Kalettes: A Brand-New Veggie You Should Know About

Kalettes, a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, are the latest hybrid vegetable to hit the U.S. market.

The new veggie was created by Tozer Seeds, a British vegetable-breeding company that brought the vegetable to the United States in fall 2014. The non-genetically-modified vegetable took 15 years to perfect. “The inspiration behind Kalettes came from a desire to create a kale type vegetable that was versatile, easy to prepare and looked great,” Kalettes’ website reads. “Crossing kale with brussels sprouts was a natural fit since they are both from the brassica oleracea species, which also includes cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.” Kalettes, like many dark leafy greens, are very high in vitamin C. They’re also high in vitamin K.

In the early stages of Kalettes’ development, Brussels sprouts were dropping out of popularity in the U.K., and the new hybrid was thought of as a potential way to increase the veggie’s popularity, Modern Farmer reports.

Kalettes look similar to a small cabbage and are available at Trader Joe’s nationwide, as well as at some regional groceries like Whole Foods and Costco. Kalettes are are simple to prepare and cook quicker than Brussels sprouts, the company says. Taste wise, Kalettes have a nutty, savory flavor.

QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?

Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet?

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Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat.

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Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?

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Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients.

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Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger?

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Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.

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Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?

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Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content.

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Which is better for you: Special K or eggs?

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Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast.

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Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing?

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Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt.

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Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?

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Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead.

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Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt?

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Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein.

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