its way up the food chain as one of the ingredients mixed with other lettuces in a salad. Once the nutritional benefits of the leafy vegetable became known, kale transformed from a decorative garnish to an essential part of a healthy diet. At our senior living center in Denver, kale is one of the most popular ingredients used for a wide variety of dishes.

Although it seems like kale made a recent transformation from a garnish to a meal staple, the leafy vegetable has been around for centuries. Thomas Jefferson experimented with using the leafy vegetable in dishes dating back to his Monticello estate days during the early 1800s. The leafy vegetable represented a vital part of northern European cuisine centuries before it found its way onto American restaurant menus.

The chefs at our assisted living facility in Denver, Colorado work with four primary types of kale. You can find the leafy vegetable at your favorite grocery stores, as well as on food stands displayed at a local farmers market. The highest quality kale should present a dark green appearance, with small to medium-sized leaves that do not show any signs of brown or yellow coloring. Kale leaves should be firm and dry, not damp and wilted.

What Are the Health Benefits of Kale?

Kale is a nutritional heavyweight delivering more nutrient punch than just about any other type of food source. The nutritional value of kale includes abundant amounts of vitamins A, B6, C, and K, as well as plenty of fiber, folate, and manganese. One cup of chopped kale provides just 20 calories, with none of the calories coming from fat. The sugar-free and cholesterol-free leafy vegetable does not have any restrictions when it comes to the amount of it that you can consume.

Only one cup of chopped kale delivers more than 20 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A, which is a crucial vitamin that supports eye health. The same one-cup serving of kale also offers more than 100 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, which is associated with dramatically reducing the risk of developing cataracts. Rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, kale also decreases the risk of macular degeneration.

The large quantities of essential nutrients such as fiber, folate, calcium, and potassium make kale one of the most important food sources for maintaining a healthy heart. Kale can reduce the risk of developing heart disease by lowering bad LDL cholesterol. The leafy vegetable also lowers blood pressure because of the abundance of magnesium and potassium. As a non-dairy source of calcium, one cup of kale is a crucial food source for maintaining healthy bones, which is a common health issue for older adults.

The Importance of Nutrition at Retirement Communities in Denver

The best retirement communities in Denver, CO place a strong emphasis on serving nutritious, as well as delicious meals. Versatile kale is served in a number of different ways, including steamed, stir-fried, and of course, raw. You can even blend kale minus the rib section into a morning smoothie or use a whole kale leaf as a wrap that replaces bread when making a sandwich. Roasted kale chips also make the perfect meal companion with roasted potato chips.Discover how our senior living center in Denver works kale into different menu items by scheduling a tour.