We hope you’ll be able to join us this Thursday for our
regular weekly Pathfinder Produce Market at the Village Commons from 2 to 5 p.m.
The market proudly sells the freshest fruits and veggies around!
We also encourage everyone to take advantage of our early
registration fees through MAY 1 for the upcoming Splash Path 5K and
Fun Walk on May 31, a new paint run/walk event at Pathfinder to raise funds
for our new community walking trail. Registration and waiver forms,
community sponsors, and event details are found at pathfindervillage.org/get-involved/splash-path/.
If you know someone who would enjoy this novel and fun fitness event, please
share this blog with them.
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One of the newer additions to our produce market is kale, a
dark green, leafy member of the Brassica family, related to broccoli, collard
greens and Brussels sprouts. Kale, also called borecole, grows in many regions
and is being hailed by researchers as a nutritional powerhouse.
According to Wikipedia, kale is easy to grow, lasts well in
the garden during cooler months, and is classified by its leaf type.
Curly kale has ruffled leaves and is dark green in color; ornamental kale, also
called salad savoy, is mellower in flavor and varies in color from green to
white or even purple. “Dinosaur” or Tuscan kale is dark blue-green and slightly
sweeter than curly kale. All edible kales are rich in fiber, freeze well, and
are sweeter if exposed to a frost.
Kale actually grows best during cooler months, and grows
stringy and bitter in hot weather. If growing a summer crop, you should
pick a garden spot that is in the shade. It is possible to grow kale in
large pots, and the plants will sprout new leaves as the mature leaves are
harvested (keep the stem several inches high to continue growing new
leaves). A good guide to growing kale is at the Gentle
World website.
Kale is descended from wild cabbage, and was introduced to
Europe from Asia Minor about 600 BC by nomadic tribes; it gained a foothold in
northern climates (Europe, Russia, the British Isles) as it is easy to grow,
and was available during months when other fresh vegetables were not. Like
other keeper vegetables, it came to the Americas in the holds of sailing ships
during the Age of Exploration.
According to the extensive
webpage on kale from the World's Healthiest Foods website, there are some
great benefits to eating kale regularly. Given the number of people who take
prescription statin drugs (Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, etc.), kale’s ability to
combat cholesterol can be very helpful, and it works best for this if it is
steamed. According to WHF, kale helps use up the body’s supply of bile
acids, which are synthesized from cholesterol. As these essential bile
acids are used up during the fat-digestion process, they must be replaced,
therefore naturally lowering cholesterol levels.
At the cellular level, kale helps detoxify the body and is
rich in compounds called glucosinolates, which are converted to isothiocyanates
in the body. These molecules are believed to clear out toxins and help
prevent some cancers (bladder, breast, colon, ovarian and prostate). Other
websites cite that kale is rich in compounds called flavonoids, which offer
antioxidant benefits. Kale also offers the most Vitamin K per serving of
any vegetable, which is a key nutrient for helping regulate our body's
inflammatory process. Thus, kale may help people who suffer from all
types of inflammatory diseases, everything from to Chron’s disease to
arthritis.
To cook kale so it retains its benefits, it is recommended
you wash the leaves and stems thoroughly, remove the toughest stems, chop it
coarsely, and then steam the leaves and stems for five minutes.
Nutritional experts recommend eating cruciferous vegetables two-to-three times
each week, with serving sizes of 1.5 cups. If you choose to eat it raw,
it is probably best to blend it well to break down some of the fiber content.
(With a food this rich in nutrients, there are some
cautions: Too much Vitamin K can be a problem for those on blood thinners
because it promoted clotting, and kale is rich in oxalates, which may lead to
kidney or gallstones, and it may interfere with the absorption of
calcium. Because kale is so fibrous, eating too much of it raw can cause
bloating and other uncomfortable digestive issues. Talk to your healthcare
providers if you have any concerns before eating quantities of kale.)
So, give kale a try. We hope to see you this Thursday
at Pathfinder Produce!
Lori
