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Spirulina - The super alga

How To Choose The Best Spirulina And How To Use It

Spirulina is considered the food of the future and it is no coincidence that astronauts use it during space missions.

It is also one of the oldest forms of algae on earth, helping to form the first forms of life billions of years ago.

But there is more, this seaweed is one of the best “super foods” thanks to the huge amount of nutrients it has, suitable for everyone.

Its components make it effective and beneficial for many categories of people:

  • Who have a busy life; For years it has been used in Japan as an antioxidant and food supplement for people who lead very active lifestyles and who cannot plan their meals..
  • Athletes; Being subjected to extreme physical exertion, benefit from the high amount of vitamins and minerals that act as enzymatic cofactors to support energy production during particularly intense muscular effort.
  • Who to acne problems; rich in vitamin E which gives skin elasticity and vitamin A which fights acne and regulates the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
  • Who is anemic; You need iron? Spirulina is for you.
  • Diabetics; Helps regulate insulin.
  • With high cholesterol; A Mexican study dating back to 2007 highlighted how the daily intake of only 4.5 spirulina grams over a six-week period resulted in a reduction in total cholesterol and triglycerides in patients undergoing the test, the increase in "good" cholesterol (HDL) at the expense of the "bad" one (LDL).
  • Who wants to stay young; Possessing many antioxidants, including beta carotene is effective in fighting and counteracting free radicals that cause cellular aging.

E’ evident this seaweed has some amazing benefits’ for everyone.

However, before buying it, it is important to select it carefully and make sure of the quality to be sure to enjoy a truly healthy and effective product.

This article will tell you everything you need to know before buying it.

 

Where It Is Grown

Widespread in brackish waters, favors tropical and subtropical areas where it takes advantage of the alkaline water pH that characterizes them as well as having a lot of sunlight.

However, spirulina is produced a little’ everywhere, even in Tuscany where the climate is certainly not tropical.

But the country of production doesn't say much about its quality sinceIt's the important thing is that the environment is free of any type of pollution, favoring rural regions.

Therefore, excellent spirulina can also be found in China or other eastern countries when you are sure of the seriousness of the producer and the quality of the environment.

Certainly it is preferable to buy an Italian product where the controls are much stricter than in China, but this obviously affects the final cost.

 

How it is produced

A quality producer will be attentive to the water used in the cultivation basins.

spirulina ' water used in culture basins

Unfortunately, many types of spirulina that are on the market are grown in areas affected by pollution.

Therefore, pay close attention to this detail and if possible, visit the region where it is produced.

Moreover, control the drying process which is fundamental in the preservation of nutritional elements. A poor drying method is like going to a restaurant and ordering a carbonara pasta, but to be served with spaghetti in bianco.

If the smell and taste are unpleasant, it means that the cell contents have been exposed to oxidation resulting in a poor product.

 

Read The Label Well

The nutritional values ​​shown on the jar for a quality product must contain proteins, fat, fibre, minerals and vitamins in the right concentrations:

  • Proteins must be between 50% and the 60%.
  • Ferro more than 50mg for each 100g.
  • Fat which must exceed the 3% (about 3g every 100g).

An example:

SPIRULINA 100 grams per serving (10 g)
Kcal 290 29
Kjoule 1214 1214,4
Carbohydrates (g) 24 2,4
Fat (g) 8 0,8
Proteins (g) 57 5,7
Cholesterol (g) 0 0
Fibre (mg) 3,6 0,36
Ferro (mg) 28,5 (158%) 2,85 (15,8%)
Copper (mg) 6,1 (305%) 0,61 (30,5%)
Manganese (mg) 1,9 (95%) 0,19 (9.5%)
Magnesium (mg) 145 (49%) 14,5 (4,9 %)
Riboflavin (mg) 3,7 (216%) 0,37 (21,6%)
Thiamine (mg) 2,4 (159%) 0,24 (15,9%)
Nutritional values ​​SPIRULINA dried

Make sure the spirulina is pure al 100% and without additives, the list of ingredients must be limited to: “Ingrediants: Spirulina”.

Being dried, it does not need preservatives.

Also I recommend it in powder or tablets as well, rather than in gels or capsules that have been excessively processed reducing the quality of its properties.

Many manufacturers declare tablets of a certain weight implying that it is all spirulina, but is not so.

If you notice magnesium on the back of the package, silica or other compounds, in this case the quantity of spirulina is less and in some cases it is reduced by half.

So sometimes we think we are buying a pack of 200 grams but there is only half of spirulina.

The tablets must be completely green, if you see white particles then it means that there is very little spirulina.

Finally, ensure that the product is BIO, easily recognizable by the organic production logo of the European Union:

European community bio logo for spirulina

How much Spirulina To Need Our Body

A note of warning before you start consuming spirulina; This algae can damage the liver and kidneys when it is abused.

Personally I take it in cycles of two months, but I recommend that you ask the nutritionist how to add it to your diet.

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The amount of spirulina to be taken varies between 1g and 5g per day. Effects below 1g are not felt, above 5g can have counter-conditions as mentioned above.

I recommend starting to hire her 1 gram per day the first week, as the body has to get used to the very high nutritional concentration of this alga.

Increase according to the needs and adaptation response of the body, however without ever exceeding i 5 grams per day.

Take it between meals once a day.

 

How To Buy Spirulina

You can find some’ everywhere as in herbalists, pharmacies and health food stores.

But how to choose the right product? And why?

Although spirulina has a lot of benefits, low-quality products can harm your health.

If you ignore the quality, you risk poisoning yourself with heavy metals and other unwanted contents.

There is no point in paying for something that kills you slowly, vero?

Therefore, it is essential to buy only organic spirulina from a manufacturer that has been in business for many years with an excellent reputation and its own brand.

Growing quality spirulina for commercial purposes is very difficult, that's why most manufacturers sell “the best under their brand” and the rest they send to non-producing companies that will resell it at low cost.

Spirulina is commercially available in powder or tablet form, but which is the best?

Definitely the powder because it is free of additives.

In the case of the tablets in many cases a binder is added to keep the tablets rigid which is difficult to digest.

Personally I use Nutrex Hawaii because it is grown in an organic area, certified without pesticides, herbicides and industrial pollutants in Kona, Hawaii, the sunniest coast in the United States.

As said previously, the more sun this seaweed receives, the better the quality.

The company that produces it is called Cyanotech. Created in 1983 by Gerry Cysewski where they produce natural seaweed-based products with respect for the environment in mind.

 

Spirulina Is Just One Of The Many Ingredients For A Healthy Diet

There is no doubt about the benefits of spirulina, but to live a healthy life based on proper nutrition, first of all, a balanced diet must be created.

When you create a balanced diet, give your body the opportunity to maximize biochemical functions, offering you a state of health, optimal performance and energy.

Think of the balanced diet as a main course (for example salmon with rice) and spirulina as the side dish (spinaches).

This tasty dish as a whole is an excellent source of nutrients and well-being.

Now just imagine eating spinach, what kind of benefits it offers you?

Not many.

Spirulina like many other superfoods must be part of a healthy and balanced diet if you want to achieve a state of health and vibrant energy.

Spirulina alone is nothing more than an alga, and you are not a fish.

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