Super Green Tropical Smoothie with Spirulina

 Sometimes when I make a smoothie, I want a reeeeeally green, green smoothie! And one of the best ways to bump up the ‘greenness’ in a juice or smoothie is to add a teaspoon of Nature’s Way Superfoods Flavoured Spirulina. Why bother, you ask? Well, here’s some facts about spirulina that may explain why it’s so awesome…

– Spirulina is approx. 60% protein and contains all the essential amino acids, as well as being high in iron, making it a great energy booster!

– the protein in Spirulina is superior to other plant-based proteins (eg. legumes) – perfect for vegetarians and vegans

– it’s high in chlorophyll, making it great for cleansing the blood

– it is rich in gamma-Linolenic acid, (also found in evening primrose, chia, hemp and linseeds), which has anti-inflammatory and cholesterol lowering properties

– it is full of anti-oxidants, making it useful in the fight against free radicals, and helping to support a healthy immune system

Lots of good stuff, huh!

The only thing that has made me hesitant to add spirulina to my smoothies in the past is the flavour – it can sometimes taste a bit like grass clippings! But I was recently sent some  Nature’s Way Superfoods Natural Tropical Flavoured Spirulina to try, and this one actually tastes delicious! Woo hoo!!!! It has a sweet, pineapple flavour (sweetened with natural stevia so there’s no added sugar) and it’s great for adding to smoothies and juices, or even to fruit ice creams and sorbets.

For a quick, refreshing, energy boost, you can just add 1 teaspoon to a glass of water; or even better, add to a glass of mineral water for a green fizzy drink – the kids love it!

So here’s a super green tropical smoothie recipe I made up the other day. If you’re new to green smoothies, don’t be scared – I tried this recipe on a lady who had never had a green smoothie before in her life, and she LOVED it! You can adjust the amount of spirulina to taste, and change around the fruit and veggies as well to use what you have – I used bananas, limes, cucumber and pineapple in mine, for a tropical flavour. Mango or peaches would also be great instead of pineapple. Play with it!

Nature’s Way Natural Tropical Flavoured Spirulina is available in Woolworths, and online at Health 365.

This post is sponsored by Nature’s Way Superfoods.