Does Kale Needs A “Popeye”?

Lately, Kale has taken the top slot for superfood as far as greens selections. In health food circles, the green leafy foodstuff rocked the recipe shares. Anything from green smoothies, and powder greens to kale chips can be found everywhere. Although it’s a good idea to eat variety, and I do, I prefer dinosaur kale for it’s ease in preparation, dark blue-green color and taste. It has become my go-to green, when available, for my favorite stew combining what Tim Ferriss termed, slow carbs or lentils.

Popeye was a favorite when I was a wee lad. However, I can’t say that I liked spinach at that age anymore than brussel sprouts… okay, yes I can. I can hardly remember choking down spinach the way I had to with the little cabbage sprouts. Unlike Scott Aughtmon, the Popeye cartoon did not make me want to eat spinach. In fact, I can’t think of any green vegetable I did enjoy in those days. Now, they are my main coarse. Now, according to Scott’s article on content marketing, the popular cartoon Popeye had increased spinach sales 33%. The kicker, the content marketing of the Popeye cartoon were not selling spinach, the increase in sales was incidental.

Does kale need a Popeye? I answer, no. Kale has enjoyed a 40% increase in sales in 2013 attributed to celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jamie Oliver, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Wow, I don’t watch television much less cooking shows so I’m not too familiar with the last two. Gwyneth Paltrow I see in movies, and Jamie Oliver lives on the same social channels as I do. So, you’ll have to tell me, did you start eating kale because you saw movie and cooking show stars using it? I did not.

Years ago, I was looking for a vegetarian meet-up after reading “The China Study” and attended a small conference with the Boutenko family (Raw Family). If you have not met Victoria, and her son Sergei, and daughter Valya, you should. They are awesome folk. By the name, “Raw Family”, you guessed it, they prefer raw food. One of the main ingredients they shared that day was kale. Raw kale in green smoothies which got me started using kale in my diet.

Sergei, runs his own blog powered by green smoothies with an emphasis on wild edibles. During Segei’s talk, he shared about kale and in the wild edibles portion he told us about lambs quarters. Both kale and lambs quarters share a similar nutritional profile. These two queens of greens contain many essential nutrients. They are among the highest sources of both vitamins A and K found in green leafy vegetables. Vitamin A is an excellent supporter of good vision, healthy immune system and cell growth. Vitamin K is important for bone stress, and responding to injury which are both occurring during exercise.