41 Smoothie Co. Opens in Palmetto
You may have heard of the açaí bowl or even pitaya smoothie bowl made out of blended dragonfruit—but have you seen electric blue-colored bowls making the rounds on social media and wondered, "How is that color natural!?"
Well, it is 100 percent natural. The blue smoothie bowls are made with a superfood called spirulina, a flavorless, blue-green algae that contains small amounts of many nutrients. Plus, it just looks really pretty.
If you want to try one of these magical-looking bowls, stop by the new 41 Smoothie Co. in Palmetto. The shop makes a Blue Wave Bowl that's a smoothie base of blended banana, mango and spirulina with coconut milk, topped with granola, fruit of your choice and local honey.
Owner Adam Shihan, who opened the shop earlier this year, says the Blue Wave Bowl just tastes like the fruit it's blended with.
"Since spirulina is flavorless, it's really just giving you those nutrients and energy without a particular taste," says Shihan. Spirulina grows in most fresh and salt waters and contains high amounts of vitamins B1, 2 and 3, copper, iron, magnesium and potassium. You can buy the powder in bulk at most health food stores.
41 Smoothie Co.'s menu is also chock-full of other fun bowls with bright colors, like the classic purple açaí bowl, a bright-pink dragonfruit bowl and yogurt parfaits. The smoothies on the menu are named after iconic Bradenton landmarks, like the Green Bridge, a green smoothie with kale and spinach, or The 41, a classic strawberry-banana smoothie named after the major roadway through town.
The Double Berry Smoothie at 41 Smoothie Co.
Image: Courtesy Photo
Another plus? The food (and the shop) are super photogenic. Shahin says customers come in all the time and take photos with their colorful concoctions before digging in. He finds 41 Smoothie Co. tagged on Instagram all the time.
Açaí bowl at the shop's bar top.
Image: Instagram/@41smoothieco
Shihan says that Palmetto is a flourishing community with many new small businesses opening up. He owns a tech repair shop right next door to 41 Smoothie Co. and says he has regular customers at both.
"We are growing around here," says Shihan. "It is cool to see."
To taste a Blue Wave Bowl, visit 41 Smoothie Co. at 735 7th St. W., Palmetto. Click here to see the menu or order online.
