Kale Smoothie: The Perfect Post Workout Drink

Ditch the sugary energy drinks and empty calories for something better: a kale smoothie. If you’re thinking that kale is nasty tasting, well your kinda of right. But that’s why you don’t just stick a bunch of kale in a blender, add water and down it. That wouldn’t taste too pleasant. When making a kale smoothie you should always add other things that are healthy, and make it taste nice (really important.) Some stuff you should think of adding include coconut water, blueberries or another berry (raspberry or blackberry) and yogurt.

Also, don’t make the mistake of getting a bunch of leafy kale and putting it in a blender and then wondering why your smoothie ain’t too smooth. Regular blenders just won’t tear up kale that well. You need to get baby kale. Unless you have a really good blender. The best blenders on the market will be able to make a smoothie, but if you don’t have one yet, you can get by with using baby kale. If you’re using something like a bullet blender, then you should pick baby kale. It’s going to blend up really easy.

Yes, Kale Has Protein

You might associate protein with chicken, beef, eggs, or beans….but kale actually have a fair amount of protein. It’s not loaded like the main staples of a protein meal (the beans, meat, eggs) but it has around 3 grams of protein per cup or about 3 and a half ounces. If you shred it light and leave lots of air, then you will of course get less protein. However, this is good, plant based protein from a leafy green. It’s healthy for your heat, and has lots of benefits besides the protein. Let’s check them out.

Kale Is Also Anti-Oxidant Rich To Prevent Against Free Radical Damage

Working out creates free radicals. Luckily, kale is rich in anti-oxidants. It has vitamin C, but two of the most important antioxidants are Lutein and zeaxanthin. These are also super helpful for the eye. People who are looking to prevent macular degeneration, or treat it, have flocked to both lutein and zeaxanthin. When you combine the power of blueberries and their rich antioxident profile, you end up with a smoothie that is a truly amazing healer.

 

And Rich In Omega 3 Fatty Acids—Anti-Inflammation

Omega fatty acids are all the rage, but do you get enough? Maybe you take a fish oil pill, or eat salmon once a week. That’s great, but you can also get ALA, one of the essential fatty acids, from kale. Alpha Linolenic Acid is credited with amazing health benefits ranging from life extension, to the treatment of skin cancer and even mental depression.

For bodybuilders and regular weightlifters, they will be pleased to know that it’s most commonly touted as a preventative for heart problems as well as inflammation. So, if you’re lifting heavy weights, and putting stress on your body, then the omega fatty acids, specifically the alpha linolenic acid, in the kale will really help you out.

What To Add To The Kale Smoothie To Give It A Protein Boost

Ok, so you’ve got the taste under control with:

1- Coconut Water
2- Blueberries

So now its time to think about adding some extra protein. There are two easy ways to do this. The first is to add some raw oats. A half cup of raw oats has almost 5 grams of protein. It’s also fiber rich which is great for your heart and its filling. If you’re on a cut and need to feel full without lots of calories, then oats are perfect.

The other way you could go is to get hemp seeds. These are getting a lot of attention because they have two different omega fatty acids, have a lot of heart healthy fat, and a really high amount of protein….11 grams per 3 tablespoons!!!!!

So, what you could do to make a super heart healthy protein shake, which was vegan as well is the following.

Use a good blender. I think a bullet blender would work if you don’t own a vitamix. A regular blender might be a bit lacking, so you might want to invest in either a bullet or vitamix (if you want to splurge.)

Assemble the coconut water. Wash the blueberries. If they are fresh, soak them in water. If they are frozen, you should let them thaw. If they are frozen, then you can add them but it will take longer to blend, unless you add more water, and it will give the smoothie a “creamy” and “frozen” taste. Some people like that, so it’s a personal choice.

Wash the baby kale. Then place the kale, blueberries, and coconut water into the blender. Blend that up first so that it’s liquid. Next, add the oats or hemp seeds. Then blend again.

If you still find it a bit blah tasting, what I suggest is to add some lemon juice. Ideally, if you have a good blender like a Vitamix, you could add a half a sliced lemon and blend up the skin. The skin has the oil, which provides the real powerful flavor and nutritional value. Otherwise, juice a half lemon and add it. Save the skin for when you are making a regular kale, spinach, apple and celery juice and juice it then.

If you’re looking to boost the protein content of your Kale smoothie, then you need to add some protein powder. I suggest you use a pea protein. It doesn’t have any artificial flavoring and will work well with a vegetable smoothie such as a Kale based drink.