|
King Kale - A Nutritional Super-Food Tehachapi’s unique growing environment is well suited to growing kale, an overlooked member of the cabbage family whose cousins include broccoli, collards and Brussels sprouts. With brilliant white, red, pink, lavender, blue or violet leaves, Kale is usually relegated to the role of a decorative garnish to help dress up servings of other foods, but it shouldn’t be overlooked for its flavor and nutritional value. Growing well in cooler climates makes Tehachapi an ideal location to grow kale as our frequent frosts enhances the flavor and makes it sweeter. Kale is also one of the hardiest vegetables to grow tolerating many types of soil and requires only water and good drainage. It is also naturally resistant to pests, requiring little if any pesticide. Organic gardens will benefit from kale and proper garden location will help Kale’s properties keep pests away from more sensitive vegetables. Nutritionally, Kale is a true super-hero making it the benchmark for high nutritional benefits of green leafy vegetables. Kale ranks 1,000 on a scale from 1 to 1,000, with spinach at a respectable 850 and broccoli trailing at 350. This scale is based on a vegetable’s vitamin content, mineral content, amount and quality of dietary fiber among other beneficial nutritional characteristics. Eating Kale has direct benefits to the heart, eyes, digestive systems and has numerous cancer fighting qualities. It is one of the richest sources of organosulfur compounds which have been proven to reduce the risk of several deadly forms of cancer such as colon cancer. Kale can be prepared in numerous ways from chopping up tender young leaves for a salad to sautéing it in olive oil with chopped garlic and eating it over your favorite pasta. Some of the best local sources for Kale are organic farms like Tangleweed Farm, Grimmway’s organic produce stand and Farmers Market in Downtown Tehachapi. Kale is also available at Save Mart, which has an excellent selection of organic produce. Add Kale to your regular diet and enjoy the flavor while you help your health.
|
