Suppose you are the kind of individual that is always trying to add more greens into your diet, then good for you. A great way to achieve this is by making smoothie veggies, and what could work better for your veggie smoothies than kale powder! So today, we’ll be telling you about everything there is to know about kale powder.
Kale powder has become extremely popular because kale is this superfood with tons of benefits and because if you’ve ever used fresh kale in your smoothies, sometimes you end up with unappetizing bits of kale no matter how high-powered blender is. This is where kale powder comes in, as you can easily sprinkle it in your salads, soups, and, you guessed it, in your smoothies.
Kale powder drying methods
Kale powder is obtained through different drying methods. In this sense, kale can be air-dried and freeze-dried.
Air-dried kale powder
Kale that’s been air-dried is usually a lot cheaper because air-drying is a very low-cost method of drying kale. Therefore, the biggest highlight of air-dried kale would be its cost.
The leaves are put in a dehydrator at a high temperature for a few hours. Water and many soluble nutrients also leech out during the air-drying process.
Air-dried powder is not very popular because many of the nutrients are degraded, and it typically makes the taste of the powder stronger.
Freeze-dried kale powder
On the contrary, we have freeze-dried kale powder, which tastes very close to the taste of fresh kale and, more importantly, retains a higher nutrient level. Freeze-drying is a slow process that typically takes 2-3 days per batch.
The freeze-dried powder is considered to be of much higher quality. Therefore it is a lot more expensive. So if you’re looking for a high-quality product, you should opt for organic freeze-dried kale powder.
Kale powder types
Organic kale powder
Vegetarians highly appreciate this organic kale powder for its huge protein and calcium content. Perfect for making delicious and healthy smoothies, but also as an ingredient for soups and creamy sauces.
The pouch has no artificial additives, no extra sugar, no palm oil, and no preservatives. The powder is made from 100% natural ingredients. Find it at LYO Food.
KOYAH – Organic USA Grown Kale Powder
This organic kale powder starts as the USA-grown, fresh, whole kale leaves. They are immediately frozen after harvest then dried through a cold freeze-drying process. As the final step, they are ground to a fine powder and packaged.
It is Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Whole-Food, Freeze-dried. Fantastic in smoothies, soups, sauces, baked goods, juices, and nut milk. 100% pure with no additives.
1 scoop of powder equivalent to 1 cup fresh kale. Each tub contains the equivalent of 30 cups of fresh kale. Find it on Amazon.
Nutricost Organic Kale Powder
Nutricost Kale powder is pure, organic kale leaf powder with no other ingredients added to dilute it. Nutricost Kale Powder is gluten-free and non-GMO and in a facility that strictly adheres to high GMP standards.
As a dietary supplement, add 1 scoop to the beverage of your choice, and it should be stored in a cool, dry place. Find it on Amazon.
Amazing Grass Kale Greens Booster
This company specializes in organically grown nutrient-rich cereal grasses from a farm in Kansas. Made from 100% Organic Kale, this is a convenient way to boost your daily smoothie so you can feel amazing every day.
Amazing Grass Kale Greens Booster supports overall health and wellness with Vitamin A & K, minerals, amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Find it on Amazon.
SB Organics Kale Powder
Kale is renowned for its richness in essential nutrients, including Vitamin A, K, C, and beta-carotene. Its antioxidant characteristics also aid in protecting your body against free radicals that contribute to heart disease and cancer.
This kale powder is certified USDA organic, with no GMOs added. It is also gluten-free, vegan, halal, and kosher.
Add a scoop of kale powder to your everyday recipes. Throw it in your shakes, smoothies, salads, stews, and sauce to give your body that extra nutritious boost that it deserves. Find it on Amazon.
Kale powder recipes
Green Shake
Ingredients: 1 tbsp kale powder, 1 tbsp LYO spinach powder, 1 tbsp LYO nettle powder, 250 ml natural kefir or yogurt, 125 ml water, 2 slices of fresh pineapple
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Veggie soup
Ingredients: 1 tbsp kale powder, 2 tbsp nettle powder, 150 g brown lentils, 1 large onion, 1 diced lemon, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 l vegetable stock, 1-2 cloves of garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper
Directions:
- Make a paste by mixing 100 ml vegetable stock into the nettle and kale powder.
- Place a large pot on the stove over medium heat and add oil.
- Thrown in your garlic cloves, diced onion, nettle & kale paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cook at low heat for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the lentils and the lemon juice.
- Simmer until the liquid is absorbed, then add the stock.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the lemon and continue to simmer covered for additional 15 minutes—taste and, if necessary, season. Blend and serve.
DIY Kale Powder
If you’ve ever grown kale, you know how a few plants will give you abundant amounts of kale; no matter how much you cut the leaves, they always come back, so why not make your own!
A bunch of kale yields about 3 ounces of powder: 1/2 teaspoon of the powder is the equivalent of about 1 serving of fresh kale.
What you need:
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed
Process:
- Wash the kale thoroughly and pat dry.
- Tear into large pieces
- Spread the kale on dehydrator trays and dry at 125 degrees for about 6-7 hours or until the leaves are dehydrated and crumbly. If you use your oven, spread the kale on baking sheets and dry at 175 degrees, turning leaves over at least once until very dry and crumbly.
- Cool the kale then, working in small batches, crumble the leaves into a coffee grinder and pulverize into a fine powder.
- Keep your kale powder in an airtight container.
