Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana, frozen and broken into chunks
- 200 ml unsweetened plant or dairy milk
- 1 heaped teaspoon spirulina powder (≈ 2 g)
- 1 tablespoon almond or peanut butter (optional, for body)
- Half a teaspoon of fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, only if your banana isn't ripe
Method
- Drop the frozen banana into the blender first — frozen at the bottom, liquid at the top, helps the blade catch.
- Add the milk, then the spirulina, nut butter, and citrus.
- Blend on high for 30–45 seconds. Scrape, blend again briefly if any green streaks remain.
- Pour and drink within 10 minutes — phycocyanin starts to oxidise after that.
Why this pairing works
Banana is the most reliable spirulina-mask in any kitchen — its sugars and starch coat the bitterness, and the fibre softens the slightly chalky texture of dried spirulina. The half-teaspoon of citrus isn't for taste; it's there because vitamin C measurably improves the absorption of spirulina's non-haem iron.
Note. If you find yourself adding more sweetener every week, reduce the spirulina by half. Your tongue is telling you something the blender isn't.
Variations
- Add half a cup of frozen mango for a brighter colour.
- Swap banana for half an avocado if you want more body and less sugar.
- Cocoa powder (1 tsp) hides the flavour completely if you're still adjusting.