Like all superfoods, kale exploded in popularity when nutritionists started to reveal its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cancer fighting properties. The cruciferous vegetable quickly replaced its leafy cousins, spinach and cabbage, as the preferred leafy veggie of choice among health conscious diners. However, it seems all that popularity is impacting our supply of kale seeds.

Ryan Flaim, whose family grows kale in Vineland, New Jersey, says kale sales have grown by more than 30 percent annually over the past few years and farmers have been forced to pay special attention to kale crops in an effort to prevent them from being wasted. Due to the surge in kale’s popularity, the price of kale seeds has also skyrocketed by around 80 percent in the past three years. Other kale experts say the demand for kale could start to reflect the lack of supplies.

"Overall, we are growing much more kale than we ever did, but increases in acreage are slowing down compared to the very rapid increase observed a few years ago," Timothy W. Coolong, an assistant professor of vegetable production at the University of Georgia, told CBS News. "However, keep in mind that there is still much more kale grown now than in the past. I think it probably will probably stay somewhat static from here out for the next few years."

To be clear, kale shortages are nothing new. Last year’s blizzard in New York City sent city dwellers scurrying to their nearest Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s to pick up the essentials, which apparently included kale. One of the world’s largest kale seed suppliers announced back in July 2014 that it had run out of certain varieties of kale. There are a number of different types of kale, the most popular being green curly kale, red curly kale, and Tuscan kale.

The shortage could serve as a blessing in disguise. Eating kale in moderation is great for cardiovascular health, healthy cholesterol levels, and cancer prevention. Unfortunately, we as humans tend to push the bounds of moderation even when it comes to a healthy food, like kale. Nutritionists have found that eating too much kale can lead to hypothyroidism, a condition characterized by the thyroid gland not producing enough thyroid hormone.

Don’t worry, kale addicts. There are ways to avoid the drawbacks of a diet high in kale. Cooking kale, as opposed to eating it raw, can reduce some of its goitrogenic properties. These goitrogenic properties are what contribute to the enlarged thyroid that results in hypothyroidism. Also known as an underactive thyroid, this condition can lead to a variety of health complications, including a slowed metabolism, joint pain, infertility, and heart disease.