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Food for Life - Caribbean- Callaloo

Callaloo (sometimes Kallaloo, Callaloo) is a popular Caribbean vegetable dish. There are many variants across the Caribbean, depending on the availability of local vegetables. The main ingredient is an indigenous leaf vegetable, traditionally Amaranth or African Spinach.

Since the leaf vegetable used in some regions may be locally called "Callaloo" or "Callaloo Bush" "Dasheen Leaves", some confusion can arise among the vegetables and with the dish itself. This, as is the case with many other Caribbean dishes, is a remnant of West African cuisine

Information sourced from wikipedia.org

There are a range of benefits to eating callaloo on a regular basis. Before diving into the benefits, let’s take a look at some basic nutritional information.

Nutrition Facts of Callaloo:
Without taking into account other ingredients, one cup of callaloo cooked in water has:

49 calories
0g fat
0g cholesterol
9g carbs (3% DV)
3g dietary fiber (21% DV)
4g of protein
308% vitamin A
27% Calcium
58% Vitamin C
12% Iron
1045% Vitamin K
44% Folate
41% Manganese

That is what you call a plant packed with nutrients! If you take a close look, one cup of Callaloo is low in calories and carbohydrates, has no fat or cholesterol, and has significant amounts of fiber, protein and vitamins and minerals.

How can Callaloo benefit your health?

Reduces risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease

Hundreds of studies have focused on how an increased consumption of plant foods, like callaloo, throughout your lifetime can lead to a decreased risk of chronic diseases that could shorten your lifespan. This is due primarily to the fact that it is nutrient-dense, but energy-light. In other words, it is because it delivers a range of nutrients that contribute to overall health and well being, while not contributing significantly to caloric intake.

Helps to prevent bone fractures

If you glace at the nutrition facts again, you will notice that one cup of callaloo has a whopping 1045% daily value of vitamin K. People who experience vitamin K deficiency are also more likely to be at risk for bone fracture because it may reduce the excretion of calcium while improving its absorption into the bone, and because it may help to strengthen the bone matrix.

Helps to prevent Cancer

Nutritionists have known for years that consuming cruciferous vegetables, like callaloo, on a regular basis is associated with a lower risk of several types of cancers. This includes:

Lung cancer
Prostate cancer
Melanoma
Esophageal cancer
And pancreatic cancer

Callaloo, particularly, has high amounts of chlorophyll, which might help to block the carcinogenic effects of compounds found in grilled foods.

Healthy Skin and Hair

Callaloo has tons of vitamin A, which helps to keep your hair moisturized. It also helps to renew skin and hair so that you can keep that healthy glow and shine. Callaloo also has a significant amount of vitamin C, which helps to maintain collagen in your skin and hair, and iron, which can help to prevent hair loss.

Information sourced from www.foodiwant.com