Can you eat raw kale and, more importantly, should you?
Two dietitians share the pros and cons of eating raw vs. cooked kale.
Is kale safe to eat raw?
Raw kale is totally safe and healthy for most adults to eat, provided that its washed!
you’re free to eat kale raw in a salad, blended up into smoothies, and more.
However, kale tends to be tough and fibrous.
registered dietitian and mindful eating coach
If you plan to eat it raw, youll want to prepare it well.
When should you not eat kale?
Here is who should be mindful about eating raw kale:
1.
Kale gets its super healthy reputation in part because of compounds calledglucosinolates1, saysBrierley Horton, RD.
(Found in all cruciferous vegetables, glucosinolates are the subject of intense research centered on cancer prevention2.)
However, Horton notes that its this exact compound that can also potentially pose a problem for some folks.
Some glucosinolates candecrease thyroid hormone production3, which is essential for regulating your metabolism.
For most people, the negative effect of glucosinolates is minimal.
But if you havehypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid gland, youll want to be cautious about your intake.
registered dietitian and mindful eating coach
Thankfully, these compounds are only present inrawkale.
Again, if you havent had kidney stones, this isnt something to worry about.
As such, consuming raw kale in moderation can be the best solution if its tough on your digestion.
(And it tastes so good!)
Raw kale may be harder to digest, but higher in nutrients.
Healthy tips to eat kale and enjoy it
1.
Cook it
Worried about raw kales potential impact on your thyroid health?
No problem, just cook it.
Consider ditching the daily green smoothies and eating a normal, whole foods meal, Basham suggests.
Theyre enjoyable from time to time.
But drinking more than one daily probably provides little benefit and may pose some risks, Basham says.
(Think: accidentallyeating too much sugar, not getting a filling meal, etc.)
Massage it
Indeed, massaging kale isnt just a chef-inspired concept or tedious cooking step.
It can also help make kale a bit more digestible and easier on the gut.
The hype about raw kale is mostly just that.
The majority of folks wont be impacted, Horton says.
And if you have hypothyroidism, raw kaleand other crucifersarent off limits.
Your approach then should be consistency.
How to make a tasty kale salad with a honey lemon vinaigrette:
Prieto, M A et al.
90 (2019): 305-350. doi:10.1016/bs.afnr.2019.02.008
Soundararajan, Prabhakaran, and Jung Sun Kim.
Anti-Carcinogenic Glucosinolates in Cruciferous Vegetables and Their Antagonistic Effects on Prevention of Cancers.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)vol.
15 Nov. 2018, doi:10.3390/molecules23112983
Felker, Peter et al.
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