Kale Nutrition

[Guest guest]

Here's a post I did on Kale as a " super food: "

http://soulveggie.blogs.com/my_weblog/2006/05/kale_one_of_the.html

 

I think Kale, Collards, and Chard are all outstanding sources of nutrition.

Furthermore, they are extremely easy to grow as well cook.

 

Broccoli's up there too, although it's harder to grow. Last year all Brassicas

(Cabbages, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts) got devastated in our veg garden by

harlequin buugs.

 

This year, all is going great guns... more broccoli heads than I can use. The

taste difference, even compared to purchased organic broccoli, is amazing (but

admittedly, there may be some bias...).

 

Aside from " bean's'n'greens " I tend to cook kale in a wok. Chopped garlic, a

little water, cut'n'rinse the kale, throw in wok. Sometimes I'll add red pepper

flakes to the garlic first, maybe some Bragg's/Tamari/SoySauce and a little

balsamic vinegar towards the end of the 'steam frying.'

 

Leftovers often go in soups or any number of sauces.

 

FYI, Mark

[Guest guest]

Though lesser known (or, anyway, lesser available), there are a lot of Asian

brassicas that

are at least in the same ballpark nutritionally (and in terms of taste and

preparation). I've

found these much easier to grow (this spring was crazy hot/cold/hot/cold here in

Mass.

and I had no luck with my heading brassicas -- my European/western cabbage,

broccoli,

and cauliflower all stubbornly refused to head before giving up), maybe in part

because

they grow faster and you don't have to wait so long for a head to develop. Kale,

chard,

beets (for the greens, for this discussion), collards -- all part of my

" portfolio " as well.

 

We've had a lot of fun with various baby bok chois, gai laan (Chinese broccoli),

different

Chinese cabbages (texture almost more like lettuces, in some cases), and more,

along

with different varieties of kale, etc. Everyone thought I'd be able to grow and

preserve

enough for months based on my crop, but I guess I was a bit greedy and ate

almost all of

the spring bounty already... so heat-tolerant collards and a nice fall crop of

greens, here

we come!

 

I think all of the above leafies (and the headed types, too) work really well

with simple

treatments -- either garlic and chile, like Mark describes, plus maybe

balsamic/wine

vinegar or lemon -- or a more Asian style with garlic, ginger, and maybe some

rice

vinegar or dry sherry [i don't use Chinese rice wine because it tastes too salty

to me].

 

And I still eat spinach, raw and cooked. I know too much oxalic acid isn't good,

but I don't

have pre-existing renal problems and I have no difficulties absorbing calcium --

I just try

to eat more calcium-heavy not around the oxalic-heavy stuff. Variety is key.

(And vitamin

C + spinach is a good idea for absorbing more of its iron, if it's a concern, so

why not try

orange segments on a spinach salad instead of dressing?)

 

Oh yeah -- one more thing, before I stop stating the obvious that everyone on

here

probably knows -- Mark, where do you live? I'd be happy to come harvest those

broccoli

heads you can't use (I am kidding...kind of).

 

Happy greens to all,

Colleen

 

, Mark Sutton <msutton wrote:

>

> Here's a post I did on Kale as a " super food: "

> http://soulveggie.blogs.com/my_weblog/2006/05/kale_one_of_the.html

>

> I think Kale, Collards, and Chard are all outstanding sources of nutrition.

Furthermore,

they are extremely easy to grow as well cook.

>

> Broccoli's up there too, although it's harder to grow. Last year all

Brassicas (Cabbages,

Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts) got devastated in our veg garden by harlequin buugs.

>

> This year, all is going great guns... more broccoli heads than I can use. The

taste

difference, even compared to purchased organic broccoli, is amazing (but

admittedly,

there may be some bias...).

>

> Aside from " bean's'n'greens " I tend to cook kale in a wok. Chopped garlic, a

little water,

cut'n'rinse the kale, throw in wok. Sometimes I'll add red pepper flakes to the

garlic first,

maybe some Bragg's/Tamari/SoySauce and a little balsamic vinegar towards the end

of the

'steam frying.'

>

> Leftovers often go in soups or any number of sauces.

>

> FYI, Mark

>

[Guest guest]

You all are so well acquainted with nutritional information, I have another "I heard..." urban myth for you. I have heard that brassicas can interfere with either thyroid fxn or the fxn of the hormone replacement (see - I am not even sure what I heard!). Does anyone know about this?

 

 

-

davis_colleen

Sunday, June 22, 2008 4:45 PM

Re: Kale Nutrition

 

 

Though lesser known (or, anyway, lesser available), there are a lot of Asian brassicas that are at least in the same ballpark nutritionally (and in terms of taste and preparation). I've found these much easier to grow (this spring was crazy hot/cold/hot/cold here in Mass. and I had no luck with my heading brassicas -- my European/western cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower all stubbornly refused to head before giving up), maybe in part because they grow faster and you don't have to wait so long for a head to develop. Kale, chard, beets (for the greens, for this discussion), collards -- all part of my "portfolio" as well.We've had a lot of fun with various baby bok chois, gai laan (Chinese broccoli), different Chinese cabbages (texture almost more like lettuces, in some cases), and more, along with different varieties of kale, etc. Everyone thought I'd be able to grow and preserve enough for months based on my crop, but I guess I was a bit greedy and ate almost all of the spring bounty already... so heat-tolerant collards and a nice fall crop of greens, here we come!I think all of the above leafies (and the headed types, too) work really well with simple treatments -- either garlic and chile, like Mark describes, plus maybe balsamic/wine vinegar or lemon -- or a more Asian style with garlic, ginger, and maybe some rice vinegar or dry sherry [i don't use Chinese rice wine because it tastes too salty to me].And I still eat spinach, raw and cooked. I know too much oxalic acid isn't good, but I don't have pre-existing renal problems and I have no difficulties absorbing calcium -- I just try to eat more calcium-heavy not around the oxalic-heavy stuff. Variety is key. (And vitamin C + spinach is a good idea for absorbing more of its iron, if it's a concern, so why not try orange segments on a spinach salad instead of dressing?)Oh yeah -- one more thing, before I stop stating the obvious that everyone on here probably knows -- Mark, where do you live? I'd be happy to come harvest those broccoli heads you can't use (I am kidding...kind of).Happy greens to all,Colleen , Mark Sutton <msutton wrote:>> Here's a post I did on Kale as a "super food:"> http://soulveggie.blogs.com/my_weblog/2006/05/kale_one_of_the.html> > I think Kale, Collards, and Chard are all outstanding sources of nutrition. Furthermore, they are extremely easy to grow as well cook.> > Broccoli's up there too, although it's harder to grow. Last year all Brassicas (Cabbages, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts) got devastated in our veg garden by harlequin buugs.> > This year, all is going great guns... more broccoli heads than I can use. The taste difference, even compared to purchased organic broccoli, is amazing (but admittedly, there may be some bias...).> > Aside from "bean's'n'greens" I tend to cook kale in a wok. Chopped garlic, a little water, cut'n'rinse the kale, throw in wok. Sometimes I'll add red pepper flakes to the garlic first, maybe some Bragg's/Tamari/SoySauce and a little balsamic vinegar towards the end of the 'steam frying.'> > Leftovers often go in soups or any number of sauces.> > FYI, Mark>

[Guest guest]

>I have heard that brassicas can interfere with either thyroid fxn or

the fxn of the hormone replacement (see - I am not even sure what I

heard!). Does anyone know about this?

 

Yes, *if* it's raw.

 

But if you're already eating a lot of cooked cauliflower, broccoli, etc.

then there's no problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA355093

 

Q

Is Broccoli Bad for the Thyroid?

I have low thyroid function and am being treated with thyroid hormone

replacement. I've recently become concerned about eating cruciferous

vegetables, which I understand can interfere with thyroid synthesis.

Should I avoid them?

A

Answer (Published 6/21/2005)

 

No, you should keep enjoying them. It is true that cruciferous

vegetables such as cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and

cauliflower contain natural chemicals called goitrogens (goiter

producers) that can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis. Other

foods that contain these chemicals include corn, sweet potatoes, lima

beans, turnips, peanuts, cassava (YUCA), canola oil and soybeans.

Fortunately, the goitrogens in these foods are inactivated by cooking,

even by light steaming, so there is no need to forego the valuable

antioxidant and cancer- protective effects cruciferous vegetables

afford.