I call this the ‘Green Elixir’ because there is a lot of nutrients packed into one drink to support the immune system, aid digestion and brain function whilst help all aspects of the body. These ingredients are also easily accessible at the supermarkets and often a staple in general households. The only ingredient that may need to be sourced with a little more effort is ‘Spirulina’.

Spirulina is an algae that grow in fresh water lakes such as Lake Chad in Africa, Lakes Klamath and Ti- icaca in North and South America respectively, and Lake Texcoco in Mexico. It is also found in the Pacific Ocean regions of Japan and Hawaii (Sorrenti et al., 2021). It is nutrient dense with a range of antioxidants, carotenoids, B vitamins, iron, calcium and magnesium to name a few. Animal and human model studies show that spirulina exerts neuro- protective functions. What this means is that spirulina has been shown to protect the brain from inflammation and oxidative stress, processes that deteriorate the function of the body and brain (Sorrenti et al., 2021). It has also been noted to improve the blood pressure and BMI in those who have hypertension (Miczke et al., 2016).

From personal experience, when I consume this drink, I notice an immediate improvement in mental clarity, focus and concentration. It has also helped me swiftly recover from being ill over the past week.

Some benefits of each ingredient:

Spinach

Contains chlorophyll, carotenoids and phytonutrients that have shown to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous actions (Roberts & Moreau, 2016).
Contains Vitamin K for adequate blood clotting and bone health (Harvard T.H. Chan, n.d.).
Contains Vitamin C to support the functions of the immune system (Carr & Maggini, 2017).
Fibre to assist with regular bowel movements, remove toxins from the digestive tract and promote a healthy gut flora.
Rich in polyphenols and antioxidants to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress in the body (Mokhtari et al., 2021).

Lemon

Help stimulate stomach acid production for optimal digestion (Weaver, 2016).
Can also help stimulate bile production to assist with the elimination toxins from the liver (Hyman, 2012).
Contains Vitamin C for collagen production, protects skin from UV damage and for immune function (Pullar & Carr, 2017; May & Qu, 2005).

Cucumber

Contains mostly water hence hydrating.
Contains some Vitamin A and K for skin, eyes, blood and bone health.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the stems are used for its anti-inflammatory activities and proposed to reduce blood pressure by expanding the blood vessels (Tang et al., 2010; Jiangsu Institute of Botany, 1988).

Spirulina

Contains the highest amount of protein per weight (~ 65-71% protein per weight) (Stevenson, 2013).
Has a high nutrient absorption rate (Stevenson, 2013).
Rich in B vitamins, especially Vitamin B12 (Sorrenti et al., 2021).
Rich in phycocyanin, an antioxidant linked to stem cell regeneration and offers spirulina’s beautiful deep blue pigment (Stevenson, 2013).
Rich in other antioxidants preventing inflammation, DNA damage and cellular ageing.
Promote neurogenesis, the creation of brain cells and displays neuro- protective functions (Stevenson, 2021).
Well studied in rat and mouse models showing spirulina to be neuro- protective especially in treating animals with Alzheimer’s and cognitive disorders (Sorrenti et al., 2021).
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, supplementation of spirulina 3 g/day after 1 week showed a statistically significant improvement in mental and physical fatigue amongst 17 men (Johnson et al., 2016).
Regular consumption of spirulina over 3 months, has shown to improve blood pressure and endothelial function in overweight patients with hypertension (Miczke et al., 2016).

Figure 1

Summary of human clinical studies on the consumption of different types of spirulina amongst various cohorts, the parameters measured and outcomes.

Note . Derived from the journal article Spirulina Microalgae and Brain Health: A Scoping Review of Experimental and Clinical Evidence by Sorrenti et al. 2021. Copyright 2021 by Sorrenti et al. CCBY 4.0

Daily Green Elixir Recipe

If you try this recipe, it would be great to have your feedback. You can tag a photo of your green elixir of just pop a DM on the instagram - bloombycherie. May this green elixir bring you good health, a strong immune system and healthy brain function to you.

References

Carr, A. C., & Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211. doi: 10.3390/nu9111211.
Johnson, M., Hassinger, L., Davis, J., Devor, S.T., & DiSilvestro, R. A. (2016). A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study of spirulina supplementation on indices of mental and physical fatigue in men. Int J Food Sci Nutr, 67(2), 203-6. doi: 10.3109/09637486.2016.1144719.
Miczke, A., Szulińska, M., Hansdorfer-Korzon, R., Kręgielska-Narożna, M., Suliburska, J., Walkowiak, J., & Bogdański, P. (2016). Effects of spirulina consumption on body weight, blood pressure, and endothelial function in overweight hypertensive Caucasians: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, (1)150-6. PMID: 26813468.
Harvard. T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d). The Nutrition Source- Vitamin K. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamink/#:~:text=Vitamin%20K%20helps%20to%20make,to%20produce%20healthy%20bone%20tissue.
Hyman, M. (2012, April 10). Your liver eliminates toxins via the bile. Drinking a tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice stimulates the production of bile. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/drmarkhyman/posts/your-liver-eliminates-toxins-via-the-bile-drinking-a-tablespoon-of-olive-oil-and/378703732160382/.
Jiangsu Institute of Botany. (1988). Xinhua Compendium of Material Medica (vol 2). Shanghai Science & Technology Publishing House; Shanghai, China.
May, J. M., & Qu, Z. C. (2005). Transport and intracellular accumulation of vitamin C in endothelial cells: relevance to collagen synthesis. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 434(1), 178–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2004.10.023.
Mokhtari, E., Farhadnejad, H., Salehi-Sahlabadi, A., Najibi, N., Azadi, M., Teymoori., F & Mirmiran, P. 2021. Spinach consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease among adults: a case-control study. BMC Gastroenterol, 21(1):196. doi: 10.1186/s12876-021-01784-8. PMID: 33933019.
Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866
Roberts J.L., & Moreau, R., (2016). Functional properties of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) phytochemicals and bioactives. Food Funct, 7(8):3337-53. doi: 10.1039/c6fo00051g.
Sorrenti, V., Castagna, D. A., Fortinguerra, S., Buriani, A., Scapagnini, G., & Willcox, D. C. (2021). Spirulina Microalgae and Brain Health: A Scoping Review of Experimental and Clinical Evidence. Marine Drugs, 19(6), 293. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/md19060293.
Sorrenti, V., Castagna, D. A., Fortinguerra, S., Buriani, A., Scapagnini, G., & Willcox, D. C. (2021). Direct and indirect clinical application of spirulina microalgae on brain health. (Figure). Marine Drugs. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/md19060293.
Stevenson, S. (Host). (2021, July 23). Inflammation Masterclass: The Brain-Gut-Liver Connection & Anti-Inflammatory Superfoods (Audio podcast episode 497). The Model Health Show. https://themodelhealthshow.com/inflammation-brain-gut/.
Stevenson, S. (2013). 5 Benefits of Spirulina. The Health Model Show. https://themodelhealthshow.com/5-benefits-of-spirulina/.
Tang, J., Meng, X., Liu, H., Zhao, J., Zhou, L., Qiu, M., Zhang, X., Yu, Z., & Yang, F. (2010). Antimicrobial activity of sphingolipids isolated from the stems of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 15(12), 9288–9297. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules15129288.
Weaver, L. (2016, November 14). ‘Daily Habits to Keep the Gut Healthy’. Dr Libby. https://www.drlibby.com/health-wellbeing/daily-habits-help-keep-gut-healthy/#:~:text=USE%20LEMON%20JUICE%2FAPPLE%20CIDER%20VINEGAR%20TO%20STIMULATE%20DIGESTION&text=The%20digestive%20qualities%20of%20lemon,cider%20vinegar%20for%20digestive%20support.