- Baby purple kale is best used to add vibrant colour to healthy kale salads
- This brilliantly coloured kale can be used in place of regular kale in any dish
- Baby purple kale also has elevated levels of anti-oxidants compared to regular kale, further raising its status as a ‘Super-Food’
- Baby purple kale has a mild kale flavour without the usual strong kale aftertaste
- As a baby leaf, its texture is quite tender and not stringy like some more mature kale varieties
- Once baby purple kale have been picked or purchased, they are best eaten within a week
- Any leaves that show sign of degrading or breaking down (darkening in patches or turning slimy) should be discarded and not eaten
- Baby purple kale is bred to be harvested at the baby leaf stage of growth. Best results are achieved by sowing them at a relatively high density (700-1000 seeds per m2) and harvesting when the leaves are 7-10cm long.
- For specific variety information, see the Fairbanks Seeds website
- Baby purple kale has a very low calorie content and is one of the most nutrient dense foods in existence
- Ultra-rich in vitamins K, A, C, B1,2,3,6 as well as being a great source of calcium, manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and fibre.
- The vibrant purple leaf colour is due presence of anthocyanins, (nutrients responsible for pigment in fruits and vegetables) which also serve as powerful antioxidants
- Anthocyanidin levels are one of the key considerations in categorising ‘Super Foods’. Their consumption is linked to preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer and boosting cognitive function
- Kale is one of the most highly regarded ‘Super-Foods’ in existence, baby purple kale is an improvement on an already incredibly healthy vegetable
Where to Buy:
Seeds:
- Commercial quantities of seeds can be purchased either directly from Fairbanks Seeds or Fairbanks Seeds NZ, through their major distributors in Australia E.E. Muir & Sons, or by request at your local horticultural supply store.
Seedlings:
- Baby purple kale is best grown from seed rather than transplants, this allows the harvesting of the baby purple leaves to be cost effective, however occasionally you can find it at home garden nurseries from time to time.
Produce
- Look for dark purple kale leaves with a serrated leaf shape within salad mixes or by itself on the green grocer shelves.
- Chefs, providores and green grocers should contact their local salad growers to request this product.
- An Australian salad grower known as The Leafy Patch now use baby purple kale in their baby kale punnet, this product is readily available in all most Australian wholesale vegetable markets (for green grocers, providores and Supermarkets).
