While it can be fun to dye food for the holidays, it certainly isn’t the best decision for our health. Food coloring not only has no nutritional value, but it is loaded with artificial man-made ingredients that can cause inflammation. There is a solution though!

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner I thought it would be fun to make some green cookies. I made the Chewy Coconut Almond Cookies as instructed with the addition of 1 teaspoon of spirulina. At this small amount there is no noticeable change to the flavor of the cookies.

Natural Food Coloring Using Spirulina

Spirulina is blue-green microalgae that packs in an incredible amount of nutrients, including Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, the B vitamins and is also a tremendous source of protein. Not only that, it also has anti-inflammatory properties. Compare this to the below screenshot that shows the ingredients in a green food coloring on the market.

Other natural food coloring options for upcoming holidays or birthdays include:

• Red/pink: Beet juice or powder or pomegranate juice
• Yellow: Ground turmeric
• Orange: Pure carrot juice or powder
• Blue: Blueberry juice or powder
• Green: Spirulina, chlorella, spinach powder, etc.

As you can see it’s just as easy to find natural coloring agents. The bonus is that the natural alternatives will provide you with nutrients.

Have fun this St. Patrick’s Day by adding a little burst of color to a tasty treat!