Your new summer 'superfood' is here. And cooler than ever.
You may have seen images of charcoal ice cream swirling around your instagram feed lately. After trying the dairy-free charcoal vanilla froyo at Real Good Juice here in Chicago, I decided to make my own version; I cut out the charcoal and subbed in greens to turn this into a delicious summertime treat.
First. What's the deal with the dark stuff? I bought charcoal powder out of curiosity and used it for a DIY face mask. Note: I don't recommend doing this casually before you have to be somewhere; it took a LONG time to wash off; I was left with a rosy "glow" from all the scrubbing. #beautyfail. Companies that champion charcoal claim it helps to 'detox' your body, promotes digestive health, prevents hangovers and lowers blood cholesterol. While activated charcoal is used to treat poisoning, there is no scientific evidence to support it's use to treat these other health concerns.
Bottom line: I don't recommend using charcoal as an ingredient. Ingesting too much charcoal may lead to constipation, interfere with the absorption of nutrients and inhibit the effectiveness of some medications.
Try this super simple 'superfood' recipe the next time you are in the mood for a sweet summer treat. Feel free to create your own by subbing tahini for the almond butter or fresh mint for the basil.
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
1. 2-3 frozen bananas
2. 1 Tbsp. almond butter
3. 4 basil pods from Trader Joe's or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4. 3/4 cup dairy-free milk of choice
5. 1 cup frozen spinach
6. 1/2 avocado
Instructions
1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender
2. Blend until creamy; add more or less milk based on desired consistency
3. Add to individual container(s); freeze for 20-30 minutes
3. Top with fresh fruit or nuts before enjoying!