Smoking vs. Kale Juice

This landmark study on the immune system-boosting effects of kale concluded that “the intake of kale might provide a beneficial effect on humans to enhance the defense against such pathogens as viruses, bacteria, and toxins. The immuno-stimulating effect will provide an additional advantage of kale, as well as its antioxidative capacity and other effects.” Other effects, like improving coronary artery disease risk factors.

Did you know that kale juice has gained increasing attention as one of the most popular health-promoting foods in Japan? I’m packin’ my bags.

Thirty-two men with high cholesterol consumed three or four shots of kale juice a day for three months. That’s like eating a total of about 30 pounds of kale, the amount the average American consumes in a century. What happened? Did they turn green, start to photosynthesize?
What it did was dramatically lower their bad cholesterol, and boosted their good cholesterol as much as would an hour of daily exercise, seven days a week.

Obviously, by the end of the three months, the antioxidant level of their blood shot up significantly—though not as much in the smokers. I can just imagine some guy with a cigarette in one hand, and his shot of kale juice in another. The researchers suggest that this is because the smokers were actively using all those antioxidants up.

When smoking can use up the antioxidants contained in the equivalent of 200 cups of kale, you know it’s time to quit.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

• Nishi K, Kondo A, Okamoto T, Nakano H, Daifuku M, Nishimoto S, Ochi K, Takaoka T, Sugahara T. Immunostimulatory in vitro and in vivo effects of a water-soluble extract from kale. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2011;75(1):40-6.
• Kim SY, Yoon S, Kwon SM, Park KS, Lee-Kim YC. Kale juice improves coronary artery disease risk factors in hypercholesterolemic men. Biomed Environ Sci. 2008 Apr;21(2):91-7.
• USDA Economic Research Service. U.S. per capita food availability: Individual vegetable: Kale.

Image thanks to Food Thinkers / flickr

• antioxidants
• cardiovascular disease
• cholesterol
• cruciferous vegetables
• exercise
• greens
• HDL cholesterol
• heart disease
• immune function
• Japan
• juice
• kale
• LDL cholesterol
• oxidative stress
• phytonutrients
• smoking
• vegetables