Colors are the clue to the new discovery of medicine that we call phytonutrients. Just as vitamins were once “discovered” – about 100 years ago – we are now realizing a whole new class of medicine within our food and it is what makes the subtle variations in the color of plants.
My prediction is that what we think of as inflammatory or autoimmune disease will come to be understood as completely treatable through the right colors (phytonutrients) in foods. To really get the most of what the earth wants to feed us, one simple and fun guideline is to eat vegetables of at least eight different colors each day. Kale contains a different color green from most other greens – it’s Charleston green!
Best marinated or massaged by hand to achieve the deepest green color, the leaves release many more nutrients when pre-treated this way. This chewy, slightly bitter, rich green food is awesome paired with berries, seaweeds, nuts and other greens.
Kale is satisfying and nutrient-dense. It’s an excellent source of phytonutrients as well as Vitamins A, C, and K, and calcium, and omega-3’s which represent some of the requisite nutrients for skin health. Kale is also one of the richest sources of lutein and contains beta- carotene, which improves skin elasticity and firmness.
Kale is a member of the cruciferous family (a four-petalled flowering family of vege’s), kale contains abundant I3C and DIM, which have been shown to be helpful in promoting the healthful estrogen pathways in the body and preventing cancers. Cruciferous vegetables contain compounds that assist the body in detoxifying xenochemicals (such as BPA and phthalates from plastics) and thus discourage processes that can ultimately result in many malignancies – not just skin cancers! In addition, the estrogen balancing effects of cruciferous vegetables may also help with inflammatory acne, especially in women with hormonal flares.
So dig in…kale has the green you need.
The post Top Ten Foods for Skin #7: Hail Hail to Kale! appeared first on Sheperd Integrative Dermatology.
