Chemical components in Spirulina provide nutritional value for everybody who consumes it. Flamingoes and human beings benefit from nutraceutical Spirulina.
Tiny algae, an enormous help
Scientists point to three broad categories of nutrients found in Spirulina. It means that this tiny alga has more benefits than we can imagine.
Chemical components in Spirulina
Macronutrients
Proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates
Minerals
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Iron
- Manganese
- Selenium
Micronutrients
- Provitamin A ( beta-carotene)
- Riboflavin
- Cyanocobalamin
- Alpha-tocopherol
- Alpha-linoleic acid
- SOD
- Phytopigments
Phytopigments in Spirulina contain chlorophyll, C-phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin. These phytopigments, such as C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin in the structure, are similar to bile pigments such as bilirubin. Is it no wonder when mother nature provides us with nutraceutical food such as Spirulina?
For example, iron is biologically available and easily absorbed in the intestinal tract.
Toxicology of Spirulina
According to the authors of the book Spirulina in Human Nutrition and Health
Flamingoes, people who live by the lake of Chad, ate Spirulina and other algae for hundreds of years. They are okay. How can Spirulina, certified as an organic food supplement grown on specialized farms, be dangerous?
The importance of Spirulina
Spirulina is a nutraceutical food. Chemical components in Spirulina give humans and all living creatures enormous benefits.
Antioxidant activity and antitoxic effects, such as protective effects against toxic damage such as hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, testis toxicity, cardiotoxicity, and ovary toxicity, are reported in the studies of Spirulina.
The book Spirulina in Human Nutrition and Health describes various therapeutic utilities of Spirulina.
Medical research has found that Spirulina, thanks to the excellent chemical composition of nutrients, can help solve many health problems. Diabetes, arthritis, anemia, cancer, and other diseases are eased by supplementation of Spirulina.
Rich chemical components in Spirulina
Researchers compared chemical components in Spirulina with Chlorella, Cell Tech Alpha Sun(blue-green algae), barley green, and wheatgrass.
They found out that Spirulina is a winner in all categories. For example, Spirulina contains 23000 IU, Chlorella has 5550 IU, Tech Alpha Sun 13340 IU, barley green 5200 IU, and wheatgrass 6608 IU.
You can find Gamma Linolenic fatty acid just in Spirulina. The rest of the green superfood does not have at all.
These five green superfoods are nutritious but differ in the amount and intensity of chemical components.
The conclusion
I do not understand why Spirulina is less popular than hamburgers or soda. We would always be in shape, feeling good, and without worries about chronic diseases. Of course, there are exceptions everywhere, but if somebody would tell you that Spirulina has no value or is toxic, please read Christophers Hills‘ book The Secrets of Spirulina
We do not need to be regularly eating Spirulina. We need variety. However, we can win a lottery by adding this miraculous alga rich with chemical components in Spirulina. Her name is peace of mind.