CEFB INTEGRATIVE LIFE COACHING
  • Home
    • Programs
    • About >
      • Contact
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Programs

What Makes Broccoli and Kale Superfoods?

12/3/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture

Broccoli and kale are often touted to be “superfoods.” And, yes, they really are amazingly healthy for you.
 
If you’re wondering what exactly is in these green powerhouses that makes them so “super,” I’ve dived into the research to give you some nerdy reasons to make these a staple in your diet.
 
To start, they're both considered cruciferous vegetables related to each other in the Brassica family. This family of super plants also includes cauliflower, cabbage, mustard greens, and brussels sprouts.
 
These superfoods have a ton of nutrition, and other health-promoting compounds, they're relatively inexpensive and easy to cook too!
 
Super Nutrition
 
Broccoli and kale are full of nutrition: vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc. They're both considered to be nutrient dense which is a measure of nutrients per calorie - and both of these have a lot!
 
100 grams of broccoli (about 1 cup, chopped) contains:
  • 34 calories
  • 2.8 g protein, 0.4 g fat, 6.6 g carbohydrates, and 2.6 g fiber.
  • Good source of B vitamins (when eaten raw)
  • >100% of your daily vitamin C
  • Almost 100% of your vitamin K
  • Good source of manganese
  • Traces of all the other vitamins and minerals
 
One cup of loosely packed kale contains:
  • 8 calories
  • 0.7 g protein, 0.2 g fat (including omega-3), 1.4 g carbohydrates, and 0.6 g fiber.
  • Contains pre-vitamin A (beta-carotene).
  • Several B vitamins, including B1, B3, B5, B6, and folate (B9)
  • Rich in vitamins C and K
  • Lots of minerals including manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium, sulfur, copper, phosphorus, and calcium
 
As you can see, these two foods contain a lot of nutrients.
 
NOTE: Too much vitamin K may interact with certain blood-thinning medications. If you're taking one of these medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before incorporating too much of these superfoods into your diet.
 
Broccoli and kale also contain other health-promoting compounds.
 
Super Health-Promoting Compounds
 
Broccoli and kale tend to taste a little bitter (I love the bitterness) - but that bitterness equals healthfulness!
 
This bitter flavor is from some of the health-promoting compounds in these super plant foods. Things like glucosinolates (e.g., sulforaphane and isothiocyanates) and polyphenol flavonols.
 
There are a few different types of kale - from curly kale, to dinosaur kale, to red/purple kale. The different colors result from slight differences in the amounts of the compounds these plants contain.
 
One of the main active ingredients in cruciferous vegetables are glucosinolates. These antioxidant compounds are very useful to help detoxify and protect against cancer.
 
FUN FACT: It's the precursors to glucosinolates that are in cruciferous vegetables, not the compounds themselves. When fresh broccoli and kale are eaten (or even chopped/blended) raw the active compounds are produced. *This fact is incorporated into a trick I use in this week’s recipe*
 
NOTE: Glucosinolates may affect iodine absorption and thyroid health, particularly in people prone to thyroid disease. In this case, you may not have to ditch these superfoods altogether - just cook them first.
 
These superfoods also contain flavonols like kaempferol and quercetin. Flavonols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and they decrease your risk of cancer.
 
Kale also contains carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids are known for promoting eye health and are protective against many cancers.
 
When cooked, kale contains another anti-cancer compound called indole.
  
Broccoli and kale are cruciferous superfoods. They are packed with nutrition and have a whole array of health-promoting compounds.
 
Almost everyone should be eating these regularly. Just be cautious if you're taking blood-thinning medications; and, if you have thyroid issues, cook them first.
 
Do you, or anyone you know, absolutely love (or hate) these superfoods? Do you have a favorite recipe to share? Let me know in the comments below.
​
Recipe (Broccoli & Kale): Superfood Soup
Picture
Serves 4
 
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
2 large handfuls kale
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 stalks broccoli chopped
8 cups broth
½ cup tahini
2 tsp sea salt

Instructions
1.  Saute' garlic in olive oil in a large soup pot.
2.  Add half of the raw kale, celery, and broccoli to your high-speed blender (in that order). Cover with up to 4 cups of broth and blend. (You may have to do this in two batches, since most blender containers don't have the capacity to hold all of this at once.)
3.  Pour soup into the pot with the sauteed garlic. Do the same for the other half of the veggies and broth.
4 . Heat soup and simmer for up to 5 minutes.
4.  Remove from heat. Add tahini and sea salt. Stir well.
 
Serve & enjoy!
 
Tip: If you want the soup to be extra creamy, you can re-blend after it's heated.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    Affirmations
    Health
    Journaling
    Mental Health
    Mindset
    Morning Pages
    Nutrition
    Self Care
    Self-care
    Self Discovery
    Self-Discovery
    Self Love

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2022, CEFB-LLC. All rights reserved. cheryl@cefbcoaching.com ~ (540)300-1163
Terms and Conditions
  • Home
    • Programs
    • About >
      • Contact
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Programs