Super Food: Kale

My name is Khaleeqa and I am addicted to Kale. I LOVE kale.  I am the self-proclaimed Kale Queen. I love this super food for a many reasons; it taste delicious cooked or raw, it has so many health benefits and it goes with anything. I substitute kale for lettuce in my salads, I sauté kale for a couple of minute in sesame oil and serve with my dinner, I chop kale up and put in my omelet. The possibilities are endless.  

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Kale is an archaic type of cabbage that grows loosely furled leaves, rather than forming a head. The leaves of kale have a distinctive ruffly appearance that distinguishes the plant from a close relative, collard greens. Kale has been under cultivation for over 3,000 years and was extremely popular in ancient Greece and Rome. In medieval times, kale was sometimes the only vegetable eaten, because it was easy to grow, tolerant to cool climates and delicious.

Benefits

Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss. Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale is also a good source of carotenoids.

So pick up some kale the next time you are at the grocery store!

Super Food: Beets

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” ― Hippocrates

My relationship with food has certainly changed over the years. When I was obese I used food as comfort. My eating habits have become better and I now think of food as medicine. The more nutrients and life I eat the more health I will have.

Yesterday in the grocery store I was picking up some of my favorite vegetables when I strolled by the beets. I never was a big beet person, but I remembered Top Chef Contestants making amazing things with beets so I decided to get a few. I am so HAPPY that I did! Yesterday I made a kale beet dish that was AMAZING!  I even chopped a few beets up raw over my salad for lunch. In 24 hours I consumed almost 2 raw beets. Low key think I over did it on the beets because the next morning I woke up to a stomach ache. It wasn’t major but it was noticeable. I called my dad who is my personal homeopathic guru and he told me that beets are SERIOUS cleansing agents and that he often has to dilute his beet juices because of the potency of the juice. Ah ha!

This only intrigued me more (and secretly made me want to eat more beets). I love foods that naturally detoxify your body. Here are some diseases that beets help to elevate:

Anemia

Digestion

Constipation

Piles

Blood circulation

Kidney disorders

Skin care

Dandruff

Gall bladder disorders

Cancer

Heart diseases

Be adventurous and try some beets the next time you are grocery shopping. By them fresh, they taste way better than the canned version. Eat life!