Green Smoothie with Edamame, Mango, and Kale

 A protein-packed Green Smoothie with edamame mango, kale, green apple, cauliflower, lemon, and ginger to put some zing into your morning routine! 

Some people don't like drinking smoothies during the winter, when it's cold outside. I get it. Most of the time, though, my desire to get a lot of veggies into my body in the most efficient way overrides my dislike of cold food.

I'll often chase a smoothie with a mug of warm tea, or I'll make sure I'm good and warm before I drink my smoothie so it doesn't cool me off too much. In any case, I'm still on the smoothie train in spite of the chilly temperatures outside, and this Green Smoothie with edamame, mango and green apple has been in heavy rotation lately, so I thought I best share it with you guys.

Hold up now, you're putting edamame in your green smoothie, Nutrition Lady?

Yes folks, I am. If you've been around these parts for a while, you know I'm no stranger to the whole beans-in-my-smoothie situation. This Chocolate Black Bean Brownie Smoothie is one of my most popular recipes of all time. 

I started playing around with edamame - li'l green soybeans - in my green smoothies a while ago, and much like the black beans in the chocolate smoothie, they blend up like a dream and if you didn't know they were in there, you wouldn't be able to detect them.

So, if they're basically undetectable, what's the point? Protein, folks.

Although we know that there is at least small amounts of protein in basically everything (even lettuce!) some recent research has suggested that our basic daily protein requirements may have been significantly underestimated.

The formula for daily protein requirements that we've been working with up until now is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, with it bumping up to 1.2 grams per kilogram for serious athletes. This means that an adult weighing 150 pounds = 68kg x 0.8 would require about 55 grams of protein a day.

This new research suggests that a more realistic estimate would somewhere between 0.93 and 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Using this formula, a 150 pound adult would require somewhere between 64 and 80 grams of protein per day.

A more simple way to average out this equation is to simply divide your weight in pounds by 2, so an adult weighing 150 pounds would therefore require 75grams of protein; a happy medium.

Although I did use some protein powder when I was pregnant (a time when my appetite wasn't great but I needed extra protein), I generally prefer to get my protein from whole foods. Throwing a handful of edamame into my green smoothie is an excellent example of how I achieve that.

Of course, there's plenty of other good-for-you stuff up in this Green Smoothie! We've got:

• Edamame! Providing loads of plant-based protein.
• Mango! Providing plenty of vitamins C and A.
• Green apple! Bringing plenty dietary fiber to the party.
• Kale! Loaded with vitamin K and folate.
• Cauliflower! With antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
• Ginger! Bringing some zing, and tummy-taming anti-inflammatory compounds.
• Lemon! Brightens things up and provides more vitamin C.

Want to mix things up in your green smoothie?

• Add half an avocado for a creamy texture and a good dose of healthy fats.
• Add a tablespoon or two of hemp seeds for more protein.
• Swap the oat milk for cold water or choose another plant-based milk if you prefer.
• Add a fistful of parsley if you want to go hardcore green.
• Add half a teaspoon of matcha powder to up on the antioxidants.

Hey Nutrition Lady, what's the deal with edamame?

Edamame is a great source of both protein and fiber. They’re also a good source of molybdenum, manganese, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B2, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and potassium. Edamame is the best whole, unprocessed form of soy you can find, which makes it a great choice. Opt for organic whenever possible as GMO soy is extremely common.

Other Smoothie Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Chocolate Black Bean Brownie Smoothie
The Greenest Smoothie
Berry Fennel Smoothie

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