Whitefly on Kale

My red Kale has been badly hit by whitefly this year. While I can shake and wash the whitefly off the leaves, I'm left with the underside a whitish-grey colour, which doesn't wash off but can be scrubbed off though it's not easy.

Before I think of eating any of it, is this the normal colour for the underside of Kale or is it, perhaps, eggs of the whitefly or something equally revolting that I don't want to eat?!

I'd be grateful for any advice because the underside of every leaf looks the same.

TIA.

 

I must admit, that's what we have done in previous years but that was with green kale - the difference in colour was, obviously, much more noticeable with red kale and it all looked extremely unappetizing. What I must do, in future years, is cover the kale as soon as I can with fleece.

I always assumed before that green kale had this whitish-silvery underneath to its leaves and didn't really think it had anything to do with the whitefly.

It seems that I was probably wrong - anyway, it didn't kill me!

Thanks for your reply

 

I have the same problem on my Brussels. I think that it's the sticky muck created by the flies and it gets fungised.

stony