Key points

• Spirulina is a blue algae that grows in freshwater environments. It’s also a very popular dietary supplement with lots of health benefits and a high nutritional value. Spirulina contains a lot of vegan protein, iron and other minerals, and B vitamins.
• There are different ways to implement spirulina into your daily diet. The easiest and most convenient way is to drink delicious and healthy FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks. You can also add spirulina powder to your smoothies, juices, matcha, lattes, and cocktails.
• Spirulina can be taken in the form of powder, tablets, or carbonated drinks. Keep open bottles or bags of spirulina powder and tablets in the refrigerator.

Spirulina is a freshwater blue algae commonly used as a dietary supplement. It’s a ‘superfood’ rich in protein, iron, and B vitamins that has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a real find for any type of diet, especially plant-based.

Spirulina is most commonly sold in the form of pressed tablets or powder. While you can take spirulina tablets without any food or water, mixing spirulina powder with food is recommended. Spirulina has an earthy and slightly seaweed-like flavour that many people don’t like, which is why it is often mixed into drinks and added to food recipes to mask the taste. Another great alternative is to drink delicious carbonated spirulina drinks created by FUL® to get all the benefits of spirulina without having to endure its taste.

This article will give you even more tips for how you can implement spirulina into your daily diet while hiding its taste! But first, let's talk about the benefits of this supplement.

Spirulina Health Benefits

Spirulina’s high nutritional value makes it a real superfood. Firstly, the dried blue algae contains around 60 percent of protein by weight, making it the best vegetable source of protein and an excellent addition to any plant-based diet. It also contains digestive enzymes and fatty acids necessary for normal brain and nervous system function, which make up 7 percent of spirulina’s weight.

Spirulina has numerous health benefits. Here’s are some examples:

• Spirulina helps with weight loss by making you feel full and activating the metabolism. Thus, spirulina is highly recommended as an addition to a healthy weight-loss diet. 
• It reduces inflammation, helps with joint pain, and prevents osteoporosis.
• The supplement prevents and helps to fight anaemia, eliminating the need for iron-deficient individuals to take iron supplements. It also improves the immune system.
• Some studies suggest that spirulina can help you feel more energetic and, at the same time, reduce stress and fatigue. 
• Spirulina improves concentration and memory.
• It has antioxidant properties that help prevent ageing and cellular damage caused by free radicals, stress, etc.

Best Ways To Drink Spirulina

White Peach

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Lime & Mint

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Lemon & Ginger

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FUL® Sparkling Spirulina Drinks

The best and most convenient way to add spirulina to your diet is by drinking sparkling spirulina drinks from FUL®. If you’re a fan of fizzy drinks, this is an excellent healthy alternative that tastes delicious! In addition to being tasty and providing you with all the health benefits of spirulina, FUL® also saves your time since you don’t need to make the drink. And you can drink it on the go! Unlike other forms of Spirulina, FUL® Spirulina has no fishy off taste and therefore requires no flavor “masking” agents. FUL® drinks come in several lip smacking flavours: White Peach, Lemon and Ginger, and Lime and Mint. 

Smoothies

Adding spirulina powder to a smoothie helps mask its sea flavour and, at the same time, make the drink look more aesthetically appealing. You can mix the supplement into any smoothies you like, but its flavour goes best with sweet and fruity smoothies. So the next time you make a smoothie, try sprinkling about 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina powder into the mixture before blending. This will give the drink a deep, dark green colour, but the flavour will be covered up by sugar and fruit.

The best fruits to mix with spirulina are pineapple, banana, orange, and mango, but you can also go for any other sweet and ripe fruit. This method works just as well for smoothie bowls, and adding spirulina powder will only boost their antioxidant, electrolyte, vitamin, and mineral content.

You can also try adding spirulina powder into spinach smoothies, as it blends well with the savoury ingredients without giving them an overpowering taste.

Juice

Another tasty trick is to sprinkle some spirulina powder into your juice to give it a nutritional boost. Just like with smoothies, you will need to mix the juice with 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina powder and shake it to dissolve the powder. This will make the drink turn a dark green colour, but the fruity flavours will still shine through.

Mango juice, pineapple juice, and orange juice are perfect options for mixing spirulina powder. But you should remember not to add the powder to your juicer because it won’t be effective at blending spirulina with your drink. Instead - pour the juice into a bottle and shake it to mix it with spirulina.

Matcha

Adding spirulina to matcha is another delicious option! Matcha is a delicious drink known for its antioxidant effects and vibrant green colour. And combining it with spirulina turns it into a superdrink! Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of spirulina into a small serving of matcha or a full tsp (5 g) into a large one. The hot liquid will quickly dissolve the powder, and the flavours will blend well together.

However, you should keep in mind that spirulina flavours will still come through even when mixed with matcha, so add less of the powder if you don’t like the spirulina taste. 

Coffee

Just like with matcha, you can experiment and add a little spirulina to your latte or cappuccino and drink them on the go!

Lemon cocktails

You can also try adding spirulina powder to a citrusy cocktail, such as a lemon drop. There aren’t too many cocktails that can taste better with a little seafood flavour, but sour dishes and beverages cover up spirulina’s off-setting flavour and instead bring out some of its fresh notes that work very well with tart lemon hints. Just add about 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina into the drink and enjoy the added health benefits. 

How To Eat Spirulina?

There are different ways to include spirulina into your recipes, and it’s all about your fantasy! You can mix spirulina not only into your drinks but add it to different dishes you cook! The options are countless: you can add spirulina powder when making pesto sauce, make superfood bites or “energy balls” with spirulina, nuts, and figs, or add spirulina into hummus to create a quick and healthy snack. You can also substitute ground seaweed and spinach for spirulina in your food. Another option is to use small amounts of spirulina instead of green food colouring in your recipes. 

How to Drink Spirulina Powder?

As of now, no studies have definitively determined the exact recommended dosage of spirulina. However, the general recommendation is to take no more than 2 tbsp (14 g) daily because even a small amount of this blue algae is loaded with nutrients, as 60 to 70 per cent of its content is pure protein. However, it’s best to consult a doctor before starting to use this supplement.

How to Increase the Shelf Life of a Spirulina Drink?

You should keep open bags of spirulina powder and containers with spirulina tablets in the refrigerator. Carbonated drinks containing spirulina should be stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once spirulina has been opened and exposed to air, the amount of oxygen-sensitive nutrients in the supplement will become lower over time, so it’s better to consume it within a few months of opening.

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