Kale

VegetableLeafy-greenBrassicaEarthySlightly BitterGreenRobustBrassicaChewy

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Calories: 49
Protein (g): 4.28
Fat (g): 0.93
Carbs (g): 8.75
Fiber (g): 3.6
Sodium (mg): 38

Leafy green with modest calories; most carbohydrates come from fiber. Values vary by cultivar, leaf maturity, and trimming of ribs.

Storage

Room temp: up to 1 days
Refrigerated: up to 5 days
Frozen: up to 240 days

Kale is a leafy brassica with frilly or flat dark-green leaves and sturdy ribs. It tastes earthy and slightly bitter, with a firm chew that softens when cooked. Cooks saute it, braise it, or roast it for chips, and use tender leaves raw in salads and smoothies; it’s sold as curly, lacinato, or baby leaves in bunches or bags.

Farmers domesticated kale from Mediterranean brassicas and it spread across Europe before reaching the Americas. It thrives in cool climates and features in Italian, Portuguese, and Southern U.S. cooking, as well as cuisines of East Africa and East Asia.