I’ve branched out quite a bit from THIS smoothie for a couple reasons. One, I really try to get as many veggies in my daily diet as I can handle and two, I’m always looking for ways to nourish my stomach and aid in digestion. This smoothie is a bit out of the box but you’ll have to trust me-all these foods work together to create a very enjoyable smoothie that not only tastes good, but will be gentle on your stomach and richly nourish your body. Each food I add is amazing for reducing inflammation in the body. Inflammation is often the cause of many issues in the body including premature aging.
Pineapple is always a good idea in my book. I love the taste so when I found out that it is very good for the stomach I was sold. One reason it’s great for the system is because it is highly effective at reducing inflammation in the body. It contains an enzyme called bromelaine which helps break down proteins in the digestive tract. It can be an effective remedy for gas, bloating, constipation and indigestion. It is also high in Vitamin C which can help boost the immune system and manganese, potassium and thiamine. Pineapples can also reduce mucous which makes them a great idea to eat during colds and allergies. The only draw back about pineapple is that it is high in sugar and should be used sparingly.
Ginger is incredibly soothing for the stomach as well. I mainly think of ginger when nauseated. If you’re pregnant and experiencing morning sickness, adding ginger to your smoothie may help. Ginger is also antibacterial and can be a great addition to your diet during flu season. It also increases circulation throughout the body and helps calm inflammation. I typically do not like the taste of ginger but by accident, I found that when paired with pineapple and cucumber, the combo. is quite nice.
Cucumber is full of water and fiber making it great for digestion. It’s also rich in B vitamins which help to de-stress the body. Cucumbers are also another tool to reduce inflammation!
The benefits of kale are immense. In fact, I wrote a whole post on kale HERE. Bottom line, kale contains some major nutrition your body can greatly benefit from. For one thing, kale is high in iron. This is helpful when you aren’t getting red meat in your diet. Kale is also high in vitamin K. Vitamin K can do wonders for under eye circles and even thin skin prone to broken capillaries. It’s also high in vitamins A and C both excellent for immune function and skin. It’s a powerful antioxidant and has anti inflammatory and anticancer properties. If you have a hard time adding kale to your smoothie due to flavor, freezing your kale reduces flavor (it also reduces the benefits) or just use spinach which is much more mild and very hard to detect the taste in smoothies.
Cinnamon is what I love about this smoothie. It seems like a weird addition but it compliments each of the ingredients so nicely. Plus, cinnamon is great for the body. It is also great for inflammation and a powerful antioxidant.
As a base for this smoothie, water is great. If you’d like to further your digestion support, you could consider using kefir or even kombucha however, I’m not sure what kombucha would add flavor wise. I use THIS unflavored kefir that I find at Target.
Pineapple Ginger Smoothie:
- 1-2 cups kale
- 1/2-1 cup pineapple
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 slice of fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup liquid
Optional add-ins:
- I add in collagen powder to every smoothie I make. It ups the protein therefore keeping me full longer. Not to mention the benefits I experience with my skin nails and hair are undeniable.
- I also like to add some sort of seed for fiber. Chia seeds are great as well as flax seed. I just add 1 tbsp. per smoothie.
- Raw Honey-This is not the sweetest smoothie unless you add extra pineapple or raw honey. I like to keep the sweetness to a bare minimum in smoothies so as not to disturb blood sugar.
- Yogurt-the more probiotic action the better is what I always say! However, yogurt will contribute to the acidic taste.
What is your go-to smoothie? I alternate between this recipe and THIS one. I aim for 1 smoothie a day otherwise I am seriously lacking in veggies. I find that smoothies are the easiest way to get a lot of nutrition in quickly.
xx, Jenni
[optin-form]
PIN IT!!!
Sounds like a good mix, kale is very healthy for you.
I will give it a go.
I love the taste of ginger…sounds great with pineapple! I’ve actually learned to enjoy the taste of blended drinks that are totally green with no fruit other than lemon. I’ll take a leafy green (anything from spinach to kale) with a whole peeled lemon and a chunk of ginger, using water as the liquid. The taste is definitely green, but the ginger and lemon perk it up. Sometimes I might through in something a little extra, like a teaspoon of matcha or some spirulina.
I love your health-related posts and DIY recipes, so I took a peek at your fashion ideas. $595 for a pair of pumps? We at, clearly, in different income brackets. And, even if I could afford such an outrageous price, I wouldn’t buy them. $595 for a pair of shoes is indulgence at its worst.
It is so high and I have not bought these shoes. I am on a search for more affordable white pumps and will post a more affordable pair once I find them! I weirdly can’t find the one’s I would wear. I couldn’t spend that on shoes-bags I can justify a little more then shoes. I will remove the shoes because I agree with you-for me personally, I wouldn’t spend this on shoes. I wouldn’t want someone to get the wrong idea about my convictions and priorities.