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Cabbage of any kind can be purchased all year round in supermarkets, even in sparsely populated cities. On many shelves there is also kale cabbage, which differs in appearance from the previously always available white cabbage. It is similar in appearance to lettuce, but has denser and tougher leaves, which allow you to quickly achieve a feeling of fullness. The benefits and harms of kale cabbage will help you decide whether to introduce this variety into your daily diet.
Chemical composition of kale
Kale cabbage has several secondary names - Tuscan, curly, bruncole and others. They all come down to one garden variety, which is eaten as a main product (cabbage salad with added herbs) or an auxiliary product (salads and main dishes). Due to its special chemical composition, the benefits of Tuscan kale lie in different factors than other varieties.
Kale is similar to lettuce, but it is denser and tougher.
Kale contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, K, C and PP, amino acids, minerals: sodium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus.According to scientists, it is enough to eat only 200 g of cabbage leaves per day to saturate the adult body with the required daily intake of vegetable protein. The amount of amino acids is not inferior to the composition of meat. If you compare the content of nutrients in milk and kale cabbage, then the greens contain much more calcium.
What are the benefits of kale?
The presence of a large amount of amino acids and other useful components in the product makes it a must for regular use.
The benefits are as follows:
- prevents the occurrence of muscle spasms and pain, which often occurs when there is a lack of calcium in the body;
- significantly reduces the fragility of nails and hair, prevents damage to teeth;
- eliminates itching and dry skin;
- vigor appears, drowsiness disappears;
- cabbage helps you lose weight;
- helps restore vision damaged by prolonged use of the computer;
- improves fat metabolism and restores blood sugar balance, helps reduce its content, which prevents the development of diabetes;
- kale helps reduce inflammation in the body;
- reduces cholesterol in the blood, which prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases.
The benefits of kale help solve problems with vitamin and mineral deficiencies during vegetarianism.
Harm of kale cabbage
There will be no harm from green crops, but only if consumed in moderation. It is enough to use only 3-4 sheets per day. Larger amounts can cause exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Long-term illness does not become a contraindication for the use of kale. The vegetable is well digestible.
High-quality kale on the shelves should look fresh; it is not recommended to buy fading bunches
Contraindications for kale cabbage
Raw cabbage should not be consumed in large quantities, since it contains a lot of acids, and this negatively affects the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, kale in its original form cannot be used by people with the following diseases:
- endocrine and metabolic disorders;
- ulcers, colitis, gastritis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- chronic diarrhea;
- kidney disease and gallstones.
Also, people with individual intolerance and children under 6 years of age should not consume kale cabbage.
Calorie content of kale
Kale can be consumed while losing weight without overdoing it, since there is a high probability of triggering the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. You should also take into account the caloric content of the product, because it is higher than that of the usual white cabbage. So, if the first contains only 25 kcal per 100 g, then the kale contains 2 times more - 50 kcal per 100 g.
Calorie content has a positive effect on satiety, you can get enough of it faster, and it takes longer to digest in the stomach.This variety does not cause gas formation, but it can provoke diarrhea.
Rules for eating kale salad
The salad is not subject to uncontrolled consumption. The following recommendations are provided:
- You are allowed to eat only 30-50 g of the product in its raw form per day - that’s 3-4 leaves;
- if the cabbage has been cooked, you can eat up to 100 g;
- when cooked, more than half of the beneficial substances leave the product, so it is better not to experiment and eat cabbage raw;
- you can use a frozen product, since it retains all the beneficial vitamins and substances when defrosted;
- to freeze, you need to wash the sheets and dry them on a towel, then put them in bags; it is recommended to store kale in this form in the refrigerator;
- It is not recommended to re-freeze the sheets; they lose all their beneficial properties;
- sheets can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 1.5 months;
- choose cabbage with hard stems, dense structure, even green color, and a smell similar to mustard;
- before use, you should soak the purchased sheets in water for several minutes, and only then rinse, dry and cut;
- kale leaves are used for baking with vegetables and meat, as well as for making salads and sandwiches.
It is better to store cabbage in the refrigerator in an open bag.
For weight loss, it is recommended to prepare a smoothie from kale leaves. To do this, chop the cabbage, add parsley and juice from one lemon. Grind everything in a blender, add 2-3 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or nuts. If the smoothie turns out thick, you can add kefir or milk, 1-2 tablespoons is enough.
You can make a smoothie that you drink in the morning to improve your metabolism.To do this, grind cabbage leaves, parsley sprigs and a few drops of lemon juice in a blender. Add a clove of garlic and pumpkin seeds to the resulting mixture. Grind the composition in a blender again. Before use, add a tablespoon of olive oil and water in such an amount that it is comfortable to drink the mixture on an empty stomach.
Kayle during pregnancy
Kale contains folic acid, so it is recommended to consume it during pregnancy. This is especially done in the first three months, when a lack of folic acid negatively affects the development of the fetus - mental retardation is often detected in children. Folic acid promotes the formation of the internal organs of the fetus, so it is added fresh to dishes.
The product should not be abused during pregnancy. The composition contains retinol (vitamin A), and its increased amount, on the contrary, provokes the development of deformities in the child. 3000 mcg of retinol per day is allowed, and only in cabbage of the presented variety there is about 800 mcg per 100 g.
Excess consumption of kale cabbage is manifested by sensitivity to sunlight, the formation of cracks in the skin, and hair loss. Often pregnant women suffer from inflammatory processes in the mouth. Women are worried about fatigue and a constant desire to sleep. Most explain this condition of pregnant women with an insufficient amount of vitamins, but in fact, they are already in excess.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of kale cabbage indicate that the vegetable is good, but only in a certain permitted quantity, but if there is an excess of it, you may encounter problems in the functioning of some organs. The vegetable contains a large range of minerals and vitamins necessary to maintain health.Recommendations for use should not be neglected, especially in the presence of diseases of internal organs or during pregnancy.
