Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

75% of Americans are dehydrated. Since our bodies depend on adequate hydration for energy, body detoxification, digestion and cognitive function, it's no surprise that many of us report feeling less than spiffy each day.

It also doesn't help that the eating habits in today's Western diet also promote dehydration. When our energy levels get low, we tend to reach for a cup of coffee or sugar laden-energy drink, rather than a glass of water. Not only are we failing to meet our daily water requirements, but we're frequently consuming beverages that dehydrate us. It should also be mentioned that in addition to promoting dehydration, caffeinated and/or sugary drinks also spike and crash your blood sugar levels. Consequently, fluctuating blood sugar levels are directly linked to low energy, as well as irritability and brain fog.

As you can see, it's not just staying hydrated, but how you hydrate that can make all the difference in your health and wellness, and how you feel throughout the day. One of my favorite ways to increase my water intake and boost my energy levels naturally is by drinking agua fresca, which can be formulated into a healthy energy drink.

Agua fresca literally translates to “fresh water”, and is simply just fruit blended with cold water. And while it sounds extremely simple (which it is), agua fresca makes the perfect natural, thirst-quenching healthy energy drink that can effortlessly help you increase your water intake.Agua fresca is energizing thanks to the boost of natural vitamins and minerals from the blended fruit. But I like to take my agua fresca recipes one step further to boost my energy levels by adding the amazing green superfood, chlorella.

I'll share my favorite pineapple chlorella agua fresca recipe with you in just a moment. But first, let's take a look at why chlorella is the perfect natural energy drink ingredient, and how it contributes to improving your overall health and wellness. 

Chlorella is one of the best naturally energizing superfoods because of the extensive nutrient profile it contains so it can transform your water into a healthy energy drink. Here are the primary nutrients chlorella offers that work to keep you energized all day long. 

Active B12
A common, but often hidden cause of low energy is vitamin B deficiency.Your body depends on antioxidant vitamins as well as B vitamins for energy production. You see, B vitamins help convert the food we eat into energy, and transport oxygen between our cells.

Unfortunately, B12 deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies, especially among vegans and vegetarians. This is because the richest food sources of B12 are animal products, such as fish, poultry, liver, eggs and dairy products. And the few plant-based foods that are said to contain B12 (such as nutritional yeast) only contain small amounts of B12 that are poorly absorbed by the body.

However, studies show that there is one plant food that contains a high level of Active B12 (bioavailable), which is chlorella.

In one particular study, subjects with low B12 levels were given 9 grams of chlorella pyrenoidosa nutritional supplements for 60 days. At the end of the 60 days, the study concluded that the subject's homocysteine levels were greatly reduced, which is the primary indicator of B12 deficiency.

These findings suggest that chlorella is an effective supplement for energy by offering your body a form of B12 that can be easily absorbed and assimilated.

Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is often referred to as “plant blood” because it allows plants to absorb energy from the sunlight through photosynthesis. But chlorophyll isn't just beneficial for plants: it also helps boost our energy levels by increasing the oxygen in our blood.

As a powerful blood cleanser, chlorophyll may also help boost energy levels by promoting complete body detox, and removing heavy metals and other chemicals that may contribute to fatigue and poor concentration.

Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF)
Chlorella Growth Factor or CGF is a nutrient that can only be found in chlorella. It contains the nucleic acids, RNA and DNA, which help repair and regenerate our cells. And the healthier our cells are, the easier it is for our bodies to produce energy.

The nucleic acids in CGF also help your body conserve energy. This is because our bodies naturally produce RNA and DNA, but when we receive them from dietary sources such as chlorella, it's one less job our body has to expend energy to do.

Alkaline Minerals
Lastly, chlorella contains several alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Alkaline minerals prevent our blood from becoming too acidic, and allow oxygen to move through your blood more freely. And as you now know, the more oxygen you have flowing through your body, the more energy you will have. 

Now that you know why I recommend adding chlorella to your healthy energy drink recipes, here's the recipe for my favorite agua fresca: Pineapple Chlorella Agua Fresca!

Prep Time: 2 minutes 
Servings: 1

Ingredients
1 cup (8 oz) cold, spring or filtered water 

1 cup frozen pineapple
*½ tsp Sun Chlorella Powder
add a dash of sweet with your favorite sweetener
The juice of 1 small lime
Handful ice cubes (optional)

Directions
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately and enjoy!

*You may also use crushed chlorella tablets if you don't have Sun Chlorella Powder

Author: Brandi Black, RHN