Just about any book or article on nutrition recommends that we eat leafy green vegetables. Yoga dietetics suggests greens every day for optimum health, and kale is one of the most nourishing. Unlike spinach or chard, it doesn’t contain oxalic acid, which prevents the body from absorbing calcium. It is also the green richest in the phytochemical lutein. Known mostly for its prevention of eye disease, lutein is now thought to be better protection against cancer than beta-carotene. Kale is also one of the highest sources of antioxidant flavonoids, which help ward off heart disease and regulate blood pressure. Kale is a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber.
