Photo by: Courtney Boyd Myers
Let’s face it – smoothies are kind of boring. And most times – they can only be so filling. Slurping up your fruity concoction sometimes just isn’t satisfying enough.
Don’t you think it’s a time for a little upgrade? Smoothie bowls are the way to go!
Smoothie bowls are just as easy to create, but can be so much more satiating. Plus, you can throw in some extra fruits, green veggies, nuts and more on top for that extra crunchy “oooh aaah” sensation.
Today, we have two green-powered smoothie bowl recipes to help keep you full, while also allowing you to indulge!
The Easy Essential
It can be a little hard to get in your daily fruits + veggies, but this recipe will help you get there!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1-2 servings of Pure Planet’s Best of Greens (or another green blend)
- 1 banana (1 handful of frozen bananas could work too, use any extras for toppings)
- 1/2 cup – 1 1/2 cup of berries for smoothie mix and toppings (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, whatever works for you)
- 1 handful of chopped kale (remove the large stems)
- 1 handful of spinach
- Flaxseeds or granola (for some fiber)
- Almonds, Coconut shreds, hemp seeds or cacao nibs (for topping)
- Kiwis for topping (for taste)
- 1 – 1/2 cup of almond or coconut milk (you can adjust for your own consistency –> more milk means a more liquidy finish)
Instructions
- Throw Pure Planet Best of Greens, the banana, half of of your berries, kale, spinach and your milk into a blender. Blend and adjust to your own desired consistency. Add more milk to thin things out if you need.
- Pour out your smoothie into a bowl.
- Top with desired toppings.
- Instagram it and tag us! (Not necessary, but come on, why not?)
The Dessert That’s Not Actually Dessert
What’s the only thing that is better than dessert? A dessert that is actually good for you! If you’re not a green foodie, then this chocolatey-smooth recipe is key to sneak in some vital nutrition.
What You’ll Need:
- 1-2 servings of Pure Planet Chocomint Spirulina
- 1/3 – 1 cup of plant-based milk (depending on your desired consistency)
- 1/3 – 1 whole banana (or one handful of bananas)
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter or hazlenut spread
- One handful of chia seeds, cacao nibs, and shredded coconut for topping
- A small handful of spinach (optional)
- Extra cacao powder (optional)
Instructions:
- Throw the Pure Planet product, banana, milk and almond butter/hazulnet spread into a blender. Mix in optional extras.
- Blend until you’re happy with the consistency.
- Pour out your treat in a bowl.
- Top with chia seeds, cacao nibs and shredded coconuts
Snack on!
What is Fulvic Acid + Why Should You Use It?
June 14, 2019
If you’re looking for a natural substance that can not only help boost your health on the inside while encouraging clear, fresh skin on the outside, then you’ve stumbled to the right place. Today, we’re talking about fulvic acid and its benefits.
We know what you’re thinking: what the heck is fulvic acid? To be honest, it doesn’t really sound all that appealing. It kind of sounds like it comes straight out of a nuclear power plant or superhero movie. Luckily, it will not give you radioactive super powers, but it can give your body some natural super powers. We’ve been pure and true since 1992, so no chemically-altered ingredients here, just pure superfoods.
Interestingly enough, these organic compounds come straight from the earth (literally!). Even though it is widely available, it can be a little hard to find in stores. You’ll have to look into specialty health places to get your hands on some (or you can visit pureplanet.com, of course).
Allow us to shed some light on why we love this natural acid and why we think you’ll love it too.
What is Fulvic Acid?
Fulvic acid is a humic substance, meaning it is organically found in soil, bodies of water, and particular foods. Some believe this acid helps give greens and fruits some of their minerals when they are grown in rich soil.
As a supplement, you’ll likely see it as a yellow powder or in liquid form.
What Does It Do?
Acting as an electrolyte and mineral, this acid helps the body cleanse toxins and boost nutrient absorption (1). In more scientific terms, the acid helps convert inorganic substances to organic substances that our bodies can easily use. What’s more, fulvic acid helps the body at the cellular level (2). It helps cells become more permeable, so that they may absorb more water, but release toxins and metals in a chelation process (3). Like chlorella, this is a must-have in any detox regimen.
Here’s how the unique properties affect major body functions.
It encourages metabolism and digestion
Because of its cleansing benefits, fulvic acid can help rid the gut of “bad bacteria.” What’s more, the acid works like a prebiotic to create a safe space for the “good” bacteria to live in the stomach. In essence, you just found your probiotic’s best friend! Reminder: Probiotics are great for nurturing your gut’s bacterial flora and can be found naturally in foods or drinks, like apple cider vinegar.
Plus, some studies suggest that trace minerals found in the acid boosts metabolism by helping to digest protein and carbs quicker. It’s a digestive powerhouse, which is why we like to use it every day.
And guess what? This process can help your skin too!
Fulvic acid may help the body respond to inflammation & improve healthy appearance of the skin
Through detox, fulvic acid promotes healthy elimination of chemicals that contribute to free radical production. Free radicals help the body in some ways, but too many can lead to inflammation, wrinkles and skin damage. These chemicals are in highly processed foods and even polluted air.
What’s more, this natural acid boasts antioxidants that naturally fight free radicals. Anecdotal evidence suggests skin appears more tightened and tone after use; however, more research is needed to confirm this.
Either way, fulvic acid is definitely one of the easier beauty tools to use that won’t require you to watch a 20-minute make-up tutorial and fail miserably (come on Kylie Jenner, it looked so much easier when you did it!) It’s really awesome when superfoods, like rice bran solubles, are able to help us feel beautiful on the inside and out.
It may help boost your workouts and encourage recovery
As a natural way to fight free radicals and prevent inflammation, this compound makes for a great workout recovery supplement. Your muscles will thank you! Because the acid contains electrolytes, it can also help replenish those lost while you were sweating up a storm. In other words, it helps your stay hydrated.
Plus, mixing fulvic acid with your plain water is much more beneficial to your than chugging a sports drink, full of sugar. We recommend mixing it with some beet juice to keep you energized. Or at the end the night with a little tart cherry to lighten the day’s load on your muscles and inspire some deep sleep.
Looking for a Natural Source?
For any supplement, it is important to choose products that are made naturally and do not contain any fillers. We offer two super potent fulvic acid blends: Ionic Elements (mixed with trace minerals) and Fulvic Zeolite (mixed with zeolite).
Cited Studies:
- Carrasco-Gallardo, C., Guzmán, L., & Maccioni, R. B. (2012). Shilajit: a natural phytocomplex with potential procognitive activity. International Journal of Alzheimer’s disease, 2012.
- Man, D., Pisarek, I., Braczkowski, M., Pytel, B., & Olchawa, R. (2014). The impact of humic and fulvic acids on the dynamic properties of liposome membranes: the ESR method. Journal of liposome research, 24(2), 106-112.
- Christl, I., Metzger, A., Heidmann, I., & Kretzschmar, R. (2005). Effect of humic and fulvic acid concentrations and ionic strength on copper and lead binding. Environmental science & technology, 39(14), 5319-5326.
More Sources:
Trouble Getting Your Daily Greens? Try These 4 Easy Steps
March 8, 2019
Think back to the days of your childhood. You sat at the kitchen table, glaring at your plate. Maybe you had a traditional, American dinner: something like chicken, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. But your eyes and mind wandered to the cookie jar sitting on the counter.
Your mom promised you could have one…ONLY if you ate all your food.
So, what was the problem? Well, the tree-like stalks leered straight into your soul. You kicked and pleaded, maybe even ducked them under the potatoes, but to no avail — you had to choke them down eventually.
As kids, we are somehow conditioned into thinking vegetables are bad. That leads to issues down the road. Actually, some kids were so averse to eating veggies that as grown adults, they still don’t get their servings.
If that’s you, don’t worry. Let’s work together to get your daily green on! Here are some tips on how to do that.
Don’t fight it — embrace the salad.
Salads get a bad rap. Often seen as just a dieters nightmarish and mundane go-to lunch, there’s actually a lot going on in these dishes.
You see, they don’t have to look sad, like a random leaf fell into your lap. Instead, color it up. In fact, Diabetes Forecast (a magazine counterpart of the American Diabetes Foundation) suggests to add some fruits to help supply more nutrients that the body needs.
But you don’t have to add just those. Mix it up. Don’t like lettuce? Try kale and bok choy. Don’t be afraid to add some protein, too: chicken, turkey or vegan options like tofu or Beyond Meat. (The latter is lathered in spices that really complement veggies).
Pro Tip: Add some quinoa for some extra crunch and to help fill you up.
Read up.
For some people, learning about specific benefits can help ignite a burning, healthy fire.
Yes, we know that might sound boring. So, here’s a few quick and important benefits from Healthline, Greatist and the United States Department of Agriculture.
- Veggies can help supply natural sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Tired of having to take so many pills for separate vitamins, like A, C and K? These leafy goods can help. You’d be surprised how much more energy you might have and other benefits from simply adding some to your diet.
- Dark varieties are low in calorie and carbs, but high in satiating quality. If you ever felt like you need to eat too much to actually feel full, these will help fill you up, without adding on excess calories and weight. That brings us to the next and (one of the best) benefits.
- They can also help support weight loss. Well, duh! They can help support healthy digestion and metabolism, which can help drop those lbs.
- Veggies can help support the immune system. We tend to think that only fruits can help give us an immunity boost, but nope. In fact, cruciferous vegetables, like kale, broocoli and cabbage, can help regulated intraepithelial luymphocytes (IELS), which can protect the body from bacteria that live in the skin and intestine lining.
Pretty cool, right?
Craving more interesting and specific info? Give this a read!
Look for daily green-products that you love, not ones you’ll hate.
Part of the problem is that we go into eating greens as if it’s a chore, when it’s not. So, go on a food excursion. Find out your favorite tastes.
So, if you don’t like kale, then you should probably skip over it. You could also force yourself to eat it, but just saying, you’re going to hate your life.
Keep the green train going by finding something more up your alley. Need a suggestion? Swap out some of your favorite snacks with veggie-packed equivalents. This could be one way to help break out of a negative thinking cycle (and help you feel less guilty when snacking). Instead of “cutting something out,” you’re merely swapping or trying new things.
Here’s what we mean. Like to snack on chips during lunch? Try veggie chips or veggie-sprinkled, “power popcorn” (recipe here). Like to sip on shakes? Try green drinks, like our Best of Greens. Containing organic cereal grasses (like barley) and sea vegetables (like spirulina), this synergistic blend packs a delicious taste with some healthy perks too. Plus, we have a Lemon flavored version available for those of you who really hate the tastes of vegetables.
As you can see, you have a lot of options. Find your favorites and keep looking.
Start small and sprinkle up your meal.
You don’t have to go full force, replacing every meal with these healthy colors. In fact, you shouldn’t. Going cold turkey might make you hate the whole process.
Instead, sprinkle up your meal. No, we don’t mean adding that sugary cake topping to your dinner. We mean sprinkling in greens where you can.
The United States Department of Agriculture gives great recommendations for how to do this. Add one serving to each meal that you can. Don’t force yourself to go overboard (it’s not necessary). You can eventually work your way up to the recommended two and half cups.
Here’s a really easy way to start tonight. Having protein and rice for dinner? Add some spinach or bok choy. Eating a soup for lunch? Add collard greens. Eating eggs for breakfast? Add some steamed broccoli for some iron.
Pure Planet Best of Greens
At Pure Planet, we recognize the importance of eating vegetables daily. That’s why you can find the freshest of veggies in many of our blends. Head to PurePlanet.com for a look!
We’re pretty obsessed with spirulina. But because of its nature (you know, being from the ocean and all), we can understand why you wouldn’t be as pumped.
What’s more, recipes for these supplements don’t exactly seem self-explanatory. How exactly can algae be incorporated in your kitchen? Well, there are quite a few ways. In fact, we’ll link you a few recipes below. You might already have the essentials needed in your cabinet (that is–if you already have our blends too).
Why Spirulina?
So, why should you implement spirulina into your diet? We’re glad your asked. Much like red marine algae, this sea plant boasts several benefits. Here are just a few, courtesy of Healthline:
- Encourages detox of heavy metals
- Helps boost energy
- Can support healthy immune system and bodily reaction to inflammation
- Can support weight loss
Why Our Spirulina?
There are a ton of brands out there. So why should you choose ours? Well, as we’re talking about a plant from the sea, you need to ensure the cleanliness of the product. You should also be wary of the sourcing methods. Luckily, we’ve been pure + true since ’92 (since the day we started, baby). With us, you won’t even have to think twice.
What’s more, we have a diverse variety of nature’s sea-based multi-vitamin. Some people like powders–we have two. Some like capsules–so we have that too. Other places might only offer one, but we offer three different varieties:
- Capsules (vegetarian capsules, of course)
- Powder
- Choco-mint powder, for those who want an extra “yum” factor
Plus, each comes in a variety of sizes. So, whether you’re a tried + true supplement-head needing a hardy amount for daily use or just a casual looky-loo (no judgements here), we have you covered.
Okay, off our soap-box we go. Enough talk, let’s get to the recipes.
4 Easy Recipes
Choco-mint Smoothie
Decadent smoothies are perfect breakfast go-to’s or afternoon pick-me-ups. When you want a sweet treat, try this recipe. We’ve adapted a tasty recipe created by Natural View Market.
What You’ll Need
Option 1
- Pure Planet Spirulina (Choco-mint powder mix) – 2-3 tsp, according to taste
- Coconut or almond milk – 1 cup
- Banana (cut into pieces) – Add desired amounts of cut pieces
- Cacao nibs – amount desired for garnish or extra taste
Option 2
- Pure Planet Spirulina (standard) or other mix – 2-3 tsp, according to taste
- Raw Cacao nibs or powder – 2 tbsp
- Peppermint extract or leaves – 1-2 tsp or up to 12 leaves
- Banana (cut into pieces) – Add desired amounts
- Chocolate protein powder if desired – 1 scoop
Instructions
- Simply throw ingredients in a blender and blend.
Lemonade Refresher
When life gives you lemons… mix them with sea algae? That’s not how the saying goes, but we have a feeling you’re going to love this anyway. It’s a drink that will taste just as good as it looks.
Get the details from the Glowing Fridge and check out the stunning photos.
Vegan Ice Cream
Oh yes, we all scream for ice cream. We specialize in superfood blends, not ice cream-creation, so we’ll let the experts take care of this one. We think our Choco-mint mix would be perfect for these two recipes:
- Sari Foods – Mint, Chocolate chip and spirulina ice cream
- Nuts.com – Gluten-free, vegan ice cream
“Mermaid” Breakfast bowl
Yes, this blue-green algae can be perfect for breakfast bowls. In fact, it has been dubbed as a “mermaid bowl” due to the pretty colors of the result. But just be mindful, we’re not all Instagram-baddies with aesthetic know-how. If it doesn’t look as appetizing as the carefully-crafted squares on social media, don’t worry.
This recipe has been adapted from Cooking Light.
What You’ll Need
- Pure Planet Spirulina or other mix – 1 tsp
- Coconut or almond milk – 1/4 cup
- Almond yogurt – 1/4 cup
- Small apple (cored and peeled) – Cut in half or a handful of berries
- Optional:
Instructions
- Set aside about half of the yogurt (about 3 tbsp).
- Blend remaining yogurt with others ingredients until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and stir in yogurt that was set aside.
Connect with Us
Have you tried any of these recipes? Tag us on Instagram.
Like what you see? Check out more of our selections.
The underrated fruit doesn’t get the love it deserves.
Yes, it’s the better-tasting cherry (we love a little zing), but it’s also loaded with nutrients. These nutrients make it especially beneficial for the average person. Like apple cider vinegar, this may be something you want to work into your daily life.
Why? Well, because it can help with something we all hold dear to our hearts — SLEEP. That’s right: nutritionists connect this dark red beauty with better sleep. But that’s a little vague, right?
Vague, yes, but still true. In fact, science supports these babies and makes a case for their role in daily life.
Let’s take a look at some of the evidence.
Tart Cherries and Improved Sleep
They can help increase melatonin levels.
This body chemical is sometimes confused with melanin, which is a skin pigment. They’re not related, so there’s your FYI — don’t be that person. Instead, this molecule helps regulate sleep. How so? Well, your body produces an increased amount of this towards your bedtime. Production helps lull you down and eventually, knocks you out for the night.
So, if your eyes feel a little heavier as the sun goes down, now you know why. Melatonin helps control your circadian rhythm. No, that’s not a Fortnite dance the kids are doing; it’s the process that your body uses to rest. Think of it as your internal clock that usually follows the day cycle. The sun goes down and you’re ready to catch some z’s, the sun comes up and you’re ready to go.
At least, that’s how things are supposed to work. Yet, many of us still lay awake at the wee hours of the night. Then we drag our knuckles throughout the morning like a zombie looking for brains. Instead, we’re not looking for brains, we’re hoping for our pillows.
That’s where supplements come in. Many look to pills and potions to help them remedy bedtimes issues. For those who would like a more natural supplement, that’s where tart cherries come in. Medical studies have shown this cherry can help increase melatonin-production. In fact, one European Journal of Nutrition study showed measurable changes.
The double-blind study followed 20 volunteers over 7 days. Participants drank either tart cherry juice concentrate or a placebo. Researchers collected urine samples, testing for signs of the molecule.
And what did they find? Surprise, surprise: the cherry drinkers melatonin-content increased, while the placebo showed no change. What does the increase mean?
That brings us to our next point…
Cherry concentrate can help boost sleep efficiency.
Again, it sounds vague, but it’s still true. The European study didn’t just tally chemical-ranges, it accounted for sleep quality too. Volunteers answered sleep quality questionnaires and special sensors monitored actual sleep. Both methods showed the same thing — people slept better with daily doses of the concentrate. More accurately, they slept for longer hours in this case.
Researchers in Spain found a similar correlation in a 2013 study. Ages for this placebo-controlled study ranged from 20 to 85-years-old. Across all these ages, participants showed measured success. Those who drank tart cherry concentrate daily showed reported better sleep. Their activity patterns exemplified this: less sudden awakenings during sleep and more shut-eye.
The report also focused on sleep latency, which means how long it takes to fall asleep. Can you guess what happened? Yup, participants reported (and data showed) falling asleep quicker during their trial. Falling asleep easier and less instances of randomly waking up at 3 AM? Count us in.
This sour fruit’s potential effectiveness has many in the health world. That brings us to our next point.
It may able to help those with sleep disorders in the future.
If the tart cherry can benefit the average person’s sleep cycle, can it help those with sleep disorders? Signs are looking positive, but lack extensive research. Research might be far and few between, but there’s still hope.
The American Journal of Therapeutics recently published a pilot study focusing on patients with insomnia. Researchers hoped the fruit could one day be a natural alternative to sleep-inducing drugs. So, is that what they found?
Unfortunately, the correlation could not go that far. But, those who ingested a cherry concentrate daily (as opposed to the placebo) found improvement. Their monitored sleep time increased by a little over an hour and thirty minutes (83 minutes). We know every minute counts, so that’s pretty cool.
Interestingly enough, researchers also noted an increase in tryptophan-availability. This chemical helps your body produce the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin. This makes sense because serotonin is also associated with melatonin. Think about it like this: how many times has your night’s rest (or lack thereof) affected your mood the next day?
A Very Cherry Recipe
Enticed? Of course you are. Here’s a fun little way to get some cherry-love in your life. Use our Organic Tart Cherry Extract to create this refreshing recipe.
Tart Cherry Red Wine Spritzer
Wine and cherries are two of our favorite things, so naturally we love this recipe by Running to the Kitchen. Add seltzer in the mix and a rosemary for garnish, and you got yourself a holiday drink (or any time, really).
Looking for more tasty drinks? Check more recipes here.
Bottoms up!
