Kale

 Kale is a hearty veggie that requires some extra care, but can be well worth the effort! It is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Similar to lettuce, kale has high levels of dietary fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, C, and K. The high fiber in kale makes it an excellent diet and digestive aid. However, kale is also loaded with essential minerals such copper and manganese. Kale contains very little sugar and a wide array of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Other health benefits of kale include lower cholesterol, anti-inflammatory properties, cancer prevention and sulfur’s detoxifying effects

The best kale has firm, deeply colored leaves and tough stems. The smaller the leaves are the more tender they will be, so try to buy smaller leaves to save cooking time. Store kale in the fridge, but keep in mind that the longer it sits the more bitter it will become. Kale is usually good for 5-7 days. Kale season peaks in the middle of winter, so it is a great vegetable to bring color to your plate when it’s cold outside.

Photo by pixelviz under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.

Published in Harvest Line, July 2011


Availability

Although never exact, below is an estimate of when these vegetables will be available locally

June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
                                               

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