Is kale only delicious after it has frozen?
An old farmers’ saying goes: kale is only truly delicious once frost has passed over it, but is that really true?
FavorFlav investigates: is kale only delicious after it has frozen? Wageningen University has the answer. Prof. Dr. Ir. Paul Struik: “There is indeed such a thing as ‘cold-induced sweetening’, which also occurs in potatoes and other crops. In kale leaves, starch is converted into sugars. And consumers may enjoy that.”
Flavour
In other words: it’s a matter of taste. Do you prefer your kale a little sweeter? Then it’s best to wait for a good frost. If not, you’re better off eating kale before any frost has passed over it.
Don’t try this at home
You may now be thinking, oh, then I’ll just put it in the freezer overnight? Unfortunately, that’s not quite how it works. The freezing process must not happen too quickly. If you put fresh kale straight from the field into the freezer, it won’t have any effect.
