What is Spirulina? Benefits of Spirulina & Spirulina Side Effects

Spirulina Superfoods

Freeze-dried and Fresh-Dried Powder

If you’re looking for an easy way to boost your health and bulk up your smoothie or juice, there’s no easier way than by adding a little powdered super food. You may not have heard of spirulina before, but this algae should be the next big thing for your diet.

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What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a blue-green algae found in lakes and other warm, inland water sources. 60% of this plant’s makeup is protein, and it has all essential amino acids you need in your diet. The algae thrive in a high pH environment, so alkaline waters breed it best.

Historically, spirulina was used in the 16^th century as a food sources for Mesoamericans, especially the Aztecs. Today, it’s used as a health supplement around the world.

Different Ways to Use/Consume

Spirulina is sold in powder and pill form. Pills are usually taken alone, but powder can be used in a variety of ways. Most obvious for our readers would be throwing the powder in a smoothie, but you can get creative with this powder as well. Spirulina makes for a good protein bar, decent hummus, and interesting cookies. Just take a look online, and you’ll find a wealth of recipes.

Average Cost and Best Deals

How can you add spirulina to your diet without breaking the bank? Easy. This powder is not terribly expensive, coming in at about a pound of powder for $20 to $25 most places online. In pill form, prices range from $10 for 360 tablets of 500 milligrams each (about $1 for 18 grams) to about twice that at $17 for 260 pills of 500 milligrams each ($1 for 7.64 grams.) Shop around, find coupons and sales if you can, and enjoy!

Be careful when examining “deals” online to check for quality and country of origin. We’ll discuss this in detail further on.

Two companies that we recommend to buy superfood products from are Sunfoods and Essential Living Foods. Click on the links to be redirected

Health Benefits, Side Effects and Uses of Spirulina

Algae may not be the prettiest food in the world, but, luckily for us, it is chock full of vitamins. This powder has lots of K, B1, B2, C, and A, as well as nutrients like copper, iron, magnesium, and calcium. Spurilina also has a high amount of chlorophyll, which is thought to remove toxins from the bloodstream and boost your immune system.

However, this powder is fairly high in calories, and should be used sparingly for people trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy one. 100 grams of spirulina has 290 calories, and over 7 grams of fat. But the supplement also contains 57 grams of protein per 100 grams, which is impressive. If you’re looking to bulk up and gain some muscle, this algae is more efficient than the leading protein shakes!

As for side effects, most studies show no adverse side effects on the average human or animal health, with up to 60% of your daily protein being replaced with spirulina. (That’s 28-34 grams of protein allowed from spirulina, depending on your gender.)

However, chronic exposure to a cyanobacterium like spirulina has a potential cancer risk due to toxins in the powder. These toxins are not present in pure spirulina, but if other algae is mixed in with spirulina or contaminates it, the risk is present. Therefore, it’s very important to check your quality before purchasing. In addition, check the source of your supplements when buying spurilina. Products of this algae that originate in China have been cited as being contaminated with lead, mercury, arsenic, and other heavy metals.

Finally, the substance is very high in Vitamin K, so if you’re taking anticoagulants, you should check with your physician before trying spurilina.

Why Spirulina?

If you’re into protein, spirulina is for you! Gaining muscle is made easy with this powder and a decent amount of exercise. Its 60% protein makeup is unique, and naturally present. The Aztecs loved it, and so will you.