This kale blueberry kefir smoothie is a perfect way to get some more greens into your diet and a fermented food – kefir. You’ll want to make this smoothie on hot days for a quick and easy breakfast or you could even freeze it with popsicle molds for an afternoon treat.
Table of Contents
This article and post were developed through a sponsored collaboration with National Dairy Council.
What you’ll need (& their gut health benefits)
With just a few ingredients you’ll have a smoothie that has both protein and probiotics.
Kale
One of the standouts for kale is its vitamin K content with 1 cup of kale meeting 68% of your daily value (9). There is emerging research that shows vitamin K from our diet could impact our gut microbiome (1).
Kale is also a source of fiber with the majority of it being insoluble fiber. This type of fiber helps add weight to stool making it easier to poop.
Research also shows kale can be helpful with constipation. In a small group of individuals that consumed kale for 4 weeks, researchers found an improvement in stool frequency (2).
Blueberries
Frozen blueberries are a staple in my kitchen because they work well in smoothies, but I also like to use them as my ice cubes for my water.
Blueberries are one of my favorite fiber foods and they have about 4 grams per cup (10). Berries could also be a potential source of prebiotics. Polyphenols, a compound found in a variety of berries, are being investigated for having prebiotic potential – particularly when combined with dairy foods, like yogurt (3, 4, 11).
Kefir
Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is perfect for smoothies. It has a similar tangy taste like yogurt, except kefir has a thinner texture.
You get the benefit of probiotics when you use kefir, but you just have to make sure your bottle says it has live and active cultures in the ingredient list.
There is evidence that kefir may positively influence blood sugar by improving fasting blood sugar and insulin levels (5). While this benefit is not yet completely understood, it’s possible it could be related to changes in the gut microbiome.
Tangerine
Adding some citrus to your smoothie really brightens the flavors and adds a little something extra to your drink.
A medium tangerine is just shy of 2 grams of fiber and 23 grams of vitamin C which is 26% of your daily value (6).
Much like the polyphenols in berries, there are compounds in citrus fruit that are also being investigated for being a potential prebiotic (7). It’s not just the flesh of the fruit that can be helpful but citrus peels can also have health compounds and can be used in recipes like sauces or glazes (8).
How to make
This kale blueberry kefir smoothie is super easy to make and just requires a good blender, so everything gets broken down.
Quick Tip
Baby kale works the best for smoothies because it breaks down a lot easier in your smoothie. If you don’t have access to baby kale, I would recommend Lacinato kale instead. To make it easier to blend, tear the kale into smaller pieces before adding it to the blender.
FAQs
Is kefir ok for lactose intolerance?
Kefir is lower in lactose than a cup of milk with a 1 cup serving of kefir having 9 grams of lactose (12), and some brands have nearly 0 grams. Additionally, kefir’s cultures help break down lactose, making it easier for many to tolerate.
Can I use a different flavor of kefir?
Vanilla kefir could be a nice substitute for blueberry kefir. You may not get as strong of a blueberry flavor, but you could add a little more of the frozen blueberries.
No kefir? No problem. You can also sub for a blueberry or vanilla yogurt. You will need to add some more liquid to help blend everything together.
Can you prep this smoothie ahead of time?
You could prep the ingredients (minus the kefir) and store them in the fridge for 3 days or you could add them to a freezer safe bag for your own DIY smoothie cup. Then in the morning all you have to do is add the kefir.
If you freeze your ingredients, then you may find that you need to add more kefir (for extra liquid) since frozen ingredients can make smoothies thick.
Will the smoothie taste green?
The trick to not making a kale smoothie taste “too green” is to pick the right kale and not overdo it. The best kale for smoothies is Lacinato kale, aka dinosaur kale, because it blends better than curly kale. If your blender isn’t very strong you can strain out the kale but it does remove some of the fiber.
Kale Blueberry Kefir Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 small handful baby kale
- 1/2 ea banana
- 1/2 c blueberries, frozen
- 1/3 c blueberry kefir
- 1/4 c milk
- 1 ea tangerine
- 4 ea ice cubes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, except the ice cubes, to the blender and blend until smooth.
- Add the ice cubes and blend until desired consistency.
Amanda is a pizza loving registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in mindfulness and gut health. She quickly realized that gut health goes beyond the gut; it is also about honoring our gut feelings. She is the creator of The Mindful Gut™ which uses science and strategy to help people improve their gut health.
