The Secret about Kale
Increasingly, I hear conversations that go something like this:
Fred: I don’t eat carbs any more — they make me feel so bloated.
Ginger: I know! I have a kale smoothie every morning; it’s so much better than all those carbs.
Fred: Oh, that sounds good. I had this great kale salad for lunch yesterday — I feel so much better when I don’t have carbs at lunch.
Just so we’re all clear on this . . . KALE IS A CARBOHYDRATE! There are three categories of macronutrients that we humans consume: protein, fats and carbohydrates. Most food has a complement of these nutrients, as well as water, fiber and splatterings of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals and such). Kale is no exception — there are small amounts of protein and some trace fatty acids in kale, plus vitamins and minerals, but it is primarily a carbohydrate. In fact, most fruits and vegetables are primarily carbohydrates. If you are eating lettuce and radishes, you are eating carbs. If you are eating blueberries and Brussels sprouts (not together, I hope), you are eating carbohydrates. Swiss chard, collards and spinach? All carbs. Have I made my point? I hope so, and I hope that you will continue to eat a range of these wonderfully healthy plant-based foods. Read more
