The Health Benefits of Spirulina
Make it One of the World's Most Nutritious Foods
No other food offers anywhere near the health benefits of spirulina (except for its close relative, chlorella). Spirulina is an incredibly dense green superfood, rather than a nutritional supplement.
Just one tablespoon of spirulina has the nutritional value of 3 or 4 servings of common vegetables.
Spirulina is widely used as an ingredient in most green superfood powders and is beneficial as an aid in weight-loss programs.
Spirulina has been found to have significant positive effects on people suffering from type 2 diabetes. Studies show that spirulina has the ability to reduce fasting blood sugar levels in the body after 6 to 8 weeks of intake.
Spirulina contains the essential fatty acid gamma-linoleic acid, which can help prevent conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and even cancer.
Spirulina helps support a healthy pH balance in your body. A diet heavy on acidic foods such as animal proteins and grains can be effectively balanced by the alkaline properties of spirulina.
Among the many other benefits of spirulina are the following:
• inhibits the power of many viruses — including HIV, flu, mumps, measles, and herpes
• helps diminish allergies such as hay fever
• helps protect the liver from toxins
• helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol
• helps control symptoms of ulcerative colitis
• exerts strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
• helps boost the immune system
Benefits of Spirulina: Cleansing & Detoxification. When you put your body under extreme stress, such as intense physical training, toxins and free radicals are released from your tissues. The chlorophyll in spirulina helps eliminate these waste products, and cleanses your liver, kidneys and blood. When the liver and kidneys are working more smoothly, everything else in the body works better, too.
This cleansing effect is also important if you're on any sort of low-carb diet (Atkins diet, South Beach diet, etc.). These types of diets can place a heavy burden on the liver and kidneys, due too the increased elimination of excess ketones that occurs.
The benefits of spirulina also include protection against environmental toxins, air and water pollution, and other contaminants that you're being exposed to every day.
What is Spirulina?
Spirulina is one of a family of blue-green algae, along with chlorella. They are usually found in warm and alkaline waters all over the world, predominantly in South America, Africa, and Mexico. The name "spirulina" is derived from the Latin word for "helix" or "spiral"; reflecting the physical configuration of the organism as it forms swirling, microscopic strands.
Nutritional Content of Spirulina
Spirulina contains about 70% protein, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene, B vitamins and chlorophyll. It also has abundant essential fatty acids, B vitamins, antioxidants and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc.
Especially important for vegetarians, one tablespoon of spirulina provides about 300% of your RDA for vitamin B-12.
Benefits of Spirulina: Easily Assimilated Protein. Spirulina is the world’s most digestible natural source of high quality protein. Its predigested protein is absorbed almost immediately, and its simple carbohydrates yield immediate yet sustained energy. Many world-class athletes recognize the incredible benefits of spirulina for performing at their peak physical ability on a daily basis.
The protein found in spirulina is complete, containing all eight essential amino acids, unlike beans and other plant foods that typically lack some of the essential amino acids.
Spirulina is the ideal food source for people looking to get more protein into their diets:
• people on low-carb, high-protein diets like the Atkins Diet or the South Beach Diet.
• people who workout vigorously or engage in strength training.
• people who have trouble gaining weight or are generally malnourished.
Benefits of Spirulina: Important Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). Blue-green algaes — especially spirulina — are some of the best sources of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is usually only found in mother's milk. GLA is an omega-6 fatty acid with many healthful properties, and is missing in most people's diet.
GLA is important for growth and development. We know that the consumption of these healthy fats produces astounding health benefits in the human body.
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