Foods You Should Know About: Spirulina

I’m back to talk about another one of my favorite foods. Well this one isn’t so much of a food but a very important ingredient for smoothies and the like. I stumbled upon Spirulina when I was trying to make a salad dressing. I had never heard of such thing and I had no idea where to find it in the grocery store. After a lot of searching, I found powdered Spirulina with the health supplements!

What is Spirulina?

So at first glance, this green powder isn’t the most appetizing. Spirulina is basically a blue-green microalgae. It’s totally edible and it’s used in many healthy recipes. It’s a green powder that you can add to smoothies, shakes, and the like.

Why should I eat it?

Spirulina is referred to as a superfood. Three grams of Spirulina contains 60% protein and is an excellent source of Vitamins A, B12, Iron, Magnesium, and Chromium. If you aren’t meeting your daily vitamin intake, this is a great way to boost those minerals! Depending on how you ingest it, Spirulina has no taste and can be added to a green smoothie. You get all the benefits without any unpleasant taste!

Spirulina has also been known to help fight allergies, lower blood pressure, and regulate cholesterol. If you are trying to get back in shape and are watching your heart health, Spirulina is something you should add to your diet. Along with a balanced diet, Spirulina can be very helpful in regulating these numbers.

How should I eat it?

While I stumbled upon Spirulina while trying to create a salad dressing, you can have it many ways! Basically, Spirulina comes in two forms, powder and tablet. I always opt for the powdered version because it’s much more versatile. Whenever I make a green smoothie, I like to add a tablespoon of powdered Spirulina to get the benefits. Here’s a great collection of recipes that contain Spirulina.