Spirulina is a type of cyanobacteria that grows in salt as well as freshwater. It is a blue-green algae that is largely used as a dietary supplement as it has great nutritional value.
History Of Spiliruna
Spirulina first appeared on the earth around 3.5 billion years ago. People started consuming these algae during the reign of Montezuma, who was the emperor of the Aztec people. Spirulina was called “tecuitlatl” by the Aztecs in Mexico.
It was also found to be used in Chad as food as early as the 9th Century. Thus, these two places discovered spirulina independently of each other. It was locally called “dihe”.
Appearance Of Spirulina
Spirulina is bluish green in color. Like most algaes, it is mushy and soft in appearance when wet.
Flavor Of Spirulina
Spirulina has a very earthy flavor to it. It tastes very similar to seaweed and a little bit like the ocean. People often mix it with sweet flavors and fruits to mask its flavor in some way.
Culinary Benefits
Spirulina is commonly used in smoothies as a powder and can be easily added to any drink. Let’s look at what smoothies can be made using spirulina.
A nice summery drink that people enjoy is a lemon spirulina smoothie with some bananas, avocados, lemon, and spirulina powder. This creamy and thick drink is extremely healthy and will keep you full for many hours.
A popular pre-yoga drink is a spirulina almond latte. Mix some almond milk, stevia, and spirulina to satiate yourself.
You can even add spirulina to your pesto to up its nutritional content and vitamins along with giving it a nice green color. Try out this amazing pesto meatball recipe and add some spirulina to it while you cook! Looking for other recipes to utilize spirulina pesto? Check this Pesto Pasta bake out.
Have you ever considered adding spirulina to your omelet? Well, it is time to add some greens to your omelet too! You can prepare a broccoli spirulina frittata by adding broccoli, onions, garlic, and spirulina to your omelet. This will give you a super nutritious breakfast. Check out this delicious recipe, and add some more flavor to it with spirulina.
If you are looking for a quick snack, you can prepare some spirulina broccoli tots with some spices. This will help you feel energized and is a good alternative to fast food snacks.
If you want to have something sweet, spirulina creme chocolate truffles are a delicious option! You can make this with some cashews, honey, spirulina, and cocoa powder. This sweet snack will help you recharge.
Storage Of Spirulina
Spirulina paste is best stored in the refrigerator. The dry powder can be stored in a cool and dry place.
Feature Image: Flickr user WILLPOWER STUDIOS ( CC BY 2.0 )
