Superfood : Spirulina Health Benefits & Uses

Spirulina is a microalgae marketed as a superfood because of its richness in minerals and vitamins. Spirulina is considered as a natural, healthy and effective food supplement because of its amazing health benefits and healing properties.

The spirulina (so named because of its spiral shape), belongs to the family of filamentous cyanobacteria and microalgae blue-green. This cyanobacterium exists on Earth for more than three billion years and is probably the oldest microorganism on the Earth.

It is a genuine superfood that grows naturally in lakes close to the equator in India, Chad and Mexico, where local populations consume it regularly.

Spirulina is marketed in the form of a dehydrated blue-green powder, or in the form of filaments, or else in tablets.

A handful of Spirulina contains as many:

• More Proteins than 35 g of beef,
• Calcium equivalent to three glasses of milk,
• Iron equivalent to three bowls of spinach,
• Beta-carotene of 18 carrots,
• Vitamin B12 that 500 g of steak,
• More Vitamin E than three tablespoons of wheat germ.

Spirulina is, therefore, a micro-alga with exceptional nutritional content that requires neither treatment nor cooking. This makes it one of the best solutions for the future of healthy eating and safeguarding the environment.

Spirulina Health Benefits

1.Proteins of Excellent Quality

Spirulina contains 55% to 70% of the protein of excellent quality (due to their proportion of amino acids). One of the proteins of spirulina is phycocyan in which stimulates the immune system and plays a role in the production of red and white blood cells.

Several studies show that Spirulina or its extracts prevent or inhibit cancers in humans or animals. Indeed, Spirulina interacts with the immune system which it helps to stimulate it. Research shows that spirulina also has an antiviral action.

2.Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Spirulina also contains a good amount of unsaturated fatty acids from the family of omega-6 (gamma-linolenic acids).

3.Pigments

One of the very interesting components of spirulina is chlorophyll. It has a positive influence on the production of red blood cells and purifies the blood.

Chlorophyll, with its Hem nucleus (like our red blood cells), is capable of bonding the magnesium it contains (our red blood cells contain iron, not magnesium). This means that it is also able to bond other elements, such as toxins, and therefore to “clean” the blood.

The phycocyanin , exclusive component of Spirulina has also, of detoxifying and stimulating properties of the immune system .

4. Micronutrients and Minerals

Spirulina contains iron , zinc, selenium , manganese, copper , and chromium and all minerals ( calcium , magnesium , phosphorus, sodium, potassium ).

Spirulina helps to slow the aging of the skin due to its antioxidant molecules (gamma-linolenic acid, tocopherol, phycocyanin, carotene, selenium, and zinc) which prevent the formation of free radicals. The gamma-linolenic acid contained in Spirulina brings suppleness, elasticity, and therefore softness to the epidermis.

The cell wall of the spirulina is very thin, unlike seaweeds: nutrients are thus quickly and completely absorbed by the body, and easily assimilated in children and elderly people.

The taste of algae , typical of spirulina, is not appreciated by everyone. Diluted in water, its taste dominates, but mixed with apple juice, for example, the taste disappears.

Among its many virtues, it can help to lose weight by having a moderating effect on the appetite, thanks to the proteins it contains and which are satiating.

5.Spirulina Makes You Feel Good

The purifying activity of pure spirulina results in a rapid and effective removal of pollutants and lactic acid. This allows an increase in energy and faster recovery after training or competition.

6.Spirulina, A Natural Powerhouse

It has iron, vitamin B12, beta-carotene, therefore of great interest to athletes (ves) especially in terms of oxygenation of muscles, essential fatty acids for the integrity of the cells and essential for the proper functioning of the immune system.

7.Spirulina Against Radiation

In Belarus, between 146,000 and 1,600,000 children treated with 5 g of Spirulina per day for 45 days at the Institute of Radiation Medicine in Minsk saw their radiation rate drop. This study directly links this herb as natural defense against radiation.

How Much to Take Every day?

Studies of long-term consumption of spirulina suggest that it is good to take two to five grams of it each day. Some people like athletes take 10 g. per day. Although there are no side effects of taking too much of this Spirulina .

Spirulina in Madagascar

It is used in Madagascar in schools to strengthen the diet of children who do not eat enough meat. In Antsirabe, not far from the Malagasy capital, a farm produces nearly 300 kg of spirulina every year.

According to the experts, a daily dose of one to three grams of spirulina for four to six weeks is enough to cure a child suffering from severe malnutrition. Spirulina consumption experiments have been successfully conducted and will continue; Children treated with spirulina regained 3 kg on average.

Given its high productivity , spirulina requires 30 times less growing area than soybeans, 40 times less than maize and 300 times less than beef.

Spirulina consumes much less fresh water per kg of protein than any other food: 3 times less than for soy, 6 times less than for corn, and 50 times less than for beef.

Less meat is also less cholesterol and fatty acids , which is anything but negligible in terms of health (cardiovascular problems, obesity, etc.).

In the case of regular use, you will notice results after one to three weeks of cure, depending on your metabolism, your morphology and your physical condition.