Organic Spirulina

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Spirulina is one of a number of superfoods that are attracting increasing media attention.  Ironically, Spirulina is actually an ancient life form, a microscopic blue-green algae that has been in existence for over 3.6 billion years.  It is thus one of Earth’s oldest life forms.  Although it is new to the West, the health enhancing properties of spirulina have been recognised in other parts of the world, such as Mexico and North Africa, for centuries.

The growing popularity of spirulina is easy to understand when you look at its amazing nutritional properties.  The main ingredient is protein and this typically forms around 60-70% of the product.  What makes this protein so useful is that is highly digestible, up to five times easier to digest than meat or soy protein.  In addition, this protein contains all 8 of the essential amino acids.  These are the amino acids that our body can’t manufacture.  This means that it is an excellent source of protein for vegetarians.  In addition to protein, spirulina is also loaded with important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12 (often lacking in a vegetarian diet), vitamin A, B-1, B-2, and B-6, iron, calcium and antioxidants.  Finally, spirulina is rich in other important chemicals such as trace elements, phytonutrients and enzymes.  Modern science is only just beginning to uncover the vital role that these play in good health, but many of them seem to act as natural disease regulators.

So who uses spirulina?  Many people, including:
·    Vegetarians
·    Those wanting to improve their health
·    For detox
·    To help lose weight
·    To improve energy levels

It’s easy to use, either as a supplement, or as a regular part of your diet.  With its high protein count and very low levels of carbohydrates or fat, it is an excellent addition to anyone’s daily diet.

It is difficult to be sure of the health benefits of natural substances as people use them in different ways in different quantities.  In addition, unlike manufactured drugs, no one stands to make a fortune from them, so there is little money to research the benefits.  However, the research that has been conducted on spirulina suggests that it can:

·    Strengthen the immune system
·    Improve cardiovascular function
·    Improve cholesterol levels
·    Help gastro-intestinal and digestive health
·    Cleanse and detoxify
·    Provide high levels of antioxidant protection

All of this has been supported by scientific research.  In addition, those who eat spirulina on a regular basis have reported that it can help with:

·    Weight loss
·    Diabetes
·    Hypoglycaemia
·    Arthritis
·    Depression
·    Liver damage/liver disorders
·    Intestinal ulcers
·    Haemorrhoids
·    Asthma
·    Constipation
·    Bleeding gums
·    Infections
·    Inflammation of joints and tissues