If you’ve never tried spirulina, you’re missing out on one of the greatest—albeit most unusual—health food supplements!
Spirulina comes from, get this, algae.
That’s right, it’s an organism that grows in both salt and fresh water, and it’s a single-celled microbe that is a delightful blue-green color.
Spirulina is among the family of cyanobacteria, which is capable of producing energy from sunlight via photosynthesis, the same way plants generate energy.
Fun Facts: The ancient Aztecs used to consume spirulina for energy and an immune-booster. It turns out that it can actually be grown in space, making it excellent fuel for astronauts.
Spirulina is a truly marvelous plant, one that has become a hyper-popular superfood ingredient. When you find out what it can do for you, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it before now!
The Nutritional Value of Spirulina
The single-celled cyanobacteria we know as spirulina is basically a powerhouse of nutrients. It spends all of its time turning sunlight into energy and nutrients, so much so that just one 7-gram tablespoon serving contains:
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4 grams of protein. That’s high quality, plant-based protein with all the essential amino acids that your body needs to boost your metabolism and build muscle.
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11% of your iron DV. Iron is needed for the production of red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting nutrients and oxygen through your body.
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21% of your copper DV. Copper is another mineral your body needs, as it works with iron to produce red blood cells and plays a huge role in your bone health and immune function.
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11% of your Vitamin B1 DV, 15% of your Vitamin B2 DV, and 4% of your Vitamin B3 DV. All of these B vitamins are central to your immune health, and they play a role in your metabolic functions.
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1.7 grams of carbs. These carbs are easily digestible and provide your body with a quick injection of energy, the perfect post-workout recovery food.
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1 gram of fat. However, that isn’t just any fat—it’s both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, both of which are central to brain function.
As you can see, spirulina is loaded with nutrients, making it an amazing addition to a healthy diet. You’ll find it’s much easier to balance all your macros and micros when you’ve got spirulina on the menu!
Spirulina Health Benefits
What exactly can spirulina do for you? You’d be amazed by its many, MANY benefits!
Deliver antioxidants – Spirulina contains a lot of antioxidants, particularly a compound called phycocyanin. This antioxidant, which gives the algae its marvelous blue-green color, is highly effective at inhibiting inflammation, fighting free radicals, and stopping the production of inflammatory signaling molecules.
The antioxidants in spirulina will protect your body from oxidative damage and chronic inflammation, reducing your risk of chronic disease.
Fight cancer – The high antioxidant content of spirulina makes it an effective anti-cancer treatment for certain types of cancer. Animal research has indicated that it can not only help to reduce tumor size, but it may even reduce the occurrence of cancer.
In one study conducted in India, people taking spirulina saw a decrease in the formation and spread of pre-cancerous lesions in their mouths. After stopping their spirulina dosage, the lesions returned in more than half of the cases.
Manage your cholesterol –Spirulina raises your levels of HDL cholesterol, the “good” type of cholesterol that can naturally help to manage the “bad” LDL cholesterol. At the same time, it also lowers your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, effectively lowering your total cholesterol. Just a small dose per day is all you need to help you start getting your cholesterol levels under control!
But that’s not all it can do. Spirulina also stops the cholesterol in your bloodstream from being oxidized and turned into the plaque that raises your risk of heart damage. The antioxidants in spirulina will protect the LDL cholesterol and prevent it from sticking to your arterial walls, thereby stopping it from being turned into plaque. The result is a much lower risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart problems!
Improve circulation –Spirulina provides nutrients that increase the production of nitric oxide, the molecule that your body needs in order to dilate (expand) your blood vessels. With enough nitric oxide being produced, your body is able to relax and dilate your blood vessels to allow for sufficient blood flow.
And it turns out a 4.5-gram (or higher) dose of spirulina can lower blood pressure levels, thereby reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Fight anemia – Anemia is a condition wherein your body is unable to produce enough red blood cells, and thus can’t transport enough oxygen or nutrients. It’s often caused by a lack of iron or copper, but there are a number of other factors behind it.
Spirulina contains a lot of both critical minerals, meaning it can provide your body with the iron and copper it needs to produce red blood cells.
Help with glucose management – Spirulina has been linked to lowered blood sugar levels, perhaps even working as effectively as diabetes drugs (like Metformin), according to some animal studies. The algae was able to lower the HbA1c blood marker that indicated long-term high blood sugar levels, pointing to a drastic decrease in blood sugar and a reduced risk of diabetes-related deaths.
Boosted immunity – A number of studies discovered that spirulina drastically raised the immune function of those taking higher doses. This is the result of not only the antioxidants, but the high micronutrient content of the algae.
We’ve crafted a supplement that is amazing at boosting your immune function—so amazing, in fact, that we’ve called it Pure Immunity. It contains spirulina along with A LOT of other immune-boosting nutrients, including wheat grass, alfalfa grass, chlorella, Astralagus, maitake mushrooms, and reishi mushrooms. Our goal with this supplement is to deliver everything your body needs to be healthy and fight disease, and with spirulina on the job, you’ll find your immune system works better than ever!
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