# Kale!!!!!!!!!!!!!



## QuinnQuiver (Sep 24, 2013)

I have been in past 6 months becoming more and more interested in green smoothies....I originally used only spinach in my green smoothies and I have used spinach in tons of other recipes. But for my green smoothies and I am now becoming more and more interested in Kale.

It is my new favorite green to put in smoothies

I love it steamed and then put in soups , stir-fry's, etc...

I also created a what I call a HKT(instead of a BLT)... Honey Ham, Kale, and Tomatoes Sandwich) which is absolutely delicious. I slightly cook the honey ham.

From the internet:

While not as well researched as some of its fellow cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or cabbage, kale is a food that you can count on for some unsurpassed health benefits, if for no other reason than its exceptional nutrient richness. 

From me: not only is it in same family as broccoli and cabbage....but it tastes and lot better in my opinion

From the internet:

Kale has the most Vitamin K per serving out of any green leafed veggie.

One way to be sure to enjoy the maximum nutrition and flavor from kale is to cook it properly. We recommend Healthy Steaming kale for 5 minutes. To ensure quick and even cooking cut the leaves into 1/2" slices and the stems into 1/4" lengths. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting qualities before steaming.

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more  nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around.  Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in  season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it  has a SWEETER taste and is more widely available. ....hmmm I've never looked forward to the middle of winter but I guess now I have a reason to.

Dinosaur kale is the common name for the kale variety known as Lacinato or Tuscan kale. It features dark blue-green leaves that have an embossed texture. It has a slightly sweeter and more delicate taste than curly kale

Health:

Within the flavonoids, kaempferol is a spotlight antioxidant in kale, followed by a flavonoid called quercitin. But recent research has also made it clear that at least 45 different antioxidant flavonoids are provided in measurable amounts by kale. This broad spectrum of flavonoid antioxidants is likely to be a key to kale's cancer-preventive benefits and benefits that we expect to be documented for other health problems stemming from oxidative stress.

We predict that one area of digestive support provided by kale will turn out to involve fiber. We feel that 7 grams of fiber per 100 calories of kale is just too much fiber to fail in the digestive benefits category. We predict that a second area of digestive benefits will involve kale's glucosinolates. The ITCs make from kale's glucosinolates should help protect our stomach lining from bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori and should help avoid too much clinging by this bacterium to our stomach wall. 

Well that's what I've found out about kale so far....
Now for the point of the post:
What other interesting things are there about kale and/or good kale recipes that you know of?

Oh I have one more....Kale smells delicious


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## Zereh (Sep 24, 2013)

I'm a fan of Lacinato kale. Huge fan.

Current crush:

Heat a bit of oil, add chopped lacinato. Season w/ salt. Cook until it is a nice, deep green color. Remove from pan. Add a handful of capers and cook until they start to sputter. Remove from pan. Top the warm kale w/ some feta or ricotta salata and the capers. Frost w/ a poached egg (or over-easy, like I do!).

I've also been known to make and eat Dr. Weil's Tuscan Kale Salad (where you "massage" the dressing into the leaves) ... often.


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## Addie (Sep 25, 2013)

Well that leaves kale out of my diet. Vitamin K has clotting elements in it. That is the last thing I need as a heart patient.


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## Mad Cook (Sep 25, 2013)

Addie said:


> Well that leaves kale out of my diet. Vitamin K has clotting elements in it. That is the last thing I need as a heart patient.


You aren't missing much. Kale is the only veg I don't like. I don't care how good for you it is.

In my youth it was considered cattle food and I feel sorry for the cows.

Bleuch!!


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## QuinnQuiver (Sep 26, 2013)

Addie said:


> Well that leaves kale out of my diet. Vitamin K has clotting elements in it. That is the last thing I need as a heart patient.



I am just getting to know the nutrients in Kale so don't take my word for it but I heard from a few places around the internet that their are other micronutrients that may combat the blood clotting of the Vit K in kale....but yeah if you are a heart patient I would not suggest kale from what I have heard about it so far. 

I have read it helps with normal blood clotting, but if you are a heart patient for now I guess it I wouldn't suggest it to you specifically(from what I know about kale so far).

Since you have heart problems though would like to show you this link to a a great blood thinning, heart disease prevention recipe: 

Cinnamon Ginger Tea - YouTube

it is cinnamon-ginger tea w/ honey

BTW i didn't really know that Vitamin K was a blood cogulating nutrient...so thank you very much for that info. I think now that I know this I will be making more cinnamon-ginger tea and cinnamon and ginger recipes in order to balance out my greens. 

Ginger cinnamon honey info: 

Cinnamon is very effective in safeguarding the heart and surrounding  arteries from damage and infection because it contains anti-inflammatory  properties. 

Salicylates

One type of natural blood thinners are substances that block vitamin K known as salicylates. If you are salicylates sensitive you can eat more salicylates as long as you eat a balanced amount of vitamin K foods. (Vitamin K plays an important role in the body's in blood clotting processes. The "K" in vitamin K gets its name from the Danish word for coagulation.) 

Foods that are higher in salicylates include many spices, most fruits, especially dried fruits, nuts, and also some flavorings and preservatives..

Herbs and spices high in salicylates include:

    Curry powder
    Cayenne pepper
    GINGER
    Paprika
    Thyme
    CINNAMON
    Dill
    Oregano
    Turmeric
    Licorice
    Peppermint

Fruits high in salicylates include

    Raisins
    Prunes
    Cherries
    Cranberries
    Blueberries - sweet...this blueberries are awesome in green smoothies
    Grapes
    Strawberries
    Tangerines
    Oranges

Other substances high in salicylates:

    Chewing gum
    HONEY
    Peppermints
    Vinegar
    Wine
    Cider

Though there are some exceptions, in general most meat, fish, dairy, grains and vegetable foods are not high in salicylates. Many types of fish do however have blood thinning properties due to their omega-3 fatty acid content.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 26, 2013)

QuinnQuiver said:


> I am just getting to know the nutrients in Kale so don't take my word for it but I heard from a few places around the internet that their are other micronutrients that may combat the blood clotting of the Vit K in kale....but yeah if you are a heart patient I would not suggest kale from what I have heard about it so far.
> 
> I have read it helps with normal blood clotting, but if you are a heart patient for now I guess it I wouldn't suggest it to you specifically(from what I know about kale so far).



Can you provide a citation for that? It makes no sense for Vitamin K to be both a clotting agent and an anti-clotting agent. Also, please know that anyone can put anything on "the internet," whether it's true or not. It's a good idea to learn how to distinguish sites that are reliable from sites that are not, and may even be harmful.

Vitamin K does not just "help" with blood clotting; it's absolutely essential for blood to clot and prevent a bleed-out from a simple cut. I know this from personal experience.



QuinnQuiver said:


> BTW i didn't really know that Vitamin K was a blood cogulating nutrient...so thank you very much for that info. I think now that I know this I will be making more cinnamon-ginger tea and cinnamon and ginger recipes in order to balance out my greens.
> 
> Ginger cinnamon honey info:
> ...



It's a good idea to include the links to sources of information you provide to others, especially medical information. That way, everyone can decide for themselves whether the source is reliable or not, and it's also a copyright violation to copy and paste someone else's writing.


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## Addie (Sep 26, 2013)

When expectant mothers are in labor they receive an injection of Vitamin K to prevent hemorrhaging during childbirth. One of the major causes of death during childbirth.


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## taxlady (Sep 26, 2013)

Addie said:


> Well that leaves kale out of my diet. Vitamin K has clotting elements in it. That is the last thing I need as a heart patient.


As far as I can tell, Vitamin K doesn't have "clotting elements". It is necessary for the transformation of the proteins that regulate blood clotting.

Depending on which kind of anticoagulant medication you are taking, it could reverse the effect. Some of them work by blocking the recycling of Vitamin K. Others work differently and then it's okay to take Vitamin K supplements.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_K#Anticoagulant_drug_interactions


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## QuinnQuiver (Sep 29, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> Can you provide a citation for that? It makes no sense for Vitamin K to be both a clotting agent and an anti-clotting agent. Also, please know that anyone can put anything on "the internet," whether it's true or not. It's a good idea to learn how to distinguish sites that are reliable from sites that are not, and may even be harmful..



Vitamin K isn't an anti-clotting agent.... I was referring to other nutrients in kale.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 29, 2013)

QuinnQuiver said:


> Vitamin K isn't an anti-clotting agent.... I was referring to other nutrients in kale.



Thanks.


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## MonsterKittyCat (Sep 29, 2013)

Kale is the new beef:
Organic Authority.com: 7 Reasons Kale Is the New Beef
It actually has more iron then you can get from meat

I like Kale chips. You drizzle some coconut oil on them and a bit of Cayenne pepper > pop em in the oven for 10 minutes or less (keep an eye on them as they can burn easy)> take em out and your done. 

They are so lite and airy on your tongue yet crispy
When I first heard about this I thought yuck. If your open minded enough to try it you will be pleasantly surprised.


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## CarolPa (Sep 30, 2013)

I don't think Kale (vit K) is a problem with ALL heart patients.  It would be best to check with your cardiologist.  If in doubt, leave it out, I always say.  My doctor never told me to avoid vit K.  Now my step-son has an mechanical valve in his heart and takes Coumadin every day.  He has been told to avoid any food that contains Vit K.  Most of these foods are things that he loves, but it screws up his blood tests if he eats it.  It's surprising some of the foods that contain Vit K.


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