These seaweed smoothie recipes are brimming with excellent nutrients and minerals and bring some new flavours to your smoothies! Seaweed may not be the very first thing you think of when you think about your morning smoothie. Read on to discover why we think it should be and check out some of our easy, delicious and nutritious smoothie recipes.
Why Add Seaweed to Your Smoothie?
Seaweed is a nutrition powerhouse – definitely one of nature’s superfoods! They contain everything the body requires: all minerals, trace elements & vitamins, essential amino & fatty acids, anti-oxidants, fiber, protein, no cholesterol, very low fat, low GI sugars, and a store of life extending compounds that science is just starting to understand. Seaweed is cleansing and a very sustainable ingredient. Aside from the benefits for human health, seaweeds are a carbon negative food, requiring no additional water to grow, sequestering carbon dioxide from our atmosphere and generating over 70% of the earth’s oxygen! Simply speaking there is no better, more sustainable superfood!
Add small amounts of seaweed to what you are eating or drinking, ideally daily. This will nourish & replenish the various functions of the body and rebalance nutritional deficiencies.
Will it taste too ‘seaweedy’ in my smoothie?
Many people are surprised at the range of different tastes and flavours available from different types of seaweed. Not all seaweed tastes like sushi. Just as a grape and blueberry are similar, but different, so is each seaweed type. Try different seaweed types to see which taste you prefer.
Rinse your dried seaweed or rehydrate it in juice, herbal tea, or other flavoured liquids before popping it into your smoothie to reduce the ‘aroma of the ocean’ if desired.
Just add small amounts of seaweed to your smoothie
Because they have such concentrated nutrients, you only need to add a small amount. If you have a sensitive thyroid, please take care with adding too much seaweed (especially kelps and other brown seaweeds) to your smoothie recipes, due to the naturally occurring high levels of iodine present.
Which seaweeds work well in smoothies?
Atlantic dulse is a popular addition to the Medical Medium’s detox smoothie. We offer dulse leaves or flakes which may be easier to use in smoothies as dulse does have quite a leathery texture which some blenders may struggle with.
Irish Moss has become an increasingly popular seaweed due to its all round health benefits. Make up the gel and add a scoop to every morning smoothie. Kelp powder adds a big iodine dose to a daily smoothie. Take care with portion control if you have a sensitive thyroid, due to the naturally high levels of iodine.
Only use tested seaweeds if you are trying to detox!
If you are purchasing seaweeds to use specifically for detox, you must ensure they have been tested for contaminants. New Zealand and Australia’s testing laws are far stricter than other countries so make sure they have been tested to local requirements. Seaweeds clean the ocean (as they do in our gut), so it follows that seaweeds used for food must be harvested from clean and unpopulated areas.
Seaweed smoothie recipes to try today!
Here are a few interesting, and perhaps surprising smoothie combinations to try:
Nori, Chocolate & Ginger Smoothie
Toss the following ingredients into a blender and puree:
- 1/2 cup of raw almonds soaked overnight in 1 cup of filtered water (or 1 1/2 cups almond milk)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 tsp Nori flakes
- 2 tsp chia seeds (preferably soaked overnight)
- 1 tsp flax-seed oil
- 1 tsp Cacao powder
- 1 cup ice cubes
- ¼ tsp grated fresh ginger (or ginger syrup to taste)
- Honey or stevia to taste
Kelp Powder & Berry Smoothie
Toss the following ingredients into a blender and puree:
- Coconut water (& meat from young coconut /coconut milk /cream)
- 1 cup frozen berries of your choice
- 1 banana
- 1/2 tsp coconut butter
- 1/2 tsp kelp powder
- 1/4 cup macadamia nuts soaked in 1/2 cup filtered water overnight
- 1 cup ice cubes
- maple syrup to taste (optional)
Wakame, Spirulina & Greens Smoothie – The Ultimate!
Toss the following ingredients into a blender and puree:
- 1 tbsp dried wakame soaked in 1/2 cup warm water for 5 minutes
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/4 of a fresh pineapple, skinned and cut in pieces
- 1/2 tsp Organic Spirulina
- 6 large green leaves washed (curly kale, silverbeet, spinach etc…) or a combination of sunflower & buckwheat sprouts if available
- juice of one lemon
- 1 tsp flax-seed oil
- cold filtered water or ice cubes as required
- agave syrup or honey to taste
Explore more smoothie recipes in our recipe collection!
Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This information may not include the very latest research. We encourage you to do your own research and discuss your findings with a qualified health practitioner who can help you validate the outcomes in the context of your specific & individual health situation.
