If you’re anyone who pays attention to all the latest health food trends or ever-growing list of diets designed for healthier living, you’re probably very familiar with kale. This great green has become a staple in many of the best health food recipes and is often a favorite amongst green smoothie drinkers.
Why is kale so incredibly popular? What makes it better than any of the other greens that you pick up from the store? In this article we’ll share six reasons why kale is a must have addition for all of your favorite smoothies or juices!
Keep reading to find out:
- What kale is (and what kinds of kale there are).
- Six health benefits of kale
- Some great smoothie recipes that include kale!
What is Kale?
Get to know this nutritious green in all of it’s shapes and sizes!
Kale is a member of the brassicaceae family of plants, which includes vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, and collard greens. This family of plants is well known for having high amounts of antioxidants and there’s generally a lot of health benefits that come with eating any vegetable in this family.
There are many different types of kale, all with their own unique shapes, flavors, and qualities. Some of the most common types of kale include:
- Curly kale: bright green leaves and a somewhat peppery flavor
- Lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale): narrow bumpy green leaves
- Redbor kale: ruffled leaves that are a deep red color
- Russian kale: flat and fringed leaves with green or red leaves. It has a more sweet flavor.
No matter what kind of kale you use, you’re sure to get all the amazing benefits this plant has to offer.
6 reasons to include kale in your smoothies
Kale is high in antioxidants
Like many leafy greens and colorful fruits and vegetables, kale is extremely high in antioxidants.
Antioxidants help to prevent damage done by free radicals that make their way into the body. With powerful antioxidants such as quercetin and kaempferol in high amounts, kale has many anticancer and heart-healthy nutrients.
Kale fights inflammation
The antioxidants listed above are just a handful of the many antioxidants and vitamins that kale contains, many of which help with chronic inflammation.
While inflammation is part of the body’s natural healing process, chronic inflammation can drive diseases like chronic heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cancer.
Kale supports heart health
Cholesterol is crucial to the body’s function, however like many things it can be easy to have too much of it, which can lead to a variety of health issues.
Foods such as kale help to lower levels of unhealthy cholesterol and improve heart health by binding bile acids that contribute to higher cholesterol layers. Drinking kale juice has also been shown to improve or lower risk factors for coronary artery disease in male patients with high cholesterol.
Kale is a great source of vitamins
Kale is not only high in many antioxidants, it is also filled with many vitamins. Vitamins B6, C, and K are all contained in kale’s dark leafy leaves. Kale is also high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant which the body can turn into vitamin A.
Did you know that one cup of kale contains more vitamin C than is in an entire orange? I certainly didn’t! Not only is vitamin C great for boosting your immune system, it is also incredibly essential to the synthesis of collagen in the body.
Another essential vitamin that kale has a high quantity of is vitamin K, an essential factor in the formation of blood-clots and another incredibly important factor of heart health. As one of the world’s best sources of vitamin K, kale provides almost 7 times the recommended daily amount of vitamin K in a single cup.
Kale is a great source of minerals
Minerals can be extremely hard to come by in most of the foods that make up the average person’s daily diet. Kale contains many minerals, including many that some may actually be deficient in.
Kale is high in minerals like calcium, which plays a major role in cellular functions and bone health, and magnesium, which can help prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Kale also contains high amounts of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining heart health, and is low in oxalate, a substance found in some other plants that makes it difficult for the body to absorb important minerals.
Kale aids digestion and weight loss
Fibrous foods like vegetables and fruit are always beneficial for digestion and weight loss, but not all fruits and veggies are equal. Kale is packed with nutrients and fiber and is especially good for digestive health. It is also a fundamental food for anyone wishing to lose weight, because of it’s low calories and high nutritional value.
When trying to lose weight, it can sometimes be difficult to find food that is low calorie yet still provides enough energy to get through your day. Kale and many members of the brassicaceae family are incredible sources of fiber and energy that can replace less healthy foods in a diet.
Six smoothie recipes involving kale
There are thousands of great smoothie recipes that you can find online and many include kale or other greens as their bases. Whether your smoothie is packed with protein or full of fiber, you’re sure to enjoy the flavor and fullness that kale adds to any smoothie.
Some smoothie recipes involving kale include:
- Protein packed smoothies:
- Kale, banana, and avocado smoothie with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Spinach and kale smoothie with your favorite nut butter, milk or milk alternative, and banana.
- Kale, strawberry, and chia seed smoothie with your kefir and banana.
- Kale smoothies for weight loss
- Kale and turmeric smoothie with ginger, turmeric root, and flaxseed.
- “Cool” kale smoothie with three simple ingredients; grapes, kale, and ice cubes.
- Kale and pineapple detox smoothie with coconut milk and a banana.
Adding kale to your favorite smoothie is bound to boost your breakfast to nutritious and delicious heights! Whether you take it on the go every day or save it for a relaxing weekend morning, introducing kale into your daily routine will bring you all the benefits you could ask for.
