This spirulina smoothie takes the notion of an antioxidant smoothie to the next level. It’s packed with 6 superfood ingredients that can boost your immune system, soothe your gut and fill you with energy. Plus, it actually tastes good!
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💙 Why You Will Love This Recipe
If you’re a fan of sweet, fruity, refreshing smoothies, you’re bound to love this one. It’s:
- Cool and refreshing
- Not too thick
- Perfectly sweet
- Packed with nutrients
- Low in calories and fat
- Naturally gluten free and vegan friendly
- Quick and easy – you’ll need 6 ingredients, 5 minutes & 1 blender
🥄 What Is Spirulina?
Known today mostly as a very popular supplement, spirulina is actually a naturally occurring alga that grows in fresh and saltwater. Research has shown that its consumption goes all the way back to the ancient Aztecs, but it was actually rediscovered and popularised by NASA, who proposed it could be grown in space as a supplement for astronauts.
Is Spirulina Healthy?
Spirulina may be the most nutritious food on the planet, packed with a range of nutrients.
Dried spirulina (spirulina powder) contains about 60 to 70 percent protein. It’s actually considered one of the few plant-based sources of complete protein. This means that it contains all essential amino acids that your body needs but can’t produce on its own, which makes it the perfect supplement for vegans. It’s also a great source of calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamins A, E, and K.
Can You Taste Spirulina in This Smoothie?
Eaten directly, spirulina doesn’t have the most pleasant taste – it is seaweed after all! But, when mixed with other ingredients, the taste of spirulina is completely undetectable. This smoothie tastes a lot like apple juice with a tangy hint of lime.
The Difference Between Green and Blue Spirulina
I’ve made this smoothie with both blue and green spirulina, and they both taste amazing and both are very high in antioxidants. The spirulina you can see in these photos is blue spirulina.
Green spirulina, the alga, contains a phytochemical called phycocyanin. When phycocyanin is extracted from the alga, we call it blue spirulina.
Blue spirulina is actually just one compound of green spirulina, which is what makes green spirulina a much better source of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Blue spirulina is essentially just phycocyanin, which is a powerful antioxidant, but it lacks some of the other nutrients that get removed when the compound is extracted from the green alga.
One of the benefits of blue spirulina is that it has an even milder taste and you can easily add more of it to a smoothie without risking the seaweed taste coming through.
🍏 Ingredients
- Apples – a great source of fibre, vitamins C and K, and potassium. It’s best to use a sweet variety, such as Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious.
- Coconut water – packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, and high in plant protein. Use 1 cup of coconut water to make this a thick smoothie, or 2 cups for a thinner, juice-like drink.
- Guava – rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium and fibre. If you can’t find guava, you can simply use guava juice.
- Spirulina – the star of this recipe and one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. You can use either blue or green spirulina (see differences above).
- White grapes – high in vitamins C and K. You can omit them if you don’t have any at hand, or swap for a splash of grape juice.
- Lime – freshly squeezed lime juice works best. Add more if you like the slightly sour, refreshing flavour.
🥥 Is Coconut Water Really Good for You?
While you can technically replace it with water, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favour if you don’t. Here’s why you should give coconut water a try (if you haven’t already):
- Excellent source of vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and calcium
- Rich in protein – with 2 grams of protein per 46 calories, it’s actually one of the most protein-rich fruit juices in the world (crazy as it seems, but coconut is botanically considered a fruit rather than a nut)
- Has antioxidant properties
You can drink coconut water directly from the coconut. If this doesn’t seem feasible (and when you’re making a smoothie it isn’t), you can use bottled coconut water. However, make sure to read the ingredients to verify it is 100% coconut water, as some brands add sugar and flavouring agents.
If you really don’t like the taste, you can still omit it from the recipe. Substitute it with water, or your favourite plant-based milk (I don’t recommend using dairy milk in this smoothie, because the taste simply doesn’t go well with the rest of the ingredients).
💬 Spirulina Smoothie FAQs
I find this smoothie works best with sweet apples, such as Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious.
This recipe makes 2 servings.
All smoothies are best fresh, but it will last in the fridge for up to one day. Store it in a sealed container, or a bottle, and shake or stir before drinking.
More Healthy Smoothies
Spirulina Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 apples, peeled
- 1 ½ cup (360 ml) natural coconut water
- ⅛ cup (30 ml) guava juice or 2 whole guava fruits
- 1 teaspoon spirulina
- 10 white grapes
- Juice from ½ lime
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a large, high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away.
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