Kale! The God of Superfoods!

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Replies

  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    Great. Thanks. No really... Thanks. Because of this thread I dreamed of Kale last night... :neutral:
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    I like kale. I make kale chips in my dehydrator and eat them when I want a salty crispy thing. They are pretty yummy. I would eat them even if I wasn't trying to lose weight.
  • scoii
    scoii Posts: 160 Member
    If I swapped 2 mars bars for kale I would save 500 calories a day, 50lb a year.

    Not rocket science, not a superfood (how I hate that term), and pretty horrible unless doused in oil a roasted.
  • JonnyJonny5555
    JonnyJonny5555 Posts: 21 Member
    I watched a tv programme a couple of weeks ago where they had some healthy volunteers eating "superfoods" and others eating normal fruit and veg. They then did blood and other scientific tests on both groups and discovered there was no difference at all in their body's production of any vital chemicals or nutrients.

    The only big difference was how much the superfood diet had cost, about £40 for a few days compared to around £10 for the ordinary fruit/veg.

    They did the same with vitamin supplements and found they had no effect compared to those eating a well balanced diet. In fact, in the group who took the tablets, most of the contents were simply excreted out again a few hours later.

    (I understand that there are many people who for various reasons will benefit from vitamin/mineral tablets - but that is a completely different subject).

    Superfoods appear to be a very clever con/marketing exercise by the companies and their supporters who want you to buy them, and produce large profits for corporations.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Kale has no magic properties although its very good for us. To lose weight as long as we eat in calorie deficit it doesn't really matter what we eat.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    edited June 2016
    It is possible, because all dark greens including kale contain iodine which is essential for thyroid health, the friend of the op increased her thyroid function because her diet became adequate in the minerals required to support this gland which is essential for a good quality of life in so very many ways. Not simply for weight control but more to my way of thinking our well being. In my opinion poor thyroid function is under diagnosed and inappropriately treated, particularly in women.

    In general as adults we need only 150 microns of iodine a day. Foods like milk (30 mcg per 100 ml) and eggs (1 medium 24 mcg) have been demonised as fattening because of the "fat" content. Thank goodness it is now being recognised that fats are required to facilitate hormone production. If you are doubtful, please look into this yourself.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Our rabbit loves the stuff. The rest of us, not so much.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    My favorite cooked greens, in order:

    #1 Mustard Greens
    #2 Collard Greens
    #3 Kale Greens

    Kale salad is pretty darn yummy, and keeps well, so it's good for bringing as a work lunch. I do like greens in general though. Except for turnip greens, I don't like those, or bok choy, it's so watery and bleah.

    What I do NOT understand at all is people putting kale greens or spinach in smoothies. That just sounds disgusting.
  • Smurfe04
    Smurfe04 Posts: 54 Member
    Kale is very good when prepared correctly. I enjoy it quite often but it is sauteed the same as if I were cooking spinach or mustard greens. A dab of olive oil, chopped onion and garlic as a splash of vinegar.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    bpetrosky wrote: »
    Why don't collards get any love? Just as good nutritionally and far easier to prepare.

    Word. A little pork, some vinegar and pepper. mmmmm...
  • malioumba
    malioumba Posts: 132 Member
    I love the taste of kale, but your friend didn't lose weight because she ate kale, she lost weight because she was in a calorie deficit. If you want to start incorporating kale into your meals for health benefits - please do so, but it's not going to do do anything specific for weight loss.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I prefer spinach over kale.

    this
  • richln
    richln Posts: 809 Member
    synacious wrote: »
    Oh, that's like the air diet! Except instead of replacing your snacks with kale, you swallow air for a snack. My mom's friend lost over 2.5 stone!

    If you do this with helium, you can lose weight even faster!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    richln wrote: »
    synacious wrote: »
    Oh, that's like the air diet! Except instead of replacing your snacks with kale, you swallow air for a snack. My mom's friend lost over 2.5 stone!

    If you do this with helium, you can lose weight even faster!

    ...not to mention talk funny. ;)
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    robininfl wrote: »

    What I do NOT understand at all is people putting kale greens or spinach in smoothies. That just sounds disgusting.

    it's pretty much tasteless in smoothies, but it does use up the rest of the bag before it gets slimy. this works with any leftover greens though.
  • Rogstar
    Rogstar Posts: 216 Member
    edited June 2016
    Huzzah for veggie puns! Get a chard on!

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=YfblU3FbZ7M

    I personally much prefer spinach, i can eat it raw straight out of the bag. I don't like the texture and bitterness of kale.
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    I don't mind kale, but don't use it in pesto. I had some leftover and was making some spinach pesto. Figured 'why not?'. Ugh, I ruined that batch and I don't even think I used that much relatively speaking. Nasty.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Has anybody else heard of the kale diet? Basically you just add kale to your diet i.e snack on that instead of other foods. My mams friend added it to her diet last year and lost over 2 stone! Anyway has anybody else had a similar result or experience with this green God? o:)

    I hate to burst your bubble, but......

    The reason that person lost over 2 stone is not because of the kale but because she ate at a calorie deficit. Kale, along with a whole lot of other foods, have less calories, and your mother's friend chose to replace higher calorie foods with lower calorie foods.

    I say this as I eat a delicious kale salad for dinner. :) Very tasty!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    synacious wrote: »
    Oh, that's like the air diet! Except instead of replacing your snacks with kale, you swallow air for a snack. My mom's friend lost over 2.5 stone!

    The reason your mom's friend lost over 2.5 stone on this diet is because she did not swallow any bugs. Air has few calories (it's not calorie free like everyone thinks), but add the bugs in and you might as well not step on the scale for a few weeks.
    I could not resist. :D

  • ianwilson67
    ianwilson67 Posts: 23 Member
    edited June 2016
    Opinions are like arseholes - everybody has one.

    my opinion is..if you find kale helps you lose weight, then carry on munching, no problem.
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    I love kale. I had some Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and having some today for lunch. I tried the kale chips, they did not do much for me. My mama cooked kale with smoked turkey and it was the bomb.com
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I prefer spinach over kale.

    this

    Yeap, precisely.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2016
    Kale's okay. I like many other greens (including collards, which are amazing) more, though, and I think it's much better to eat a variety of greens than decide one is the be-all, end-all.

    (I hate green tea, though. I like some herbal teas, many black teas, and of course coffee is the best.)
  • JohnONE29
    JohnONE29 Posts: 101 Member
    I eat a couple of pounds of kale each week. Add it as a primary salad base, and eat it raw. I also make a kale wrap and add kale to my eggs. I aint sure about the superfood label, but it was a significant part of changing my diet from poptarts and peanut butter to what it is now :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    Coconut-Kale soup is yummy as hell. I just wouldn't eat too much of it. That coconut oil you roast the kale in first and the coconut milk you add to cook it it tend to pack quite a few calories.

    Other than that... I don't see the point of eating something you don't particularly like for the sake of eating it. Superfoods are nothing more than a clever marketing idea.

    (Edit for grammar... :neutral: )

    @ladyreva78 do you have a link to the recipe for the soup?

    I grow kale. This year I have the regular green curly Scotch, as well as red Russian kale. I wanted to try lacinato kale (aka black or dinosaur) but by the time it came around to my garden center I had plenty of kale going.

    Kale is one of many ingredients in my breakfast smoothies and it is pretty much tasteless as long as I remove the ends of the stems and puree well. I also have kale salad for lunch (plus other veggies and a protein.) This fills me up more than if I'd have the same salad with lettuce. Although kale doesn't have significantly more fiber than lettuce, it does take more work to chew.

    I've bought kale in the supermarket and it is way more tough than what I pick from my garden. Oh, for the salad, I also let it marinate in the dressing for a little while. So, for people open to kale but are so far lacking good experiences with it, try getting it from a farmer's market or someplace where you can ensure it was freshly picked.
  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
    It can be the god of super foods all it wants but it tastes like crap lol. And Kale is only the super food for right now, in 6 years it's going to be something else.
  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
    As i said at the start if you substituted the snacks you usually eat and have kale instead it would most likely help you lose weight (like any other healthy,low calorie food). This is because you could potentially be cutting out 100's of calories, like my mams friend i assume.

    There are better tasting low calories snacks out there, kale is not your only option.
  • girl_inflames
    girl_inflames Posts: 374 Member
    I'm not sure why everyone hates kale, I think it tastes great, especially steamed or in smoothies. However, the reason your mom's friend lost weight was due to a calorie deficit. Kale is nutritious and a better snack than most but it's not magic
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    Coconut-Kale soup is yummy as hell. I just wouldn't eat too much of it. That coconut oil you roast the kale in first and the coconut milk you add to cook it it tend to pack quite a few calories.

    Other than that... I don't see the point of eating something you don't particularly like for the sake of eating it. Superfoods are nothing more than a clever marketing idea.

    (Edit for grammar... :neutral: )

    @ladyreva78 do you have a link to the recipe for the soup?

    I grow kale. This year I have the regular green curly Scotch, as well as red Russian kale. I wanted to try lacinato kale (aka black or dinosaur) but by the time it came around to my garden center I had plenty of kale going.

    Kale is one of many ingredients in my breakfast smoothies and it is pretty much tasteless as long as I remove the ends of the stems and puree well. I also have kale salad for lunch (plus other veggies and a protein.) This fills me up more than if I'd have the same salad with lettuce. Although kale doesn't have significantly more fiber than lettuce, it does take more work to chew.

    I've bought kale in the supermarket and it is way more tough than what I pick from my garden. Oh, for the salad, I also let it marinate in the dressing for a little while. So, for people open to kale but are so far lacking good experiences with it, try getting it from a farmer's market or someplace where you can ensure it was freshly picked.

    @kshama2001

    No link I'm afraid. It's a soup I once had in a French restaurant and I tried until I managed to get the taste as similar as possible. I might have found something on the internet, but where's the fun in that :smiley:

    Ingredients:

    1 small onion
    2 cloves of garlic
    1 table spoon of coconut oil
    1 bunch of Kale
    500ml vegetable broth
    250ml coconut milk
    lemongrass
    salt and pepper

    - sauté the onion and the garlic in the coconut oil until glassy
    - add the kale and lemongrass (crush it a bit to help get the taste out) and keep on sautéing until it 'wilts'
    - add the broth and the lemongrass and simmer until the kale is fully cooked
    - add the coconut milk and mix all (remove the lemongrass first) :wink:
    - add salt and pepper depending on your taste

    I sometimes add curry paste while sautéing the onions first. It's a basic soup base and the Kale can actually be replaced by pretty much any vegs you can think of. Carrots are also yummy. :smile:

    Cooking with new ingredients is fun. People should try that more often. :wink:
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