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Kickin’ Kale Juice

Kale is one of the most powerful plant foods in the world. It is one of the things I would take with me on a deserted island. 1 cup of kale contains 190% of your Vitamin A, 90% of your Vitamin C, mega doses of B6, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, and Potassium. Kale protects your eyes from the sun, preventing cataracts. The enzymes released from kale go in to your liver and trigger cancer fighting chemicals that literally dissolve unhealthy cells throughout your body. Animals with tumors are given a diet of kale and their tumors actually shrink. These are just some of the benefits!

Juicing kale unlocks even more power because your body is able to absorb the live enzymes and nutrients immediately without having to digest it.

So here it is – This is my everyday recipe for kale juice – I drink some combination of this on most days of the week – frequently switching out different types of kale. The fresh ginger adds a nice kick!

Hope you enjoy this and make it a habit that will bring radiant & wonderful health to you and your family!

Kickin Kale Juice

Food Babe's Kickin' Kale Juice
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch dark lacinato kale or curly kale
  • ½ bunch celery
  • ½ bunch cilantro or parsley
  • 1 cucumber with ends removed
  • 1 lemon with peel removed
  • 2 inches of fresh ginger root
  • 1 green apple (optional for added sweetness)
Instructions
  1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly and place into a large bowl
  2. Juice each vegetable in this order – kale, cilantro/parsley, celery, ginger, cucumber, lemon
  3. Stir mixture before serving
  4. Clean juicer immediately
Notes
Makes two 15 ounce servings – Sip slowly and drink with intention immediately after juicing. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 12 hours (Some live enzymes will be lost). ***Please buy all organic ingredients if possible***

 

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XOXO,

Food Babe

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164 responses to “Kickin’ Kale Juice

  1. I drank a green juice with kale and/or spinach in it every day for 40 consecutive days when I did a juice fast two years ago. Also had juiced broccoli on occasion. I had been on a fairly high dose of Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism for 4 years prior to my juice fast. Within 2 weeks of starting the juice fast I had to have my Levo dose lowered, within 21 days I was off the medication completely. My thyroid began functioning normally. I have been doing labs regularly, monitoring my thyroid function over the past 2 years and it is still functioning normally. In my case, the kale didn’t hurt my thyroid, it helped it.

    1. I too have a hypothyroidism issue…I hope it will work the same for me. I’ve been feeling tired n sluggish lately. I’m ready to start feeling better. One question did a regular dr remove you from the meds or did u see a holistic one for that? Thx Mary

    2. I’m so glad I saw your comment. I know everyone is different, but I’ve been so worried about getting into juicing for fear of worsening my thyroid issues. Thank you!

  2. I started juicing using my blender, because I wanted all the pulp included , and using kale has cleared up my eyes ! it’s amazing!

    1. @Dave.. could you elaborate on your statement about the juice ‘clearing up your eyes’? I am beginning to have vision problems and wonder if it’s just that I’m getting older or maybe I’m deficient in something… Thank you.

    2. That’s awesome. I’ve seen an improvement in my vision as well, since I started green smoothies and green juice. But to clarify, what you are doing is blending, not juicing. Juice, by definition, is fruit/vegetables with the fiber (pulp) removed.

  3. I was reading and someone said if you have thyroid problems that you should not juice kale. Why? and what else can you juice that will give alot of liquid. Have been juicing since mid August and love it. I add a medium size lime i prefer it to lemon.

  4. Hi Food Babe,
    Could you estimate how much juice would come from the kale as compared to the celery? Will the goodness of the juice be affected if I use too much of something.
    And do you recommend using the leaves of the celery as well?

  5. How do i get the most out of kale and spinach? I roll it up in a ball but i feel like i lose most of it to the pulp basket. I have the Breville…what do you suggest?

    1. I have a Hurom juicer. It’s a slow juicer but when I had a Cuisinart juicer, I’d ball up leafy greens

  6. Hi All,
    I have a kitchen aid blender, & my favourite smoothie is 1 pear, a bunch of baby kale/spinach, sometimes celery & cuke, and coconut water. It is really good, and I hope I’m getting some benefit out of it. I suffer with osteoarthritis in one hip and knees, so any additions you can recommend would be greatly appreciated!

  7. I have a Nutribullet that I got from Macy’s. This thing will turn anything into juice. $100.00. I have to try your recipe. I usually put spinach or kale, a banana or avocado, blueberries, maybe blackberries or strawberries, flax or sunflower seeds and then add some water and in less than a minute it’s all done, all juice. Sometimes thick but no real pulp to speak of.

    1. John K, what wattage Nutribullet did you buy? I have seen several with different watts and didn’t know which one to go with.

      1. 600watt motor, The same one you see on late night TV. It has a gray and silver base. It comes with 2 short and 1 tall cup, handles and lids, power base (motor) extractor and milling blades, nutrition guide and recipe book. I love it! Check here http://www.nutribullet.com

      1. They may be blending but they are keeping all of the benefits.and they are NOT wasting the rest of the fruit or vegetable

  8. I use my vitamix. You need a little pure water or organic apple juice say 1/4-1/2 cup and blend till smooth

      1. The vitamix is better since you get all of the items added to your drink and the vitamix completely gets rid of the pulp. The best of both worlds IMOP.

  9. Celery-flavor overload! Did I not use enough of something? Used chopped, bagged kale so I could only best-guess what a “bunch” was.

  10. Hi Food Babe,
    I have a question for you 🙂
    Is it ok to do your juice cleanse right after a surgery (partial Hysterectomy)?
    I’m a member and downloaded your plan but I’m not sure if I should do it before or after. Thanks for all you do!

      1. I juiced with my Vita Mix. Really liked a recipe of ice first, my handful of spinace, several leaves of kale and a banana.
        Are bananas healthy? Or added frozen strawberries (so they are readily available and don’t spoil.) I should go back to this juice. Unfortunately my recipe book did not interest me. Well, the ice cream did! Cut the sugar down 3/4 (could I use raw sugar OR Trivia? & how much Trivia?) powdered milk, 2% milk vanila,. Have also used chocolate soy milk. Like to put nuts when it is blended.
        Thank you and God bless you. Lyzzy

  11. Works great in my Nutri Bullet love that little guy. Add some pineapple an extra digestive boost!!!

  12. I make this juice and sometimes add one green chilli , which gives it a great kick .
    I juice the kale first , then take that pulp out before juicing the rest of the stuff . I then boil some lentils and put the kale pulp in that and have it for lunch . Absolutely super . Love this site

  13. I love your reports and recipes. I also add turmeric root to my juice along with ginger root for the health benefits. I understand that turmeric root has cancer fighting qualities among other benefits. Keep up the good work.

  14. I too would like answers to all those questions about whether using a blender gives the same benefits, as from what I’ve learned, the point of juicing is to break down cell walls of food.

    Now, I’m one of the few who appreciate that a blog is a LOT of work, but someone over there is asleep at the switch. I can’t fathom why no one has deleted the obvious spam comments; they’re months old. What a travesty of a really great blog feature! Grrrr…. I don’t suppose there’s a filter to reject any post that doesn’t use the word “juice/ing/er”…?

  15. Like the looks of this recipe. I have been juicing for the past few months using a Vitamix blender and I recommend it wholeheartedly. I believe using the entire vegetable including fiber is more filling and nutritious, and also easier to clean.

    Food babe – like your site and was especially interested in your article about the hidden ingredients in beer. Have not seen this content anywhere else

    1. Appears that more than half of the posters have no conceptual differentiation between juicing and blending. Juicing is to remove the fiber (pulp), blending is to blend the whole food into a smoothie-like consistency, which some incorrectly refer to as ‘juice’. See this for clarification, it’s excellent:
      video interview -Andrew Saul PhD, leading orthomolecular
      articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/12/dr-saul-vegetable-juice.aspx?ShowAllComments=True&FocusOn=659636

  16. I also would have thought that the pulp of the vegetable or fruit would be good when juicing or in a smoothie… Can someone please clarify the difference. Thx. Flo G.

    1. Juicing is to remove the fiber (pulp), blending is to blend the whole food into a smoothie-like consistency, which some incorrectly refer to as ‘juice’. See this for clarification, it’s excellent:
      video interview -Andrew Saul PhD, leading orthomolecular
      articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/12/dr-saul-vegetable-juice.aspx?ShowAllComments=True&FocusOn=659636

  17. Very high intakes of cruciferous vegetables…have been found to cause hypothyroidism (insufficient thyroid hormone) in animals (68). There has been one case report of an 88-year-old woman developing severe hypothyroidism and coma following consumption of an estimated 1.0 to 1.5 kg/day of raw bok choy for several months.

  18. Hi Foodbabe,
    I was wondering if you’ve ever posted about what to do with the vegetable pulp left over after juicing. It would be a shame to toss it all out (or compost) since so much produce goes in to one juice. Any recommendations? This question is really holding me back from wanting to start juicing, as I do not have the resources to buy that much produce to only extract the juice.
    Thanks!

    1. Regarding all that pulp from juicing, I have tried to use it in many ways, some successfully and others, not so great. Here they are:
      Vegan meatballs: I mix the pulp (without any fruit) with ground flax seeds and spices and some bread crumbs, gluten free if necessary, roll into balls and cook in coconut oil. They are a bit flimsy, but work pretty darned well in a spaghetti sauce.
      Soups: Throw a bunch in creamed soups or sauces.
      Muffins and carrot cake for increased moisture and flavor, use the pulp including any fruit.
      Dog food:mix a little with dog food for extra nutrition for the pooch in your life, or give to your chickens or last resort, add to your compost pile.

  19. RE: Your recipe for Kickin’ Kale – is there a reason to remove the lemon peel, or is it just a person preference?

      1. I only asked because I actually like some of the flavor from the peel. Thanks for not being too snarky – I do know the difference between adding too much ‘pith’ to something. I have the luxury of making juice using a SAMSON SLOW SPEED JUICER. When I use THAT, peeling isn’t necessary to obtain juice. Thanks so much for a kind response.

  20. For those of you that juice, I have had almost all of the types of juicers – from the fast spinner/shredders to the Hurom. the slower ones (like the Samson) use an auger that turns slowly, and will juice just about anything on a near-continuous basis. Juice comes out the bottom, the pulp out another chute. You do not normally have to peel ANYTHING. Celery, carrots, etc go right on through, and you can add grassy types of herbs if you want!

    I’ve given away all except the Samson.

  21. Question: your recipe states to juice the ingredients in a specific order. What is the reason for this? For example, when I juice I like to put an apple in at the end to help extract the leafy greens a bit more.

  22. I used a VITAMIX to make this juice this afternoon and i have Two Questions —-

    1. is using a VITAMIX ok ? i want to make sure i am not loosing any nutrients to heat.

    2. is this juice equally beneficial any time of the day ? or are the maximum benefits reaped only as a breakfast smoothie ?

    Really appreciate if Vani or her assistant can answer these questions.

    Thanks,
    Shil.

    1. Hi Shilpa.

      A vitamix is a great tool to have on hand in any and every kitchen. It’s a superior way to blend your food. There are many recipes out there to make a ‘juice’ in your vitamix… this will give you blended food in a juice consistency. When you blend your ingredients you are keeping the entire contents of the vegetables and fruits in your drink. This includes all the fiber.

      Juicing on the other hand, extracts the juice right from the vegetables and fruits and leaves with pure juice. You would need an actual juicer to accomplish this type of beverage.

      Juices and smoothies are completely different, and they both have a place in our diet – it’s just important to know when the best time for each is.

      I like to think of a juice as a supplement, and a smoothie as a meal. Starting my morning with a juice gives me tons energy and is a great way to kick start my day. Whereas, a smoothie after a workout is there to replenish my micro and my macro nutrients.

      I hope that answers your question!

  23. Blending is not juicing people. Stop asking the same question over and over.
    NO, your vitamix or nutribullet will not do the job.
    Get a juicer if you want to make proper juice.

  24. All this juicing vs blending stuff. Here’s my understanding: A blender is fine if you don’t have intestinal issues. A juicer will get the vitamins and minerals where they need to go, very quickly, without irritation. Consider sugar as an example. Refined sugar, especially in liquid form will hit you immediately, where in it’s natural unprocessed fruit form, it will be a little slower to absorb, and you may not absorb everything.

  25. I would like to add this….if you are taking blood thinning drugs be careful of the vitamin A. You need to monitor your blood.

    1. Agree, because:

      “Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, disposing of any excesses taken in through diet takes much longer than with water-soluble B vitamins and vitamin C. This allows for toxic levels of vitamin A to accumulate.

      Excessive vitamin A consumption can lead to nausea, irritability, anorexia (reduced appetite), vomiting, blurry vision, headaches, hair loss, muscle and abdominal pain and weakness, drowsiness, and altered mental status. In chronic cases, hair loss, dry skin, drying of the mucous membranes, fever, insomnia, fatigue, weight loss, bone fractures, anemia, and diarrhea can all be evident on top of the symptoms associated with less serious toxicity. Chronically high doses of vitamin A, and also pharmaceutical retinoids such as 13-cis retinoic acid, can produce the syndrome of pseudotumor cerebri. This syndrome includes headache, blurring of vision and confusion, associated with increased intracerebral pressure.

      High vitamin A intake has been associated with spontaneous bone fractures in animals. Cell culture studies have linked increased bone resorption and decreased bone formation with high intakes. This interaction may occur because vitamins A and D may compete for the same receptor and then interact with parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium.

      Toxic effects of vitamin A have been shown to significantly affect developing fetuses. The fetus is particularly sensitive to vitamin A toxicity during the period of organogenesis.

      In some studies, the use of Vitamin A supplements has been linked to an increased rate of mortality.”

      SO: who still want their daily dose of Vitamin A? Sounds like a VERY NASTY CHEMICAL doesn’t it? I’m not sure many ingredients would be approved on this blog based on this information (and the way it is phrased)… But as is also known, a MODERATE DOSE is essential to many bodily functions. Hence, it is as important as ever to realize that all compounds will have some toxicity at some point, but they may also be extremely beneficial if the dosage is correct.

  26. Dear Food Babe,

    You do not absorb enzymes! Enzymes are proteins, and in the case that you are able to absorb intact proteins you likely have an autoimmune disease. When proteins are absorbed intact (look up leaky gut syndrome) they cause an immune response as the body recognizes them as foreign. The immune system launches a defense, which can cause damage to the intestinal lining (as what happens with Celiac’s Disease). Please do not make claims without scientific basis!

    Sincerely,
    A concerned chemist

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