Are you proud to be a vegan? Yeah right! You should be! But have you ever tried kale? A NO for this question will surely drop a feather from your pride as kale gets considered as the king of greens. Of all the incredible nutrients, kale is a must to include food in your diet chart. Reap the incredible kale juice benefits right from today.
8 Benefits of Kale Juice
- Weight Loss
- Protein and healthy fats
- Building good bones
- Fight cancer
- Vision
- Cholesterol
- Detoxifier
- Blood cells
What is Kale?
Kale is a leafy vegetable belonging to the Brassica oleracea species. This vegetable has a wide variety and gets distinguished by its leaf types – curly leaf, bumpy leaf, plain leaf, and leaf and spear. Its origin is the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor where it got majorly cultivated as a food source, Kale got equally known as a medicinal food source.
This vegetable thrives well in winters and can continue to exist in extreme temperatures. Kale is served in different forms based on the tastes and preferences of people across the globe – alone, with condiments, in salads, as a side dish, or with rice to name a few. Also, one of the best ways to use it, is to grind it to a juice to reap the incredible kale juice benefits.
Kale Juice Nutrition Facts
Well, after reading about Kale, do you find yourself rolling your eyes at the very thought of eating a leafy vegetable? But, you can enhance its taste by adding different fruits to the juice like pineapple, apple, and mango.
Moreover, once you can discount your taste buds, you will be amazed to know the kind of nutritional value it adds to your diet. This vegetable in its raw form comprises:
- 84% water
- 9% carbohydrates
- 4% protein and
- 1% fat content
Kale(1) juice calories in a cup of it are just 120. Also, it is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Kale has reasonable amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin E and several dietary minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Eight Proven Kale Juice Benefits
While besides its original name, the vegetable also gets known as the queen of the greens, there sure is a reason behind it. Here are a few benefits revealed about this god of the greens:
1. Weight Loss
With its abundant and varied content of vitamins and minerals, kale juice tops the list of healthy green juices for weight loss. As stated above, it is full of nutrients that in turn speeds up the metabolism of the body that works terrific for weight loss.
2. Kale juice is a source of necessary protein and healthy fats
While non-vegetarian food has been considered to be the primary source of protein, there is good news for vegetarians as well. Yes, you read it right. Kale juice contains a pure vegan protein known as the Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA). Also, it serves as a source of omega-3 fatty acid which is an essential healthy fat.
3. It benefits in building good bones
While all green juices are quite healthy, kale green juice is one of its kind since it is abundant in vitamin K. At the same time, kale juice benefits provide enough calcium to the body thus resulting in strong and healthy bones.
4. Organic kale juice benefits to fight cancer
According to a study, Kale is known to have a minimum of 45 different antioxidant flavonoids. These flavonoids work together thus helping fight and prevent cancer. Also, Kale juice benefits in raising the blood levels of carotenoids nutrients which substantially eliminates the chances of cancer.
5. It is excellent for your vision
A glass or two of Kale juice every day is like food to your eyes. It helps you have sharp eyesight. Also, it eliminates the probability of eye damage from the harmful rays of light.
6. It helps control cholesterol levels
When cholesterol levels go high, they clog the blood vessels, arteries, and veins. It leads to a higher risk of stroke or heart attack. Here is when the Omega 3 ALAs in the Kale detox juice work their way thus avoiding blood clots in the body. Controlling cholesterol and stabilizing blood sugar levels also means maintaining a healthy weight. Yes, this is what most of you wanted to hear, and kale juice benefits live to your expectations.
7. Kale juice serves as an excellent detoxifier
We all have felt the need to detoxify our bodies, especially after savoring unhealthy junk food or a delicious meal in a 5-star hotel, ending up with an upset stomach. Kale juice being high in isothiocyanate content, helps to throw out harmful toxins from your body. It works as one of the best detoxifiers and heaves you a sigh of relief. Start a kale juice diet from today.
8. It promotes blood cells
Kale juice is rich in vitamin A and K; it produces white and red blood cells. Also, it ensures optimum development and functionality of these cells.
Kale Juice Recipe
Read this super easy recipe to learn how to juice kale into a tempting glass of benefits.
Ingredients:
- Kale leaves
- Lemon juice
- Ginger
- You may also add mango/pineapple/orange/celery to add flavor
Procedure:
- Wash all the ingredients and grind them in the juicer
- Your juice is now ready to be gulped down with or without ice
Precautions/Side Effects of Kale Juice
While Kale is widely known to benefit human health in numerous ways, it does have its side effects. Like every coin has two sides, an excess of anything is harmful.
- Kale being quite high in vitamin K, leads to blood clotting. In case, you are working towards blood thinning; it will reverse the effect of your drugs.
- Secondly, if you have recently started consuming Kale, have it in moderation since your body is not used to it. Also, an excess of this vegetable or juice can cause digestion problems.
Conclusion
Kale juice has proven to be more beneficial to human health in many ways. Like any other eatable, it also has its side effects if consumed in excess. However, when consumed after gaining the right knowledge, Kale juice does wonders to your body. Certain precautions as mentioned above need to be taken care of.
Also, studies have proved that it is usually good to have a raw vegetable than to consume it as a juice. Fresh fruits and vegetables ensure optimum nutritional value, and a glass of juice can not replace it.
FAQs
1. Where do you find Kale?
Kale is available in grocery stores. You can find it in the leafy vegetable section of the store.
2. How to increase calcium content in a vegetarian diet?
Vegetarians can increase their calcium content by eating green leafy vegetables. One such plant high in calcium is Kale.
3. Should Kale be eaten fresh or frozen?
Fresh Kale has numerous benefits. But at the same time, frozen Kale is also full of nutrients. Consuming it in either way is fine. However, only fresh kale has the required nutrients to fight cancer.
