According to the United Nations, spirulina is one of the foods of the future, and if you look at the compounds that this food contains you won’t be surprised why they claim this.
Spirulina is one of the most powerful foods today because it contains record levels of nutrients. That’s why spirulina belongs to the group of superfoods. It is used in both regular meals and separately as a medicine.
Many health experts have confirmed that spirulina has the ability to provide optimal levels of nutrition, energy, and health and at the same time it contains few calories. On top of that, it doesn’t contain any trans-fatty acids. This food can be used by people looking to reach a perfect weight and start practicing proper diet and healthy food habits.
The truth is that in the past few years a lot of scientific studies, that had spirulina in their focus, were conducted and although some basic things about this superfood are known to the public there are certain facts about it that only a few people know. This is what you may have missed about spirulina.
Spirulina Secret Facts
1. There are 35 different types of spirulina and not all of them have the same potential. Spirulina maxima is inferior when compared to Spirulina platensis when it comes to lipid content and the second type of spirulina contains more gamma linoleic and less palmitic acid.
2. Spirulina is actually a genus of cyanobacteria, not a plant. Many people confuse it with algae because of its appearance and blue-green color, but this is a type of bacteria (cyano–blue).
3. People from different continents have used spirulina for hundreds of years. For example, the famous Aztecs knew spirulina under the name Tecuitlatl and they have used it for five millenniums while the Kanembu tribe that still lives around Lake Chad in Africa have consumed and used spirulina (or “dihe” as they call it) for more than 10 centuries.
4. This is a food that contains the highest levels of proteins. Some types of spirulina contain up to 71% proteins compared to 35% found in soya flour.
5. Spirulina is very resistant and it can live in almost any environment. You can place it in a deep freezer, in a fridge, process it, or leave it on your kitchen countertop it will still preserve all the nutrients found in it.
6. This food contains every type of protein. All 18 amino acids and 8 essential amino acids are part of spirulina.
7. It is really easy to digest the proteins found in spirulina. Since the cells of spirulina don’t have cellulose walls the protein is highly digestible.
8. Several studies showed that spirulina is the best source of B12 vitamin and what is even more interesting is that the second best source raw beef liver has between 3 and 6 times less B12.
9. Something similar happens when we compare spirulina’s levels of iron with other foods known for their high levels of iron like whole cereals and raw spinach. According to some studies, depending on the type of spirulina, this food can contain up to 50 times more iron than spinach and about twice as much iron than whole cereals.
10. Many athletes consume spirulina on a daily basis because they are experiencing better performance. Top athletes use at least 30 grams of spirulina each day.
11. Furthermore, this superfood is the best source of gamma-linoleic acid right after human milk and certain vegetable oils such as borage, evening primrose, hemp oil, etc.
12. Although carrots were known as the richest source of beta-carotene, it turned out that spirulina can provide much better results when it comes to eyesight care.
13. Spirulina production doesn’t’ require much water. In fact, it needs only two percent of the water needed for the production of beef protein. This makes spirulina an eco-friendly food.
14. External application of spirulina can also be very helpful, especially in cases of UV radiation. It contains enough blue pigment needed to create a completely natural sunscreen. In case your skin is very sensitive you should add an equal amount of raw coconut oil.
15. Spirulina also acts as a tonic and it can improve the state of the immune system. Latest research has confirmed its positive effects in cases of cancer and HIV.
Are You Prepared to Boost Your Health?
Therefore, this food has the ability to improve your overall health, improve your immune system, detoxify, alkalize your system, and improve your libido too.
In addition, it can satisfy your essential fatty acid, macronutrient, and immune system needs too.
So, what are you waiting for? Start using spirulina as part of your diet. Use one tablespoon of spirulina in smoothies, pour it into salads, or create protein bars, and use one tablespoon of spirulina in them. This food can change your life!
Sources: Mind Body Green, DLX The Nutritional Aspects Of Spirulina, International Scientific References, Spirulina: The Beneficial Algae.
