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Everybody wants to be healthy. That is why most people think about how to optimise their nutrient intake to give them better performance in work, sports, and almost all daily activities. One of the most looked at nutrient is protein. If you’re looking for sources of high-quality, usable protein; spirulina should be on top of your list.
Spirulina comes from the family of blue-green microalgae and is one of the oldest life forms on Earth. Spirulina also has 55% to 70% usable protein. The amount of protein that you can get from spirulina is way above what you can get from animals or plants.
The use of spirulina as a food supplement was discovered during the 16th century when Spanish Cortes’ soldiers noticed Mexican Aztecs harvesting pond scum from a lake and processing them as cakes which they eat as food.
Spirulina is abundant in nature and is either collected from large bodies of water or grown naturally in controlled environments. Harvested spirulina is then processed into forms such as pills or spirulina powder so that they can be used as food supplements.
Spirulina is also rich in beta-carotene, vitamin B12, essential amino acids and other trace minerals that the body needs. All of these nutrients that are found in spirulina are beneficial to the body for the following reasons:
It Regulates the Body’s Immune System
One of the benefits of taking spirulina powder is that it controls and strengthens the immune system. Spirulina makes it easier for your body to recover from illnesses and for your wounds to heal faster.
It Improves Digestion
Spirulina powder helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your digestive system, which enhances your body’s absorption of nutrients. Spirulina also helps to regulate your bowel system so that the passage of waste will push through regularly.
It Promotes Healthy Eyesight
Spirulina is an excellent source of Vitamin A, which is essential in keeping your eyesight healthy. Studies have shown that the Vitamin A content of spirulina per gram is ten times that of carrots.
It Removes Body Toxins
The green colour of spirulina is from Chlorophyll which is an excellent detoxifying agent. Spirulina powder is recommended for people undergoing radioactive therapy because its chlorophyll content binds with toxins in the blood system to make the toxins inactive.
Aside from Chlorophyll, spirulina is also rich in carotenoids, the orange pigment, which also functions as natural detoxifying agents. Spirulina has about 37 mg of carotenoids per 10-gram serving.
It Relieves PMS Symptoms
Gamma-linolenic acid or GLA is an essential fatty acid found abundantly in spirulina. This biochemical compound helps alleviate the symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndromes in women.
It Prevents Anemia
Ten grams of spirulina powder can give you 55% of your iron’s recommended dietary value (RDV). When you take spirulina powder as a food supplement, you will less likely suffer from iron-deficiency illnesses such as anemia.
It Strengthens Bones
Spirulina also has more concentration of calcium as compared to milk. Spirulina powder can help you increase your bone mass and prevent bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis. Spirulina is recommended for pregnant women since they are the ones who need to strengthen their bones during pregnancy.
There are a lot of benefits from spirulina that have been reported and tested. People who have been using spirulina supplements have said that they get health benefits from taking small amounts of spirulina per day.
