“Superfood” is a term usually reserved for food marketing, but it’s true there are certain foods that can provide powerful benefits for your health. Kale, a cruciferous leafy green, is one such food that lives up to the hype.
In fact, one cross-sectional study of 41 fruits and vegetables, published in June 2014 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's journal Preventing Chronic Disease, ranked kale as the 15th overall powerhouse fruit or vegetable, as it provides, on average, 49 percent of your daily value (DV) of 17 nutrients. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), just one cup of raw kale hits these nutritional marks:
- 86 grams (g) fiber (3 percent of the DV)
- 6 micrograms (mcg) vitamin A (6 percent of the DV)
- 6 milligrams (mg) vitamin C (22 percent of the DV)
- 8 mcg vitamin K (68 percent of the DV)
- 3 mg calcium (4 percent of the DV)
These nutrients offer a variety of health benefits. For example, fiber can help you achieve a healthy weight: It keeps you feeling fuller for longer and may help prevent overeating, per the Mayo Clinic.
Meanwhile, vitamin C is an important antioxidant that may limit the damage caused by free radicals in the body, according to the National Institutes of Health; it also aids immune function and improves iron absorption in the body.
What’s more, kale is weight loss friendly, fitting in many a diet plan. The same one-cup serving has only 7.35 calories, 0.31 g fat, and 0.93 g carbohydrates.
RELATED: 11 High-Fiber Foods to Add to Your Diet
If you’re a kale newbie, you may be at a loss for how to prepare the veggie. Trading romaine for kale in your salad is a great start, but there are so many other ways you can incorporate it into your diet. From tacos to stews and everything in between, this versatile vegetable can complement almost any meal.
How to Cut It: Kale
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Salt and Vinegar Chips
If you’ve got a craving for something crunchy, turn to this recipe from Wholesome Yum. With only five ingredients, these simple kale chips can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and, thanks to the kale, contain far more nutrition than processed plain potato chips, as USDA data reveals. Each ½-cup serving offers 70 calories, 4.1 g fat, 5.4 g carbohydrates, and 4.3 g protein.
BBQ Salmon and Kale Tacos
The texture and flavor of kale lends itself perfectly to the tacos in this recipe from Atlanta-based Marisa Moore, RDN. The dish spotlights broiled salmon, containing omega-3 fatty acids, which the American Heart Association (AHA) notes can help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Fish is paired with barbecue sauce and kale for a sweet and savory meal that will keep you feeling full for hours, courtesy of the high protein content. A randomized, double-blind crossover study of 25 men with a healthy body weight found that participants who had a high-protein meal (with 50 percent of their calories coming from protein) were more satiated after four hours than those who had a meal containing a normal level of protein (which the authors defined as 14 percent of calories coming from protein). While this recipe uses soft corn tortillas, opting for lettuce wraps will keep this recipe low carb if you’re following an eating plan such as the ketogenic diet.
Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
Bored of your traditional Caesar salad order? Take this tweaked version from Wicked Spatula for a spin: By using avocado as a replacement for egg yolk in the dressing, you can create a flavorful vegan alternative loaded with monounsaturated fats (fats that can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, per the AHA). The recipe makes four servings, each with 256 calories, 18 g fat, 21 g carbs, and 8 g protein.
Kale, Lentil, and Beef Stew
Stew is the perfect comfort food for those who like to experiment in the kitchen. For a boost of fiber, try adding kale into your favorite stews — or try this one from Beautiful Eats and Things, which packs 17 g fiber per serving (that’s over half of your DV). Plus, the addition of beef and lentils makes this a protein-packed meal the whole family will be excited about.
Lentils in particular are a healthy plant-based ingredient that offer extra fiber, as well as essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc. As the USDA notes, a cup of cooked lentils has 64.8 mg magnesium (about 15 percent of the DV), 661 mg potassium (14 percent of the DV), and 2.27 mg zinc (21 percent of the DV). Adding this nutrient-rich food to your plate may also be a boon to your heart. A review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials published in May 2014 in the CMAJ suggests that pulses, including lentils, may help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, helping reduce the risk for heart disease.
Chopped Mexican Kale Salad
Who doesn’t love a colorful, flavor-filled salad? The combination of corn, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and kale pair perfectly with sliced grilled chicken in this recipe from Sweet Cayenne. This kale salad is perfect for meal prep, so you have a nutrient-dense meal ready anytime you need it. Plus, it’s customizable to a number of popular eating plans: Make it vegetarian by substituting the chicken for your preferred plant-based protein, or make it vegan by swapping the avocado ranch dressing for a cilantro lime vinaigrette, such as this separate recipe from A Beautiful Plate.
Kale, Cannellini, and Sausage Soup
Soup is the ultimate lazy cook’s recipe, and this delicious option from Sweet Cayenne calls for five simple ingredients, including white beans, hot Italian chicken sausage, and chicken stock. Opt for low-sodium chicken stock, as the recipe recommends — eating too much sodium is linked to high blood pressure and decreased kidney function, according to a systematic review of eight high-quality studies, which was published in November 2018 in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension. In just a few steps (and an hour or two of simmering), you’ll have a tasty, fiber-filled soup that can be an appetizer or a main dish. This dish is also packed with protein: Per the USDA, ½ cup of canned white beans contains 9.75 g protein.
Kale Pesto Naan Pizza
Pizza isn’t always healthy but can be — it all comes down to the ingredients you use for your pie. In this recipe from Moore, baby kale, chopped walnuts, and garlic are combined into a vitamin-packed pesto. (Because plants are the main event, this recipe is also a great option for anyone following a plant-based diet.) The whole-grain naan bread base is particularly noteworthy: A review published online in June 2016 in BMJ found that consuming at least three servings (90 g) of whole grains (such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread) per day was linked with a lower risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This same link was not found with refined grains, which include white flour and white rice.
RELATED: 12 Vegan-Food Blogs for Plant-Based Diet Inspiration
Kale and Wheat Berry Salad
If you haven’t heard of wheat berries before, let alone added them to your favorite salads, you’re missing out. Wheat berries are the intact kernels of whole wheat, which are usually ground up to make wheat flour. But they can also be cooked and eaten whole so that you get the full nutritional value of the wheat, per the Food Network, with virtually none lost in processing. This whole grain provides a subtly nutty flavor and a unique texture that fits well with leafy greens like kale. This recipe from Victoria Shanta Retelny pairs wheat berries, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds with baby kale for a simple but colorful dish that will definitely satisfy your hunger.
RELATED: The 14 Healthiest Salad Greens Ranked From Best to Worst
Kale and Sausage Stir-Fry
Traditional stir-fry recipes generally include a variety of vegetables, such as peppers and mushrooms, but this sausage stir-fry from Beautiful Eats and Things features plenty of kale for a pop of color and flavor. Not only is it a foolproof one-pot meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes (and serves six!) but it contains 11 g protein per serving. Each serving also contains 221 calories, 15 g fat, and 11 g carbohydrates.
Thai Quinoa Salad in a Jar
This jar salad from Leanne Ray is the perfect option for a quick, on-the-go meal. By combining kale, quinoa, and shelled edamame, you can create a protein- and fiber-rich salad you can enjoy right away or add to your weekly meal-prep rotation. Don’t skimp on the edamame: Each jar contains a quarter cup of this delicious soybean, which is a good source of plant-based protein. One jar of salad equals one serving and contains 336 calories, 18 g fat, 32 g carbohydrates, and 15 g protein.
Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES
Medical Reviewer
Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988.
Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.
Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, LDN
Author
Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and certified diabetes care & education specialist. A nationally recognized nutrition and fitness expert, she has contributed her expertise to national media outlets such as the Good Morning America, Today, The Dr. Oz Show, and the New York Post.
Palinski-Wade operates a private practice in New Jersey where she specializes in diabetes, weight management, sports nutrition, and cardiovascular disease. She owns and operates the blog, Healthy Mom, Happy Family, showing busy women living with diabetes how to make time for health, even when they feel like they have no time for themselves. She also offers nutrition counseling support and online nutrition education courses on her website.
She frequently serves as a media spokesperson, nutrition consultant, and keynote and TEDx speaker. She is the author of multiple publications including the 2 Day Diabetes Diet, Belly Fat Diet For Dummies, Walking Off the Weight For Dummies, and co-author of Flat Belly Cookbook For Dummies.
Palinski-Wade currently serves on the Nutrition Advisory Board for the College of Saint Elizabeth.
Follow her on Instagram @erinpalinskiwade or on her blog at erinpalinski.com.
Laura McArdle
Author
As Everyday Health’s senior associate editor, Laura is responsible for supporting the team of senior editors in everything from writing and editing to performing administrative tasks and reporting on research. Originally from County Galway, Ireland, she holds a BA in English literature and sociology from Trinity College in Dublin. Since moving to the United States, she has worked as an editorial assistant, an Irish teacher, and a bartender (but rarely all three at the same time).
As a member of the Everyday Health team, she hopes to empower people by providing them with the facts they need to make informed decisions about their health. Areas of particular interest for her are women’s health, mental health and wellness, and nutrition. When she’s not at work, she likes to read new books, try new beers, and visit the places in New York City where her favorite movies were filmed.