So thrilled to have found a quick, easy, and yummy way to take my daily dose of this healthy green superfood! :)
I know spirulina is good for me, but I struggle with its pondwater-like taste. While some brave people are able to down this stuff with plain water, I'm probably not alone in my mission to make spirulina taste better. I've experimented with incorporating it in banana smoothies, but didn't want to add so much other stuff just to make a tiny bit of spirulina palatable-- it took maybe 2 cups' worth of banana smoothie in order to mask the taste of 1/8 teaspoon's worth of spirulina. A strong citrus ingredient does the job of disguising spirulina, and a healthy sweetener turns the mixture into a refreshing quencher:
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Sweet Citrus Spirulina Drink
SPIRULINA, 1/2 tsp.
- powerful algae superfood that NASA includes in astronauts' diets
- if you're in Metro Manila or anywhere in the Philippines, you can buy spirulina from The Healthy Grocery, super fast and convenient online store of high-quality superfoods, they deliver to your doorstep
CALAMANSI, 2 tbsp.
- freshly squeezed
- or any strong citrus juice like lemon or dalandan
HONEY, 1-1/2 tbsp.
- Milea is my preferred source for pure honey that's never been heated-- the honey from the supermarket just isn't as healthy or tasty
- or any healthy sweetener like stevia or coconut sugar
WATER, 1 cup
- ice cold (or just add ice)
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The drink does still look all green and gloopy, but trust me, it tastes better than it looks. ;) Of course, you should adjust this recipe to your taste-- I have a bit of a sweet tooth so you could try adding in the sweetener a little bit at a time until you get the drink just the way you like it. You could also increase the spirulina (I've tried up to 3/4 teaspoon and it's still good) for a more potent elixir.
I believe that eating healthy should also be yummy-- pleasure should go hand-in-hand with nutrition. This sweet citrus drink helps me access the power of spirulina, just as ancient Aztecs have done for thousands of years. Modern science validates the health benefits of this amazing algae. Spirulina is:
- used by NASA as a dietary supplement for astronauts on space missions
- the easiest algae to digest and absorb, because its cell walls are mucopolysaccharides instead of tough cellulose
- rich in protein, polysaccharide, lipid, essential amino and fatty acids, minerals; and vitamins such as vitamin E, beta carotene
- antimicrobial (including antiviral and antibacterial), antioxidant, anti-allergic, anticancer, metalloprotective (protects against heavy metal toxins), immunostimulant, antioxidant
- beneficial to good gut microbes
In case you are interested in learning more about spirulina, you can check out ongoing research online at PubMed or Google Scholar. Here are the sources I used for researching spirulina's benefits:
- Nutritional and medical applications of spirulina microalgae. 2013 June, Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry.
- Spirulina in clinical practice: evidence-based human applications. 2011, Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM.
- Spirulina in health care management. 2008 October, Current pharmaceutical biotechnology.
- Nutritional and therapeutic potential of Spirulina. 2005 October, Current pharmaceutical biotechnology.
- [Update on the pharmacology of Spirulina (Arthrospira), an unconventional food]. 2002 September, Archivos latinoamericanos de nutrición.
- Current knowledge on potential health benefits of Spirulina. 1993 April, Journal of Applied Phycology
