Kale (Brassica oleracea acephala) is a member of the Brassica family which includes other cool weather vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage. Grown for its edible leaves, which are typically light green to dark green or purple, kale’s leaves stand upright and are not packed tight into a head like cabbage leaves, which is why it is called ‘acephala’, meaning headless in Greek.

One of the most nutrient-dense foods available, Kale is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, potassium, iron, copper and manganese. It is a good source of vitamin E, several B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, amino acids and dietary fiber, and also contains some alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 essential fatty acid. Kale is also a very good source of numerous plant compounds like chlorophyll, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, flavonoids like kaempferol and quercetin, and glucosinolates, which are broken down into biologically active compounds such as indoles like indole-3- carbinol, and isothiocyanates like sulforaphane.*