The term “superfood” gets thrown around quite a bit, to the point where the word itself has become watered down. Nuts, berries, greens – the line between what is and isn't a superfood has become pretty blurred.
As a Registered Dietitian, when I think of a genuine superfood, which is packed with nutrition, I think of GREENS, and this includes spirulina.
Spirulina is a complete protein with full amino acid profiles, and it contains about 60% protein, making it one of the most superior plant protein sources available.
You want vitamins? How about vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9, for starters? And, in addition to iron, spirulina is a source of potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. If you're looking for a truly, genuine “superfood,” look no further. Easily found in powdered form, it's an ideal addition to a smoothie to kick start your day.
That said, I suppose we should discuss the downside of spirulina: let's just say it's an “acquired” taste. Some people think it has a mild, grassy flavor, others think it's akin to eating lawn clippings. Being a supertaster might effect your opinion, but suffice to say, virtually no one consumes spirulina for the taste.
Surely there's something out there we can combine with spirulina to improve the palatability? Perhaps something equally high on the superfood spectrum?
Enter cacao. Another superfood in its own right, containing more antioxidants than blueberries and more iron than spinach – plays well with spirulina, so break out the blenders, we're going to make a smoothie that's good tasting and good for you.
Chocolate Strawberry Spirulina Smoothie
I N G R E D I E N T S
- 1 cup milk (raw milk, almond, hemp, coconut)
- 1 fresh or frozen banana
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup spinach, kale, or other leafy greens
- ½ tablespoon cacao powder
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon spirulina
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- honey, monk fruit, or maple syrup to sweeten (optional)
- 1 serving protein powder or green superfood powder
- 1 tablespoon maca, goji berries, bee pollen, aloe, hemp hearts, or any other superfood you have on hand
D I R E C T I O N S
Place all of the ingredients into your high-speed blender and blend for around 30-45 seconds or until nice and smooth.
Like all smoothie recipes, you can easily play around with the ingredients, but it turns out that chocolate and spirulina really do go well together. Since spirulina, especially dried, powdered spirulina, is so concentrated, you don't need very much of it, and a little goes a long way.
