This Might Be the Healthiest Eating Competition Ever

Competitive eaters have signed up for an eating contest being bid as the healthiest "in the history of the world." The "Kale Yeah!" championship presented by the Independent Health Foundation's Healthy Options program will take place at the Taste of Buffalo food festival in New York on July 9, where six renowned local competitors are among those willing to stuff their faces with as much kale as possible in eight minutes—including World Buffet Eating Champion "Crazy Legs" Conti and World Watermelon Eating Champion "Buffalo" Jim Reeves, reports UPI.

The festival features a variety of foods, including mac and cheese, but it's intended to highlight healthier options by requiring that every vendor serve at least one nutritious item. The contest closely follows its less healthy cousin, Nathan's Famous annual hot dog eating contest, which Joey Chestnut won by downing 70 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, notes Eater. It turns out that one must eat nine cups of kale to ingest as many calories as are in a single hot dog. USA Today reports that at least nine people had signed up, and the winner will nab $2,000—which, let's face it, can buy a lot of kale. (See why farmers are having a hard time keeping up with the kale demand.)