How to supercharge kale

Kale is one of the supreme health foods—but we can’t absorb its nutrients until we add oil to the mix.

Oil or an oil-based dressing such as mayonnaise unlock the vegetable’s carotenoids, antioxidants that fight oxidative stress and protect our DNA.  It results in stronger immunity, improved vision and a lower risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

It doesn’t matter if we eat raw or cooked kale, but it’s vital we sprinkle some oil on top, say researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

They set up a laboratory test to see how different servings of kale—raw, cooked, and with and without dressing or oils—were being absorbed.

Raw kale on its own resulted in very low carotenoid absorption and cooking the kale slightly reduced absorption even further. But when the researchers added an oil-based sauce, the carotenoids were well absorbed.

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