Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (2024)

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By Carine Claudepierre
Published on 04/27/2021 - Last updated on 06/22/2023

5 from 100 votes

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This Spirulina Smoothie is a thick nourishing green smoothie to start the day with 12 grams of plant-based protein, iron, and vitamins.

It’s sweet, thick, creamy, and contains all the elements you need to start the day with a beautiful green color drink!

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (2)

Table of contents

What’s A Spirulina Smoothie?

A spirulina smoothie is a breakfast smoothie made of fruits, vegetables, and a touch of green spirulina powder.

Spirulina is a plant-based super-protein because it contains all 9 essential amino acids, and 100 grams have 60 grams of proteins.

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (3)

What’s Spirulina?

Spirulina is a blue-green alga that grows in fresh and saltwater. It’s a superfood source for vegans as it’s a complete plant-based protein source.

It means spirulina contains all the 9 essential amino acids your body needs.

Spirulina also has many health benefits like:

  • reducing inflammation
  • improving gut health
  • lowering blood sugar level
  • lowering cholesterol

You can buy spirulina in many health food stores, pharmacies, or in the organic aisle of most grocery stores.

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (4)

How To Make A Spirulina Smoothie

A spirulina smoothie recipe is an easy vegan green smoothie. All you need to make this green smoothie is a powerful blender and a few ingredients.

It’s an excellent breakfast or afternoon snack to load your body with proteins, iron, and nutrients.

It’s also fulfilling and refreshing after a workout to refuel your muscles with plant-based nutrients.

Ingredients

  • Frozen banana – a large fresh banana, peeled and cut into pieces the day before. Place in the bag in the freezer to freeze overnight. You can also use fresh bananas, but the smoothie won’t be as thick and creamy.
  • Frozen mango – or frozen pineapple.
  • AvocadoAvocado adds healthy fatty acids to the smoothie. Make sure you use a ripe avocado without dark spots on its flesh to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
  • Baby spinach – Fresh baby spinach is the best, but you can also use trimmed kale.
  • Almond milk or any dairy-free milk you love, like coconut milk or hemp milk.
  • Spirulina powder – you can use blue spirulina or green spirulina. Both have very similar properties.
  • Hemp seedsHemp seeds or any seeds you like, chia seeds or flaxseeds. Seeds are good sources of gluten-free, vegan protein, and they also bring lots of nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and more!
  • Maple syrupMaple syrup is optional, but if you love your smoothie sweet, add a touch of maple syrup or a pinch of stevia powder to avoid the added sugar.
  • Vanilla extract

Blending

Add all the ingredients into the blender, starting with no added sugar, and blend until smooth at high speed.

Taste the smoothie and adjust by adding sweetener or a few ice cubes for a frothier smoothie.

Serve immediately.

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (5)

Storage Instructions

A smoothie doesn’t store well, especially when it’s using avocado.

Avocado darkens fast and alters the flavor of raw food. Serve your spirulina smoothie immediately for the best flavor.

Nutrition Profile

This spirulina smoothie is a super healthy drink and high-protein smoothie containing per serving:

  • 12 grams of protein
  • 4 mg iron
  • 10 grams fiber
  • 369 mg calcium

Frequently Asked Questions

When Should I Serve Spirulina Smoothie?

This is a great post-workout drink as it contains a lot of protein and healthy fatty acids to refuel muscle after an intense workout.

It’s also a fulfilling breakfast drink, a great replacement to your classic protein shake to get all your nutrient in a liquid breakfast.

How much spirulina powder should I add to a smoothie?

Spirulina has a strong algae flavor that doesn’t suit everyone’s palate.

As a result, it’s better to use only 1 teaspoon of spirulina powder in a smoothie to keep the algae flavor light.

Also, a great way to cover the flavor of spirulina in this smoothie is to blend it with fruits like banana, mango, or pineapple.

How does spirulina taste?

Green spirulina is purely algae, so it tastes a bit like seaweeds. So if you prefer a light, neutral flavor in your spirulina smoothie, try blue spirulina.

It’s an extract and doesn’t have the ‘fishy’ algae flavor that some people don’t like in green spirulina.

Blue spirulina has the same nutrient profile. It’s rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals without the unpleasant marine flavor.

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (6)

More Vegan Smoothie Recipes

I love to make vegan smoothies for breakfast or snacks. It’s a refreshing and nourishing drink.

Below I listed my favorite vegan smoothie recipes for you to try.

Mango Pineapple Smoothie

Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

Dragon Fruit Smoothie

Avocado Matcha Smoothie

Vegan Mango Smoothie

Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie

Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte

Vegan Mango Lassi

Green Smoothie for Kids

Mango Protein Smoothie

Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

Tropical Smoothie

Have you made this spirulina smoothie? Share a comment or review below to tell me how it turns out. I love to connect with you!

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Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page for tips, our Instagram page for inspiration, our Pinterest for saving recipes, and Flipboard to get all the new ones!

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (20)

Spirulina Smoothie

A super healthy spirulina smoothie with 12 grams protein and 4 mg of iron per serving. A delicious, sweet, and refreshing green smoothie to start the day or refresh after a workout.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 smoothie

Calories: 407 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

5 from 100 votes

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a high-speed blender, add all the ingredients in the order listed above, starting with 1 cup of almond milk.

  • Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. If it's difficult to blend, add more almond milk, up to 1/2 cup extra.

  • Taste and adjust, adding more sweetener for a sweeter smoothie or a few ice cubes for a frothier texture. Blend again to combine after each addition and serve immediately.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1smoothie | Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 1011mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 2554IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 369mg | Iron: 4mg | Magnesium: 79mg | Phosphorus: 247mg | Zinc: 1mg

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (21)

About The Author

Carine

Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, photographer, and published author of a cookbook and founder of The Conscious Plant Kitchen with my husband Damien.Learn more about us.

Spirulina Smoothie Recipe (12g of Plant-based Protein) (2024)

FAQs

What is the best spirulina for smoothies? ›

Some of the top-rated brands include Nutrex Hawaii, Earthrise, and Pure Hawaiian. These brands are known for their high-quality spirulina supplements that are rich in nutrients and are free from harmful additives.

Can I mix spirulina in my protein shake? ›

If you're looking to kick your protein shake up a notch, Spirulina is a front-runner. This powerful superfood ingredient contains an abundance of nutrients. It could very well add what's been missing from your protein shake all along.

How much spirulina do I add? ›

Most recipes call for at least 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina to get its full nutritional value, but if you are just changing the color of a dish, opt to go for a 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) at a time so you don't add any extra oceanic flavors. If you add too much, the recipe will turn a deep, dark green.

How do you add plant based protein to smoothies? ›

From oats and avocado, to flaxseeds and milk, blitzing these into your smoothie will help to up your protein intake in a healthy way – something which is advised if you're increasing your activity levels with regular workouts.

Which brand spirulina is the best? ›

In India, there are several best brands of spirulina offering high-quality supplements. For instance, Inlife Spirulina Capsules, Himalayan Organics Spirulina Vegetarian Capsules, and Carbamide Forte Spirulina 2000mg Tablets are among the top rated spirulina.

What can you not mix with spirulina? ›

However, it is possible that spirulina might interfere with drugs given to suppress the immune system, including:
  • Adalimumab (Humira)
  • Azathioprine (Imuran)
  • Cyclosporine (Neoral)
  • Etanercept (Enbrel)
  • Infliximab (Remicade)
  • Leflunomide (Arava)
  • Methotrexate.
  • Mycophenolate (CellCept)

How do you make spirulina a complete protein? ›

Spirulina is considered a “superfood” and, when combined with grains, oats, nuts, or seeds, forms a complete protein. Add spirulina powder to your next morning smoothie.

How long does it take for spirulina to work? ›

It can take about 1-3 weeks for spirulina to show its effects on your body. Various other factors like your health, activity status, and food consumption can also play a part in its effectiveness. The healthier your lifestyle the sooner you'll feel the positive effects of spirulina.

What is the best way to absorb spirulina? ›

For a maximum bioavailability of the nutrients, it is best to consume on an empty stomach. Wait 15 minutes to allow the body a good head start at absorbing these living liquid nutrients. Having to deal with any fibre (solid food) slows down absorption.

Is spirulina a complete protein? ›

Spirulina is approximately 65 to 71 percent protein, depending on growing conditions. These proteins are biologically complete, which means they provide all eight essential amino acids in the proper ratios. Most plant foods are not complete proteins because they usually lack one or more amino acids.

Is 1 tablespoon of spirulina too much? ›

However, a generally accepted dose from the research we have thus far is somewhere between 1 and 3 grams, and up to 10 grams per day,” Manian says. 3 “A great rule of thumb is to enjoy a tablespoon of spirulina in a smoothie a few times per week.”

What happens to your body when you start taking spirulina? ›

Research has found that the protein in spirulina can reduce the body's absorption of cholesterol, lowering cholesterol levels. This helps keep your arteries clear, reducing strain on your heart that can lead to heart disease and stroke-causing blood clots. Its protein also reduces triglyceride levels.

How do you eat enough plant-based protein? ›

Examples of whole-food sources of plant proteins include:
  1. Edamame.
  2. Green peas.
  3. Legumes, such as garbanzo, kidney, black, pinto or cannellini beans.
  4. Lentils.
  5. Nutritional yeast.
  6. Nuts and nut butter.
  7. Quinoa.
  8. Seeds.
Jul 5, 2023

How do I get the most plant-based protein? ›

Some plant-based foods, such as soybean products, seitan, beans, and lentils contain high amounts of protein. You can also find protein in nuts, whole grains like quinoa and amaranth, and hemp seeds. People following a vegan diet may need to plan in order to reach their daily protein goals.

Is spirulina good for you in smoothies? ›

Spirulina is a very concentrated source of vitamins and minerals and also very detoxifying and alkalizing to the body, which is why it's considered a “super food” in many circles. I've been incorporating it mainly into my smoothies and love its intense color, neutral flavor, and health benefits.

Is it better to take spirulina in powder or tablet? ›

There's no real difference between the two. It is the same product in a different form. It is the convenience between the two that may be the decider for you. And, do not forget: Spirulina is food, not a drug or medicine.

What to look for when buying spirulina? ›

When purchasing or consuming spirulina or chlorella, be sure to:
  • Check the ingredients for anything that isn't the produce.
  • Check who the producer or grower is, where they are, and how long they have been operating.
  • Ask to see independent third-party tests to verify nutritional content and safety.
Jun 15, 2018

What is the difference between spirulina and Hawaiian Spirulina? ›

A: The key factors that make Hawaiian Spirulina unique are: Continuous cultivation - Since 1985, Hawaiian Spirulina has been in constant production 12 months out of the year – creating a superior strain of spirulina with the highest levels of key nutrients of any spirulina in the world.

References

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