5 Delicious Ways to Get Marine Phytoplankton Into Your Day
A glass a day keeps the doctor away!
We know Oceans Alive® Marine Phytoplankton has a rather… strong taste. So we thought we’d share a few of our favorite ways to take this superfood, whether you like the taste or not. Try them all and drink up the benefits!
Do you have a favorite way to take OA? Leave us a comment!
Want to learn more about marine phytoplankton and its benefits? Check out Ian’s recently updated blog post here.
1. Water
Easy enough if you can handle the taste; just add a dropperful of Oceans Alive to a glass of water, stir and drink!
- You’re probably sick of hearing about drinking water, but it’s important to get enough. It helps us digestion and keeping your immune system strong, plus it can re-energize you and help with mental focus.
2. Pineapple Juice
Pineapple juice is a great way to mask the taste of Oceans Alive. Just pour yourself a glass of your favorite brand of (preferably organic) pineapple juice, add a dropperful of Oceans Alive, stir and enjoy. Some people who like to use juices, but who are watching their calories will fill a shot glass with juice and add their OA to that. Toss it back for a quick and tasty way to refuel.
- Pineapple juice has a lot of vitamin C, which is an important antioxidant and great for your immune system. It also contains bromelain which can help with digestion and work as an anti-inflammatory. Potassium, which promotes kidney function, is also found in pineapple juice.
3. Strawberry-Thyme Lemonade
When life gives you lemons…get some strawberries and thyme and make this special lemonade!
For this recipe you will need:
1 cup organic cane sugar
8 sprigs fresh thyme (extra for garnish)
1 quart hulled and sliced organic strawberries (approx. 2 ½ cups)
1 ½ cups fresh organic lemon juice (approx. 10 lemons)
Oceans Alive
Directions: In a small pot, combine the sugar, thyme and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Let cool and discard the thyme. Combine the thyme syrup with the strawberries, lemon juice and 5 cups cold water in a large pitcher. Chill for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Serve over ice garnished with additional thyme. Pour into glasses and add 1 dropperful of Oceans Alive to each.
Stir and enjoy!
- Strawberries are high in potassium, magnesium and vitamin K. They support eye health, bone health and proper brain function. The antioxidant content of strawberries also makes them good for improving the immune system. Be sure to choose organic; strawberries are one of the “dirty dozen”. These are foods that tend to have high or particularly toxic pesticide quantities that may be harmful to you. As Dr. Weil points out, “…there is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health.”
4. Iced Peppermint Green Tea
There may be nothing more refreshing than a glass of iced tea. The green tea in this recipe combined with Oceans Alive will really give you a boost!
4 bags, organic green tea (tags removed)
4 bags, organic peppermint tea (tags removed)
4 tbsp honey, or to taste
2 quarts boiling water
Juice of half a lemon
Oceans Alive
Directions: Place the tea bags in a large, heat-safe container (e.g. a 2-quart mason jar). Fill with boiling water. Add honey and stir. Let tea steep for a couple of hours and then refrigerate. Add lemon juice. Dilute with cold water to taste. Add a dropperful of Oceans Alive to each glass.
- Green tea is very high in antioxidants, in particular, Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which has many health benefits. It also contains L-theanine, which helps with the production of GABA, a neurochemical that has anti-anxiety properties, and dopamine, which encourages feelings of well-being. Green tea also increases fat burning and boosts metabolic rate.
5. Rhubarb Vanilla Soda
This bubbly beverage is definitely on the sweet side, so we don’t recommend it every day. If you want to indulge in the occasional treat though (and make it more nutritious with Oceans Alive), this is a distinctive and delicious way to go. Adjust the amount of syrup depending on your sweet tooth.
First, you need to make the syrup.
You will need:
4 to 5 rhubarb stalks (if freshly harvested, be sure to cut off and discard the leaves as they contain high concentrations of oxalic acid, which is mildly toxic if ingested)
3 cups organic cane sugar
4 to 5 cups water
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 3 tsp pure vanilla extract)
Directions: Wash, dry and chop the stalks into ½ to 1-inch chunks (approx. 8 cups of chopped chunks). In a saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar and vanilla seeds. Add just enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and stir every few minutes to blend the flavors. Simmer on the stove until rhubarb is soft and the liquid is slightly thickened (can take 20 mins or more). Using a fine mesh strainer, strain liquid into a bowl. Press down with a spoon to squeeze all the liquid out. Let cool.
*Syrup will keep for several weeks in refrigerator
To make it into a delicious soda:
4 tbsp rhubarb vanilla syrup (more or less, depending on how sweet you like your soda)
375 ml (more or less depending on preference) seltzer, sparkling water or club soda
Oceans Alive
Directions: Combine syrup with sparkling water, add a dropperful of Oceans Alive. Stir. Serve over ice and enjoy!
- Rhubarb contains antioxidants to help fight off disease. It can help lower cholesterol, boosting your heart health. Rhubarb is a good source of vitamin C (great for a healthy immune system), calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Oceans Alive® is full of nutrients, such as vitamins B6, C and E, zinc, riboflavin and many of the other vitamins and minerals your body needs to function at its best. Oceans Alive helps with mental clarity, improves digestion and energy levels. It can also stabilize your blood sugar and normalize cholesterol.