How To Make A Kale Smoothie Taste Like A Tropical Paradise! (Tropical Smoothie Recipe)

Green, leafy, earthy… Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It’s in the same superfoods family as cabbage, cauliflower, garden cress and Brussels sprouts. But trust me, none of its cruciferous cousins go as nicely in a smoothie as kale.

So today, I’m going to show you how to make a kale smoothie that tastes like it was smuggled from a South Seas eden—not thrown together from leftover salad cuttings.

Perhaps the best part though, is that it’s loaded with ingredients your tastebuds, waistline, and eyes are going to L-O-V-E. 

“Wait… Did he just say, ‘eyes’?” 

Yes! Because this smoothie is SO colorful, you’ll have a hard time looking away! 

The body of this delicious “tropikale smoothie” 🌴  is a veggie-rich green layer, topped with a peaceful pink floater that tastes of refreshing berries and our secret tropical ingredient. It truly is a masterpiece of both sight and substance.

Benefits Of Kale

The first thing to note is that this isn’t your average tropical smoothie recipe. 

As I mentioned above, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there. That’s because it boasts an impressive nutrient-to-calorie ratio. It’s a micronutrient manifesto of total-body benefits, from your immune system to your waistline. 

In one cup of kale, you’re going to find more than your recommended daily value of vitamin A (206%), vitamin K (684%), and even vitamin C (134%). You’ll also find important minerals, like calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, and manganese! [1] These minerals are largely deficient in western diets, so to say drinking this kale smoothie is “good for you” is kind of an understatement!

And let’s not forget all the antioxidants to help fend off free radicals, inflammation, and high blood pressure—just to name a few of this superfood’s super powers! [2] 

Nutrient-density aside, a kale-rich diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease by working to balance cholesterol levels. This is because kale contains bile acid sequestrants, which help to disrupt the circulation of bile acid back into our body after it’s processed from cholesterol by our livers. Bile acid sequestrants from kale are similar to those you’ll find in cholesterol medicine. [3]

All of that in just around 30 calories… Extra points for your tropikale smoothie!

How To Get More From Your Kale Smoothie

So, we pretty much covered all the good stuff about kale. (And there’s A LOT of goodness in kale.) But it takes more than super-healthy leaves to make a kale smoothie, right? Definitely!

Each ingredient in this tropical smoothie recipe is picked intentionally to provide the utmost in nutritional value AND delicious taste. Let’s break down a few of the other key ingredients.

Non-dairy milk 

All smoothies need a liquid base of some sort to help the solid ingredients blend. While the typical tropical smoothie recipe calls for apple or orange juice, I always prefer to use an alternative milk for my base to give it a smoother, creamier texture; although juices may leave your kale smoothie fibrous, they can quickly add extra sugar you don’t really need. 

Why alternative milk? I’m by no means dairy-free, but I side with most nutritionists in that a diverse diet is a healthy diet. Dietary diversity has been shown in studies to promote more diverse gut microbiota. [4] Plus, you’re less likely to experience bloating or digestive issues.  

These are my favorite alternative milk options in a tropikale smoothie:

• Coconut milk Made from the “meat” of coconuts, it has a sweet taste and smooth texture that goes great with tropic ingredients. It also contains lauric acid, a fatty acid that promotes weight loss! [5]
• Unflavored almond milk adds creaminess with a subtle flavor. It’s also a great source of vitamin E. [6]
• Hemp milk has a soft nutty flavor that compliments the kale smoothie taste without offending your sweet tooth. It’s also perfectly creamy and loaded with calcium (more than dairy milk)! [7]

Fruits

Strawberries and bananas not only give this tropical smoothie recipe its tropicaliness, but they both offer important health benefits as well (not to mention the delicious, fruity taste).

• Bananas are a fantastic source of potassium. They help moderate blood sugar and rank nicely on the glycemic index. When frozen, bananas get diced up effortlessly in the blender, allowing you to avoid using ice.  [8, 9]
• Strawberries are small, but they offer big helpings of vitamin C (which your immune system will love you for) and manganese, which your body requires in order to function properly. [10]

Super Youth Tropical Punch Collagen

Speaking of nutrients your body needs for proper functionality, collagen is to our bodies what oil is to our cars. You must keep up with it, otherwise you’ll break down.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, making up our connective tissue, bones, joints, and so much more. Essentially, it keeps our joints working smoothly, our skin tight and youthful, our hair long and lush, nails nice and strong, and digestive organs good and healthy.

The thing is, after our mid-20s, our collagen cache disappears faster than my Bumble prospects during the COVID lockdown!

This is bad news—particularly the part about collagen. 

But the good news is that Super Youth Tropical Punch Collagen is the secret ingredient in this tropical smoothie recipe. While most collagen brands provide only one type of collagen, Super Youth contains five types of collagen, each working harmoniously to help reduce joint pain while taking years off our appearance. 

Suffice to say, ounce for ounce, this is maybe the simplest, healthiest, tastiest kale smoothie recipes you’re likely to find.

Ready to make your own? Lets go!