Kale, a curly leafy green is gaining in popularity. Notice the addition of this delicious, nutritious, antioxidant packed vegetable to restaurant menus as well as your favorite recipe websites. Some sources promote kale as the healthiest vegetable on the planet. Kale contains flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory benefits. That’s a good thing for people with kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, who often suffer from chronic inflammation.
Nutrients to Consider
Kale belongs to the Brassica family and is a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and collards. This group of green vegetables is low in potassium compared to spinach, beet greens and chard. Kale is also an excellent source of beta-carotene (form of Vitamin A) and vitamin C.
**One word of caution if you take a blood thinner medication. Kale is very high in vitamin K and should be avoided, or speak with your doctor.
One-half cup of boiled kale contains 94 mg potassium, 27 mg phosphorus, 11 mg sodium, 2 g protein, 2.6 grams of fiber and 23 calories.
One-half cup of raw kale contains 28 mg potassium, 4 mg phosphorus, 4 mg sodium, 0.2 g protein, 0.3 g fiber and 8 calories.
Cooking Ideas
Try one or more of these serving suggestions for kale:
- Steam or boil kale and serve with a sprinkle of red wine vinegar
- Sauté in olive oil and garlic
- Slice thin with stems removed and toss with vinaigrette dressing
- Coat with oil and pepper then bake for 15 minutes at 425°F to make kale chips
- Sauté shredded kale and add to pasta
- Replace spinach with kale in your favorite recipes
Recipe
Try some of these kidney-friendly DaVita recipes to incorporate kale into your meals.
Veggie Crumbles with Bowtie Pasta and Kale
Reference:
Łukaszyk A, Kwiecień I, Kanik A, Blicharska E, Tatarczak-Michalewska M, Białowąs W, Czarnek K, Szopa A. Nutritional, Therapeutic, and Functional Food Perspectives of Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala): An Integrative Review. Molecules. 2025 Oct 28;30(21):4214. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12610807/. Accessed July 20, 2026.
