Antioxidant-Rich Kale and Banana Smoothie

It’s the new year, which typically means a renewed focus on setting of intentions, some of which include your health. So, there’s really no better time than now to prioritize your health and well-being. To help make it a bit easier for you, I’ve decided to share my go-to Antioxidant-Rich Kale and Banana Smoothie.

Just as the name suggests, I created this kale and banana smoothie recipe specifically so that it’s packed full with antioxidants. Antioxidants are natural substances found in plants that are known to help prevent or fight damage to our cells. [1]

Some of the more well-known antioxidants are vitamins C and E, beta-carotene (which the body converts into vitamin A), selenium, and manganese.

So, why is consuming antioxidants important for health? They fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules that are naturally formed in your body when you come into contact with any outside force. This can be exercise, food, or even just your environment.

Free radicals are known to cause oxidative stress, which is a process that causes damage to your cells and can lead to many of today’s most concerning health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and even brain and eye degeneration.

This Antioxidant-Rich Kale and Banana Smoothie is a great way to help support your body’s nutritional needs.

Kale is great source of antioxidants because it’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K as well as potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, folic acids, carotenoids, and more. [2]

Additionally, numerous scientific reviews have confirmed that bananas serve as a great source of antioxidants. It’s rich in carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and more! [3]

Finally, we have to discuss what is arguably the star of this Antioxidant-Rich Kale and Banana Smoothie—the spirulina, which gives this smoothie it’s beautiful, vibrant blue color.

Spirulina is a powder sourced from blue-green sea algae that’s known to be absolutely packed to the brim with nutrients, such as vitamins A, B12, and K. It’s also known to contain up to 25 times more iron than spinach!

While more human-based studies are needed to confirm these findings, early research has shown that spirulina may contain hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, and anti-hypertensive properties. [4]

These few ingredients will provide you with a ton of health-promoting antioxidants, and it’s delicious, too! Plus, the yogurt provides a wonderful source of protein to help keep your energy levels high throughout the day.

Keep reading to get this recipe, which requires only four ingredients and just a few minutes of your time.

Antioxidant-Rich Kale and Banana Smoothie

Serves 2

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces unsweetened vanilla full-fat yogurt

1 cup frozen kale

1 cup frozen banana

1 serving blue spirulina

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Serve and enjoy!