13 Proven Health Benefits of Kale: Fighting Cancer, Lowering Cholesterol & Much More

Health Benefits of Kale
You probably have heard people say “kale is a superfood”. Believe it or not, that is not an exaggeration, kale is, without doubt, one of the most nutritious and healthiest foods in existence. Kale is rammed full of all sorts of beneficial nutrients with powerful medicinal properties. Why else do you think it’s called “the queen of greens”?
In this video, we are going to mention 13 insane health benefits of kale that are backed by science.
1. Kale Contain Numerous Cancer-Fighting Substances
Cancer is among the leading causes of death globally. It is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells. Kale contains not one but numerous cancer-fighting substances such as sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. Sulforaphane is a compound that has been proven to help in fighting the formation of cancer at a molecular level. Several studies have also shown that cruciferous vegetable kale included, may drastically lower the risk of many types of cancers.
2. Kale Contain Powerful Antioxidants Like Kaempferol and Quercetin
First of all, what benefits do antioxidants bring to the table? Antioxidants are substances that may guard your cells against free radicals. In case you ask what good does that do? Free radicals build-up has been shown to contribute to the formation of many chronic health problems like cardiovascular disease, cancer, cataract, and many more.
Kale is one of the leafy greens that contain a high amount of antioxidants. These include vitamin C, beta-carotene and different flavonoids like kaempferol and quercetin. These flavonoids have been studied intensively and have shown to have blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and heart-protective effects according to Healthline.
3. Kale is an Excellent Source of Vitamin K
Just so you know kale is one of the best sources of vitamin K in existence. A single cup of raw kale contains almost 7 times the recommended daily amount of vitamin K. In case you forgot, vitamin k is an important nutrient that plays a role in blood clotting, heart health, and bone health.
4. Kale Can Help Lower Cholesterol
It’s fairly well known that high cholesterol has been linked with higher chances of heart diseases and stroke. When you eat a fatty meal the liver converts cholesterol into bile acids which are then released into the digestive system. After all the fat is absorbed and the bile acids have served their purpose they are then reabsorbed into the bloodstream and reused. There are substances called bile acid sequestrants which can help reduce the amount of cholesterol in the body by binding bile acids in the digestive system and inhibit them from being reabsorbed. As it turns out, our beloved kale also contains bile acid sequestrants thus their cholesterol-lowering capability.
One study shared by science direct discovered that drinking kale juice every day for 12 weeks increased the good cholesterol by 27% and lowered the bad cholesterol by 10%.
Another study discovered that steamed kale is 43% as potent as a cholesterol-lowering drug called cholestyramine.