Eating healthy is not only important for keeping us fit, but many body functions can greatly benefit from it, as healthy food improves your mood, gives you more energy, and helps you fight various diseases. But taking care of your health doesn’t just mean reducing the amount of junk food you eat and being more physically active – it is important to consume the food that nourishes our body and keeps it healthy.
Superfoods are those types of food that are rich in various nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that help our organism fight vicious diseases and prolong our life span. One of the most famous superfoods are blueberries known for their vitamins. Spirulina, possibly one of the oldest life forms on Earth and a plant that has between 50 and 70% protein, has become one of the most popular superfoods.
What exactly is Spirulina?
How’s spirulina looks like in powder form.
We are mostly used to seeing spirulina in a form of a powder or as a capsule, but have you ever wondered what it is exactly? It is actually a blue-green algae that has been around for a very long time, but people have recently started being aware of its numerous benefits such as the ability to boost your energy, strengthen your immune system, balance pH levels and improve your digestion. It is rich in many amino acids essential for our body, and it can be a great source of iron, B and K vitamins, calcium and magnesium. And as already mentioned, it has more protein than certain types of meat and fish.
Where can Spirulina be found in nature?
Spirulina in the form of algae grows in freshwater lakes, rivers and ponds as well. It prefers lots of sunlight with moderate temperatures and clean water. Wild form of spirulina can be found in Mexico and in Africa, but due to its rise in popularity it is commercially grown worldwide.
Spirulina is very rich in nutrients
The reasons spirulina is so beneficial for our health are obvious if we take a look at nutrients contained in spirulina. With the range of vitamins such as vitamin A, B6, B12, C, E, K and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, spirulina represents a healthy source of essential vitamins and minerals our body needs. Together with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and the high amount of proteins, spirulina is a real immunity booster bomb.
It is rich in proteins
Spirulina contains from 50-70% proteins which have all the necessary amino acids and are highly digestible. It can be a great source of protein for people who don’t consume meat. One cup of spirulina (112 grams) contain s around 64 grams of protein, which is a little more protein than we need in a day – recommended daily intake for women is 46 grams, and 56 grams for men.
It is rich in B12
The lack of vitamin B12 can cause anemia, fatigue and depression, thus it is important to have enough of this vitamin in our organism. B12 is commonly found in foods such as different types of meat, eggs and cheese, and less commonly in plant foods. One of the exceptions is spirulina which is high in vitamin B12 and as such a great source of this vitamin for vegans.
It contains Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) and Omega-3s
Both gamma linolenic acid omega-3 acid have numerous health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, helping with skin conditions, high cholesterol, heart disease, nerve pain, depression, asthma and so on. Spiruilna is a natural source of these acids, and considering the fact that GLA is rarely found in food sources, this makes spirulina that more valuable.
Benefits of Spirulina
An overview of the nutrition content of Spirulina
It is difficult to list all the benefits you can feel when consuming spirulina, thus we’ll try to list the most important ones.
1. Spirulina balances blood sugar There are a number of studies conducted on animals indicating that spirulina is as effective as some diabetes medication, if not more effective, in helping to control blood sugar levels. Another study conducted on 25 people suffering from type 2 diabetes further confirms how beneficial spirulina is in balancing blood sugar.
2. Spirulina helps with allergies If you are suffering from allergies and experience symptoms such as nasal discharge, sneezing, nasal congestion and itching, spirulina will help you relieve those symptoms, as it has been proven it is effective o n allergic rhinitis.
3. Spirulina helps fight oral cancer Evidence suggest that spirulina may be successful in helping people fight cancer, and it has been studied in relation to oral cancer. In a study conducted on 87 people with precancerous lesions in the mouth, 45% of the group consuming 1 gram per day during one year saw complete regression of lesions.
4. Spirulina improves muscle strength and endurance In order to prevent muscle fatigue and injuries when exercising or engaging in physically demanding activities, you need to consume foods with antioxidant properties and spirulina is very rich in antioxidants. Furthermore, studies have shown that spirulina can have preventative effects on muscle damage and increase exercise performance.
5. Spirulina helps regulate blood pressure According to a study conducte d in Mexico, taking 4.5 grams of spirulina per day reduces high blood pressure both in men and women.
6. Spirulina helps regulate cholesterol Higher cholesterol means you are at risk for heart diseases. Luckily, there are natural ways to lower cholesterol, such as consuming spirulina. A study conduc ted on 78 elderly males and females, where they consumed 8 grams of spirulina per day during 16 weeks, showed significant reduction in cholesterol levels.
7. Spirulina helps fight anemia Anemia is characterized by a deficiency or red cells and hemoglobin, and it causes fatigue. 40 elderly people suffering from anemia were subjects to a study which proved that the consumption of spirulina increased hemoglobin content in blood.
8. Spirulina helps weight loss As spirulina contains high amounts of proteins, it may satisfy your hunger and lead to fat burning. Its benefits are obvious in long term and are much more effective than short term diets, as this study suggest.
9. Spirulina helps eliminate candida If pH balance in our bodies is for some reason disturbed, it can cause candida to grow, thus causing many problems, such as leaky gut syndrome. Several animal studies indicate that spirulina is effective in inhibiting uncontrollable growth of candida.
10. Spirulina helps in protecting the brain Spirulina can help you improve your focus and concentration, but it may also prevent degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson diseases due to its antioxidant properties, as one study show s.
Are there any side effects to spirulina?
There are no know side effects, yet you should buy high quality spirulina and only from trusted sources. In addition, women who breastfeed and people with auto-immune diseases should better stay away from consuming spirulina.
Should you choose tablets or powder?
See if you want to take it directly or mix it with something else!
Both tablets and powder have its pros and cons. As tablets are a more compact in form, they might not be fully digested, therefore your body won’t absorb all the nutrients. Spirulina tablets may also contain some fillers or binding agents that are also hard to process. However, they have longer shelf life, and they are more practical as you can carry them around and consume them easily.
On the other hand, powder is more easily and more quickly absorbed. Yet if you consume it with foods that your body has difficulty processing, it would also be hard to absorb spirulina’s nutrients completely. But, you can mix spirulina powder into almost any food: juices, smoothies, and even bread and salad dressings.
Whichever you opt for, it is important to use it on the daily basis.
How much you should take every day?
For children under the ages of 18, the best practice is to always consult your doctor if it safe to give them spirulina. As for adults, the standard dose is 500mg per day (or 4-6 tablets), yet it is advisable to consult your doctor or a healthcare professional for the recommended dose.
For women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is better to avoid consuming or to consult the doctor. Moreover, people with a condition phenylketonuria and people with auto-immune diseases are advised not to consume spirulina.
It is important to note that spirulina in itself won’t be fully beneficial if you don’t change your dietary habits. You cannot expect good results if you take spirulina and eat fast food, for example. To have the best possible results, your diet needs to be balanced as well.
How to make spirulina taste great?
Some people might find spirulina’s taste unusual and strange, so we are giving you some great recipes that are delicious. Hope you like green color, because spirulina will turn all your food green!
Spirulina smoothie
What you need:
– 1 banana
– ½ avocado
– a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
– a little bit of cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon of spirulina
– 1 cup of nut milk
Preparation:
Put all ingredients into a blender and mix.
Spirulina berries smoothie
What you need:
– 1 or 2 cups of non-sweet full fat coconut milk
– 1 cup of frozen berries
– ½ frozen banana
– 2 teaspoons of spirulina
– ½ handful spinach
– ½ handful kale
Preparation:
Put all ingredients into a blender and mix. Pour into a bowl and put some fresh berries or other favorite toppings.
Spirulina bites
What you need:
– 1 cup grinded seed mix
– 10 dates without pits
– 1/3 cup almond butter
– 1-2 teaspoons of spirulina
– 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
– a pinch of salt
Preparation:
Mix dates and seeds in a large bowl. Add other ingredients and mix again until you get a sticky mixture. Dive the mixture and roll into 10 balls. Keep for 2-3 days in a refrigerator.
Spirulina ice-cream
What you need:
– 2 frozen bananas
– 1 teaspoon of spirulina
Preparation:
Put bananas in blender and mix them, then add spirulina, mix again and serve.
Spirulina mango pudding
What you need:
– 3 cups of chopped mango
– zest from 1 lemon
– 1 teaspoon of spirulina
Preparation:
Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until it’s smooth. If it’s not sweet enough for you, you can add honey or stevia.
Featured photo credit: https://pixabay.com/ via pixabay.com
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