How to Eat or Drink Spirulina Powder

Working the superfood of the sea into your daily diet

Co-authored by Adrienne Youdim, MD

Last Updated: March 21, 2023 References

Drinks

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Recipes

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Substitutions

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Tips

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Spirulina powder stands as one of the top superfoods. Rich in protein, iron, and B vitamins, this powdered algae is a lifesaver for getting proteins most often found in meat, making it a go-to for vegetarian and vegan diets. But its briny flavor can be a bit off-putting for some, making it a bit awkward to work into your meals. Don't worry, though, because we've come through with the tastiest ways to add spirulina powder to your drinks and other recipes, plus some clever ways to substitute it for more common ingredients.

Things You Should Know

Add spirulina powder to a fruit smoothie or mix it into fruit juice for a sweet and easy treat.
Supplement matcha green tea or a citrus cocktail for a fun, alternative way to drink it.
Mix spirulina into pesto or hummus to craft a tasty sauce or dip.
Substitute ground seaweed, spinach, or food coloring with spirulina powder to sneak it into a hearty meal.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Drinks

1
Mix spirulina powder into a sweet smoothie to mask the sea flavors. You can mix spirulina into just about any smoothie, but sweet, fruity smoothies work better to mask its flavor. Sprinkle about 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina powder into your smoothie before blending. It will turn the mix a deep, dark green, but the flavor will be covered up by sugar and fruits.
- Pineapple, banana, orange, and mango-based smoothies are best to mix with spirulina, but opt for any sweet, ripe fruit that calls to you.
- Spirulina powder also works well in spinach superfood smoothies, as it blends well with the savory ingredients without becoming overpowering.
2
Sprinkle some spirulina in your favorite juice to add a nutritional boost. In a bottle, combine the juice of a sweet fruit with about 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina powder and shake it to dissolve the powder.^{[1]
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Research source} This will almost instantly turn the drink a dark green, nearly black color, but the fruity flavors will still come through.
- Mango juice, orange juice, or pineapple juice are perfect options to mix with spirulina powder.
- Don't add the powder to your juicer, as it won't effectively blend it with your drink. Pour the juice into a bottle afterwards and shake it to mix it with spirulina.
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3
Combine spirulina with matcha green tea for a creamy breakfast option. Matcha green tea is a calming and delicious coffee-shop drink, and it's already got a green color to it. Stir in about 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of spirulina in a small matcha drink, or a full tsp (5 g) into a large one. The heat of the tea will quickly dissolve the powder and the fresh, green flavors blend well together.^{[2]
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- This drink will have a relatively strong taste of spirulina, even mixed with the mellow and creamy matcha, so if you really don't like the taste of spirulina then opt to mix less into the drink. You can always have more later on in the day with other foods!
4
Add spirulina to a lemony cocktail, such as a lemon drop. There are not many cocktails that benefit from tasting like the ocean, but a tart and sour cocktail like the lemon drop martini easily covers up the off-putting flavors of spirulina and even bring out some of its more appetizing, fresh flavors. Stir about 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina into the drink, and watch it turn a deep sea-green color.^{[3]
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- To make a lemon drop martini, combine a shot of vodka with 3 parts lemon juice and 1 part simple syrup. Mix in the spirulina powder before you stir the martini, and add a lemon twist for garnish.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Recipes

1
Add spirulina powder as you make pesto sauce. As you combine pine nuts, basil, lemon, and garlic in a food processor to make pesto sauce, sprinkle in about 1 tbsp (7 g) of spirulina powder per serving. If you are making a lot of pesto, this will feel like a lot of spirulina, but the strong blast of flavors that are unique to this sauce will effortlessly cover up the taste of the powder on your tongue.
- Pesto is already green, so you may not notice a change in color as the spirulina is mixed into the sauce. Check the food processor every couple seconds to see if you can make out any noticeable bits of powder, and stir it around before pulsing again to get an even mix.
2
Make superfood bites with nuts, figs, and spirulina. Affectionately called "energy balls" by the health food community, superfood bites are usually made with various types of nuts, figs, cocoa powder, and coconut. As you combine the ingredients in a food processor, sprinkle in 2 tbsp (14 g) of spirulina powder.^{[4]
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- There are a variety of ways to make energy balls, with and without nuts, with eggs, and even with juice. Opt for one that seems tasty to you and mix in the spirulina as you mix the ingredients together.
3
Sprinkle spirulina into hummus for quick snacking. This is possibly the easiest way to incorporate spirulina into your diet for on-the-go snacking. Simply take a tub of your favorite hummus brand and stir in about 1 tsp (5 g) of spirulina. It will turn the hummus a deep green, but the Mediterranean flavors go perfectly with the sea flavors of this nutritious algae.
- It's best to avoid using flavored hummus with spirulina powder, but if you would prefer to have more flavor, opt for a spinach-based or artichoke-based hummus, as these flavors combine well with spirulina.^{[5]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Substitutions

1
Substitute spirulina for ground seaweed for a more powerful flavor. Ground seaweed is used to add an oceanic taste to many Asian and coastal recipes around the world. Opt to use spirulina powder instead of seaweed to make the oceanic flavors much more potent and to add a boost to the nutritional value of your meal.^{[6]
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- While they don't taste exactly the same, as long as seaweed isn't the main component of the dish, you won't be able to tell a difference.
- Raw spirulina can be used instead of raw seaweed as well in just about anything except sushi, as the algae doesn't exactly wrap around other ingredients very well.
2
Replace spinach in your recipes with spirulina. Spinach and spirulina have wildly different flavors, but they have the same color. If you want to "trick" your kids into eating spirulina for its nutritional benefits, substitute it for spinach in your recipes. Plus, it has more than 2000 percent more iron than spinach, bringing a boost to your iron intake each day.
- While you can't substitute spirulina for cooked spinach, it works well if the spinach component of your dish is not the main element. Test it out with a few small recipes before you commit to making a meal out with it.
3
Use small amounts of spirulina in place of green food coloring. One of the most common ways for people to take spirulina is to simply mix 1 tsp (5 g) with a full glass of water.^{[7]
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Research source} You can use a tiny amount of spirulina in place of food coloring for a more natural option. Pour tiny amounts of spirulina while stirring into the recipe you want to turn green.
- 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. Make sure to use a pinch of powder so you don't overwhelm your guests with a surprising algae taste.

Warnings

Always make sure the cover is securely tightened on your blender or food processor before you turn it on. Keep a hand on top to make sure it doesn't fly off while processing your ingredients.

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Wear gloves while juicing lemons if you have cuts on your hands. The juice will sting a lot if it gets into your wound.

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