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10 Proven Health Benefits of Spirulina

Spirulina Benefits and Properties

 

Everyone talks about it, but what are the properties of Spirulina? Let’s see what the scientific community says about this miraculous alga!

 

Spirulina is a seaweed that takes its name from its unique spiral shape. It is a blue-green alga with powerful properties that have been known since ancient times. Although it has returned to the spotlight in recent times, with the increase in awareness of natural foods and their importance for health, Spirulina was in fact used by the Aztecs for its positive impact on energy and strength and immunity.

 

Technically, Spirulina is called Arthrospira, and is divided into Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima, depending on the area of origin. Spirulina only grows in tropical and subtropical lakes characterised by warm water and an alkaline pH, rich in carbonates and bicarbonates. Arthrospira maxima is native to Central America, in particular Lake Texcoco, while Arthrospira platensis comes from Asia and Africa, such as Lake Chad and Lake Chenghai in Yunnan.

 

Spirulina algae belongs to the Cyanophiaceae family and grows only in very alkaline pristine waters, with high concentrations of mineral salts and with constant temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees. Spirulina has been used for millennia in all areas where it grows, because it is rich in iron, proteins and vitamins, as well as mineral salts and antioxidants. The first news of the existence of this miraculous alga have come to us Europeans since the first expedition of the conqueror Hernán Cortés.

 

Spirulina: unique nutritional properties

 

The properties of Spirulina have made it a natural food particularly studied in recent decades. At the United Nations World Food Conference in 1974, spirulina was called “the best food of the future”. Both NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) are evaluating their use in food for future space missions. All this because Spirulina is a complete food with very high nutritional yield.
The green algae, in fact, contains:

 

  • Up to 77% protein
  • All the essential amino acids for our body
  • Unsaturated fatty acids
  • Chlorophyll and natural antioxidants
  • Vitamins A, B, C, D, E
  • Mineral salts such as potassium, calcium, iron, copper, chromium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, selenium and zinc

 

Spirulina: proven health benefits from science

 

1 Spirulina, considered a Superfood, is particularly rich from the nutritional point of view. A single spoon of Spirulina powder contains only 20 calories, but significant amounts of:

 

  • Protein: 4 grams
  • Vitamin B1: 11% RDA
  • Vitamin B2: 15% RDA
  • Vitamin B3: 4% RDA
  • Copper: 21% RDA
  • Iron: 11% RDA

 

2 Spirulina contains many excellent antioxidants to combat oxidative stress. In particular it is rich in Phycocyanin, a powerful natural anti-inflammatory.

 

3 Lowers bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

 

4 It could be useful to fight cancer: in an animal study, Spirulina has been shown to reduce the frequency and size of the tumor.

 

5 Spirulina can reduce blood pressure.

 

6 Helps fight anemia, as Aztec women already knew.

 

7 Spirulina antioxidants help reduce muscle fatigue after sports.

 

8 Helps regulate blood sugar better than some drugs.

 

9 Helps fight malnutrition and its symptoms, especially in children.

 

10 It can help reduce the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

 

(sources: Healthline.com, Livescience.com)

 

Our Spirulina is organic and you can take it simply by mixing a teaspoon in a glass of apple juice. If you want to keep your Spirulina with you at work or when you’re travelling, try our Spirulina tablets!

 

Spirulina powder Iswari Spirulina Tablets Iswari