Quit Smoking with Kale?

Quit smoking with kale?

Well, no, not exactly, but smokers can benefit by eating kale as a preventative medicine.

Kale, you see, helps prevent several types of cancer, in particular lung cancer.

Although it's far from the world's most popular vegetable, kale contains more carotenoids (anticancer agents) than any other green vegetable.

You'll want to eat kale both raw and cooked. Some of the carotenoids are destroyed during heat, but cooking also makes more carotene available for bodily use.

An extra half cup of kale a day will give you cancer-blocking benefits.

Smokers in particular need to load up on kale, which may well boost your resistance to developing smoking-related cancers.

Here's an excellent kale recipe, courtesy of Cynthia Lair's Feeding the Whole Family...

Kale and Beet Salad Recipe

In natural medicine, beets are considered a liver support food, important for renewing the liver’s vital functions of keeping the body free of toxins. This vivacious salad boosts the body’s immune system as well by offering a high dose of antioxidant power via carrots and kale. Intensely colorful, flavorful, and so healthful, you may call this your “Vitality Salad” once you’ve tried it!

Salad
4 large beets
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 bunch kale
3 scallions
1 medium carrot

Dressing
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil
1 tsp finely diced garlic

Wash beets and bring to a boil in a large pot. After boiling bring to a simmer, continue to simmer for one hour, until tender. Let cool, then peel beets and cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

In the meantime, lightly toast the pumpkin seeds by placing them in a dry skillet and cooking over medium heat. Constantly stir the seeds to ensure even cooking. When they begin to pop and give off a nutty aroma, they are ready. Set aside to cool.

Wash kale and place in a large pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Place in strainer and cool with cold water, cut into bite size pieces. Finely dice the green onions and peel the carrot. Slice into 1/8-inch rounds.

Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a wire whisk. In a separate bowl place chopped beets, chopped kale, diced green onions, sliced carrots and pumpkin seeds. Add dressing and toss gently. Serve chilled. Makes approximately six servings.

Even if you don't have to quit smoking, you should have some kale in your diet every week.

Chet Day
Editor, The Health Circus
http://chetday.com