5 More Reasons to Eat Your Kale

Heart disease, cancer, weight loss, and more: Kale's dark leafy greens hold important vitamins and minerals that offer incredible health benefits.

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Kale helps to prevent heart disease.

Kale is rich in vitamin Cโ€”one cup of cooked kale has more than 50 percent of the daily requirement. That’ll help lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, which in turn will reduce the risk of heart disease. An analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials found that taking 500 mg of vitamin C a day for at least a month can result in lower LDL cholesterol levels. Recipe to try: Sausage and Kale Soup.

Kale fights cancer.

Like other dark leafy greens, kale is rich in antioxidants like bioflavonoids, carotenoids, and other cancer-fighting compounds. It also contains indoles, compounds which can induce production of enzymes to help protect against cancer. Recipe to try: Unbelievable Chocolate Kale Fudge Pops from Fifty Shades of Kale put the power of kale in a creamy dessert.

Kale promotes bone health.

Kale is rich in two bone-strenthening minerals: calcium and magnesium. It’s also rich in vitamin K, which promotes bone density. Recipe to try: Beef Burger with Grilled Kale from Fifty Shades of Kaledelivers a punch of nutrients on an American classic.

Kale aids in weight loss

One cup of kale is only 50 calories, making it an ideal snack food to keep your waistline in check. It also contains fiber, which keeps you full longer. Recipe to try: Kale Slaw from Fifty Shades of Kale updates the summer staple as a superfood.

Kale protects the eyes

Kale and other dark leafy greens contain lutein, which helps protect your vision against macular degeneration and cataracts. Recipe to try: Kale-onaise, a smarter spread for sandwiches, from Fifty Shades of Kale.

Reader's Digest
Originally Published in Reader's Digest

Alyssa Jung
Alyssa Jung is a writer and editor with extensive experience creating health and wellness content that resonates with readers. She freelanced for local publications in Upstate New York and spent three years as a newspaper reporter before moving to New York City to pursue a career in magazines. She is currently Senior Associate Editor at Prevention magazine and a contributor to Prevention.com. Previously she worked at Reader's Digest as an editor, writer, and health fact checker.