In a world of kale salads[1] , spinach can seem downright passé. Does anyone wax poetic about salads made of spinach? And while a love of arugula is seen as a sign of a snotty[2] , cosmopolitan sensibility, kale is its cool, get-away-with-anything younger brother. Swiss chard and collards, meanwhile, are barely on anyone's radar.


But it wasn't always this way: Baby spinach was the toast of the 90s[3] , when the small, flat leaves made their pre-washed, bagged debut in America's kitchens. But somewhere along the line, the tiny green lost its spark. As food writer Martha Rose Shulman writes[4] , "I’m not inspired by the flavor and I don’t like the little stems -- I don’t even like them in salads -- or the stringy aspect of the little leaves once they’re wilted."


Shulman isn't the only one. In the new world order, kale is the Louie of salad greens and spinach is the Friends. But before you dismiss the spinach-deserting public as a bunch of fickle trendsters, consider the following:


Kale is actually the healthier option between the two. "Spinach just pales in comparison [to kale]," Dr. Drew Ramsey, noted kale devotee[5] , told New York Magazine[6] . "It’s like #FirstWorldproblem: Which leafy green to eat? But kale has the big families of phytonutrients, 45 different flavonoids, dozens of different carotenoids.”


You need nearly twice as much spinach as kale for the same weight. While kale weighs 67 grams per cup[7] , two whole cups of spinach still fall short[8] at 60 grams. That's a lot of chewing. Just look how unimpressive this daunting overflow is:

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And spinach is more expensive[9] , so the longer your kid stares at it, willing it to disappear, the more money you lose:

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And you can't really trick us by preparing it two ways -- spinach clearly has less calcium than kale -- 30 mg versus 100 mg per cup[10] ..

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Kale has so much more of vitamins A, C and K than spinach, it's kind of embarrassing actually[11] .

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Kale also has more protein -- 14 percent more, according to Prevention magazine[12] . Maybe this woman wouldn't be so skeptical of her boyfriend if he was a little more proactive about his protein intake...

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But who cares about nutritional details when the real danger is clear: Spinach POLTERGEIST

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Disclaimer: We kid because we love! Anytime you eat a leafy green, you're doing something right.



Earlier on HuffPost:




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  • 'Super-Amazing, Magic Guilt Eraser' Kale Salad


    "This concoction above may look like a dutiful mound of kale with grated ricotta salata and thinly shaved red onions, but it’s actually more than that. A lot more," promises the creator of this <a href="http://www.dinneralovestory.com/the-ten-minute-super-amazing-magic-guilt-eraser/">"magic" salad</a>. Courtesy <a href="http://www.dinneralovestory.com/the-ten-minute-super-amazing-magic-guilt-eraser/" target="_blank">Jenny Rosenstrach</a> of Dinner A Love Story




  • 'The Best Kale Salad You'll Ever Have'


    This quick recipe, courtesy of chef and food blogger Phoebe Lapine, <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-best-kale-caesar-salad-youll-ever.html" target="_blank">via Cup Of Jo's Joanna Goddard</a>, is the best kale salad we'll ever have, thanks to roasted garlic dressing. Courtesy <a href="http://feedmephoebe.com/2013/01/meatless-monday-vegetarian-kale-caesar-salad/" target="_blank">Phoebe Lapine Inc.</a> of feed me Phoebe




  • 'Life-Altering' Kale Salad


    Brooklyn restaurant <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/09/crispy-kale-salad-with-lime-dressing" target="_blank">Battersby was awarded</a> "Best Salad" accolades from New York magazine, prompting Bon Appetit to feature its recipe. <em>Chefs prepare food at Battersby, home of the "life-altering" kale salad.</em>




  • 'The Best Kale Salad Ever'


    The Chalkboard <a href="http://thechalkboardmag.com/puremamas-kale-salad">waxes poetic</a> about this marinated kale base. Courtesy <a href="http://puremamas.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Pure Mamas</a>




  • 'Ridiculously Delicious' Kale Salad


    Over at "Remember Healthy Coaching," a kale salad topped with escarole, radiccio, pear, red onion, candied pecans and raisins tips this dish into <a href="http://rememberhealthy.com/ridiculously-delicious-kale-salad" target="_blank">"ridiculously delicious" territory</a>.




  • 'Best Kale Salad'


    Inhabitat's take on The Butcher's Daughter <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/recipe-how-to-make-the-best-kale-salad-with-chef-joya-carlton-of-the-butchers-daughter/attachment/46840024/?extend=1">"The Best Kale Salad</a>. "




  • 'The Ultimate Kale Salad'


    This gluten-free, dairy-free recipe, <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9618/gluten-free-recipe-the-ultimate-kale-salad.html" target="_blank">courtesy of MindBodyGreen</a>, features avocados, strawberries, basil and endive.