{"id":37150,"date":"2015-02-17T07:15:56","date_gmt":"2015-02-17T12:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=37150"},"modified":"2021-05-14T04:00:11","modified_gmt":"2021-05-14T08:00:11","slug":"microalgae-spirulina-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/microalgae-spirulina-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"The Scoop on Spirulina: Should You Try This Microalgae?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Spirulina
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When fitness blogger Heather Gannoe<\/a> heard about a new supplement that allegedly contained a \u201ctreasure trove\u201d of energy, she was intrigued. No, it wasn\u2019t coffee<\/a>, goji berries or guarana. It was spirulina \u2014 a blue-green microalgae. Touted as a source of protein, B vitamins<\/a> and iron, this lesser-known superfood is rumored do everything from boost your immunity levels to reduce your anxiety.<\/p>\n

After doing some research, Gannoe, an exercise physiologist, decided to give spirulina a try. She\u2019d been a vegetarian for about two and a half years \u2014 and was always searching for new plant-based ways<\/a> to get all the protein and vitamins she needs. \u201cBut those weren\u2019t the initial reasons I started taking the algae,\u201d she says. \u201cI take algae primarily for the energy boost.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Could Eating Charcoal Help You Detox?<\/a><\/p>\n

Mircoalgae can be consumed in a variety of ways. \u201cYou can take it in pill form or add the powder to smoothies or juices,\u201d says Alissa Rumsey<\/a>, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics \u2013 though she cautions that it will turn your food green. As it gains popularity, algae is also cropping up in some common supermarket foods, too. The company Daily Greens<\/a> recently came out with a hemp milk infused with blue-green algae, which will be sold at Whole Foods Market soon.<\/p>\n

Gannoe now takes three spirulina capsules a day, the amount recommended by her brand of supplement. She describes experiencing a sustained energy that lasts throughout the day, unlike the quick jolt you\u2019d get from an energy drink<\/a>. Intrigued? Find out the pros \u2014 and cons \u2014 of adding this new sea green to your supplement routine.<\/p>\n

\"Spirulina
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Spirulina Benefits 101: The New Way to Get Your Green On?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Spirulina is just one kind of microalgae, the tiny aquatic cousin to seaweed and kelp. It\u2019s actually not a plant at all but a member of the bacteria kingdom that\u2019s naturally found in salt water and bodies of fresh water. It\u2019s a diet mainstay for many varieties of fish, making it a key part of the food chain.<\/p>\n

Despite its growing buzz in the supplements world, the blue-green microalgae isn\u2019t a new discovery. It\u2019s been called one of the oldest and most potent superfoods. \u201cIt\u2019s high in protein, B vitamins, beta carotene [and] vitamin E as well as iron, copper and selenium,\u201d says Rumsey. \u201cIt also contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 12 Energy-Boosting Foods Rich in Vitamin B<\/a><\/p>\n

According to Lori Zanini<\/a>, RD and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, many of those taking spirulina are vegan or vegetarian. \u201cThe reason is because it\u2019s such a concentrated source of protein, B vitamins<\/a> \u2014 especially B12 \u2014 and iron,\u201d she says. B12 is normally found exclusively in animal protein \u2014 which is why non-meat eaters might be drawn to this algae. Other forms<\/a> of microalgae may also be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient commonly found in fatty fish.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople take it for everything from weight loss to PMS to ADHD.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some believe that spirulina\u2019s benefits extend beyond the nutritional. \u201cPeople take it for everything from weight loss to PMS to ADHD,\u201d says Zanini. There has been some promising research<\/a>, which indicates that spirulina may help with nasal allergies. In recent years, Zanini says that there has been increasing interest in spirulina as an energy booster, too.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Forks Over Knives: Can a Vegan Diet Cure What Ails You?<\/a><\/p>\n

Rumsey says that this may be attributed to spirulina\u2019s B vitamins. \u201cB vitamins are a catalyst for energy reaction in your body,\u201d she says. But she\u2019s doubtful as to how much the supplement actually makes a difference, when it comes to how alert you feel.<\/p>\n

Miracle Food or Just Hype?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While the hype surrounding spirulina is growing, this superfood might not be quite the miracle powder it\u2019s cracked up to be. \u201cBy [dry] weight, spirulina is 60 to 70 percent protein, which is a lot,\u201d says Rumsey. \u201c[But] in terms of the amount that you\u2019re ingesting from a supplement, it\u2019s only about two grams of protein.\u201d Rumsey notes that you\u2019d have to ingest a lot <\/em>of spirulina to really add a significant amount of protein to your diet. \u201cOther sources of protein, like nuts, legumes and whole grains, have more protein in smaller quantities of food \u2014 and for less money,” she says. \u201cSpirulina can be expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Choose the Best Protein Powder for You<\/a><\/p>\n

Furthermore, though spirulina may appear to be an excellent non-animal source of vitamin B12, vegans<\/a> and vegetarians should be aware that it may not be supplying them with as much of the nutrient as they believe. \u201cThe B12 in algae isn’t really absorbable by the body,\u201d says Rumsey. If you don\u2019t eat meat, both Rumsey and Zanini advise that you turn to other sources of B vitamins for dietary protein and iron, such as beans, lentils, nutritional yeast and eggs or dairy.<\/p>\n

Overall, experts believe that more scientific evidence is needed to determine the greater health benefits of spirulina. Children, and those who are immunodeficient, pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid taking spirulina, according to Zanini. And she advises users to always, \u201cLook at the quality and origin of the supplement.\u201d<\/p>\n

That being said if you\u2019re already hooked on the green supplement, it\u2019s okay. \u201cThere really isn\u2019t much risk with this. It\u2019s just a cost-benefit analysis,\u201d says Rumsey. \u201cSpirulina does have a lot of nutrients, but it isn\u2019t cheap and you can obtain protein and nutrients a lot easier and for less money from other sources,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Spirulina has been called one of the most potent superfoods. Before adding it to your diet, check out these spirulina benefits (and drawbacks). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":37153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11],"tags":[71,191,347,359,284,95],"class_list":["post-37150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","tag-nutrition","tag-supplements","tag-tax1family","tag-tax2breastfeeding","tag-vegan","tag-vegetarian"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}