Kalette: The new veggie on the block

Hi readers! This post is written by Beth’s intern, Erin, who is studying to be a registered dietitian.

This just in… Kale is officially “out” and it’s new, cooler, trendier and tastier younger sister, Kalette is “in”. You can think of a Kalette as the Kylie Jenner to Kim Kardashian. Yes, Kim is definitely still “cool” in a married with kids kind of way, but Kylie is younger, more chic and a little weird in a way we all find intriguing (so we follow her on all social media accounts and wish our lives were that cool when we were 18.)

So here are the facts… A Kalette is basically the child of Kale and Brussels Sprouts. Some scientists over in England have been working on this hybrid vegetable for about 15 years and it just recently made its way across the pond to the US. For all you skeptics out there (me included) don’t fret! This is not some kind of freaky science experiment. Kalettes are naturally grown from seeds and right now, Kalettes are mostly being grown in southern California because of the warm coastal climate.

I know exactly what you’re thinking…. You need to go to the store to get this mysterious new vegetable RIGHT NOW so you can make an awesome dish and Instagram it so all your friends know how ahead of the times you are (just me? Idk..) But wait, where can you find these Kalettes you may wonder… Trader Joes and Whole Foods both claim to have Kalettes in all of their locations nationwide (although you may want to call and check before going. Other names for Kalettes may include Kale Sprouts, BrussleKale or Flower Sprouts)

So now you know where to go and what you’re getting but how do you pick the perfect Kalette? I’ll tell you how… The leaves should be nice and hydrated without any brown spots and the steam should look freshly cut and have a very pretty purple-y color. Check out this super exciting video explaining how to prepare your Kalettes for cooking:

Since I am studying nutrition and diet, I feel obligated to talk about the nutritional benefits of this innovative new veg…

For 1 ½ cups of Kalettes, you get 4g of protein (moderately high for a vegetable), 120% of your daily value for vitamin K (pretty typical for a leafy green but still a good thing!) and 40% of your daily value of vitamin C (just in time to start fighting off winter colds) all for just 45 calories!

And there you have it, folks! Now I’m off to go munch on some roasted Kalettes while I catch up on KUWTK.

What Makes a Superfood a Superfood?

During my free time, I often ponder life’s greatest questions... 

What came first the chicken or the egg? What do I want to be when I grow up? Before money was invented, what did women find attractive about men? If work is so terrific, how come they have to pay you to do it? Are Jay Z and Beyonce really getting a divorce? What fruit or vegetable is the best? 

Ok so maybe that last one is just specific to dietitians, but I am often asked what fruit or vegetable is the best. While I was in school studying to become a dietitian, there was never a lecture on what fruit or vegetable is the best. So what is my response when I am asked this question? All of them, one is not necessarily better than the other. All of the different fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients that your body needs. Asking what fruit or vegetable is the best is like asking which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is the best. Even though I have a preference towards Michelangelo, I recognize that each turtle has special talents that when pooled together, help them save NYC from Shredder. Not to be all hippy and sappy but this picture gets my point across pretty well…

Well What About Superfoods?

Again, back to the whole studying to become a dietitian thing. There was never a lecture or test question asking us to name the top ten superfoods. Actually, the term superfood was never even uttered. The term superfood is merely just a marketing term that really doesn’t have any meaning. To help explain this, and so you do not need to read my ramblings, check out this video.

Note: the ladies in this video say nutritionist but they mean registered dietitians. On that note, do yourself a favor and never call a dietitian a nutritionist. For more info why check out my previous blog post. 

Are some fruits and vegetables more nutrient dense than others? Yes. Let’s take iceberg lettuce for example. Compared to spinach, iceberg lettuce does not contain as many nutrients. Does this mean you should never eat it? No, it still has desirable traits such as being low in calories and a good source of fiber. Yes, spinach is a better choice nutritionally speaking, but eating iceberg lettuce isn’t going to wreck your diet. Nutrient density is relative. After all, iceberg lettuce is more nutrient dense than chips or soda. Next time you hear the term “superfood” take it with a grain of salt, like my friend Dr. Evil...

Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth