KALE AND SICKLE CELL

Kale is described as being of the cabbage family. It is quite hard raw, compared to spinach that you can have as a salad. In some food circles, it is called a super food.

Kale is low in calories but high in fibre; high in irons, high in vitamins (A, C, K and B6). Kale is filled with anti-oxidants and is a great anti-inflammatory food; it is also high in manganese, calcium, copper, potassium and magnesium .

I tend to boil kale but some people like to sautee it; make sure you cut the stems off.

When boiling, do not overcook it, in order that the nutrients are still high. I tend to shred or chop them into small pieces. For chopped or shredded leaves, put them in a pan of water 1 cm deep with a pinch of salt, add garlic and ginger, add stock then bring to the boil and simmer up to 5 minutes, (or until soft) and drain. Cook as a soup or in a sauce. Accompanied by rice, potatoes, yam, plantain, marsh potato etc…

When sauteed, heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper and ginger, chopped and shredded kale, raise heat to high and cook until soft and not coloured. Spread on foil paper after frying to cool down. Have it as a snack.

Well, I hope you will start eating kale or adding it to your spinach dish, as its about what it can do for you as someone who suffers from Sickle Cell.