Spirulina

[HealthyGal]

Most people have heard of Spirulina, but they don't really know the details of why this is truly the most astounding best food source on planet Earth.

Spirulina is microscopic plants that grow in fresh water. It's actually called micro-algae, since it's microscopic forms of algae. It has been around for quite some time: a few billion years, actually. This micro-algae contain an astounding array of nutritional elements: vitamins, macrominerals, trace minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), chlorophyll and a vast spectrum of phytochemicals. These nutrients are required by the human body daily in order to stay healthy.

Here's what you find in Spirulina:
http://www.articledir.org/articles/8...ood/Page1.html
* High-quality complete protein that is more dense and more digestible than any animal-derived protein.
* All the know B vitamins, including vit B12 which is almost never found in plants.
* Vitamin C.
* Vitamin E.
* Macrominerals: calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and many more.
* Trace minerals.
* Omega-3 fatty acids including GLA.
* Mucopolysaccharides.
* Beta-carotene.
* Nucleic acids (RNA & DNA).
* Chlorophyll.

Looking at the nutrients it provides, a well-informed nutritionist can only stare in awe: these are many of the nutrients needed by every human body daily, in near-perfect ratios!
It's that impressive.

[irenegg]

hey i heard from my fren that spirulina is actually seaweed and cant be cleaned totally... and her mum used to eat it hoping to improve health condition but in the end died. Something like that...

I didnt get the full picture la but i think its bet to consult doctors first.

[HealthyGal]

hey i heard from my fren that spirulina is actually seaweed and cant be cleaned totally... and her mum used to eat it hoping to improve health condition but in the end died. Something like that...

I didnt get the full picture la but i think its bet to consult doctors first.

What kind of seaweed did she take?
Did she died due to taking seaweed or other health reason?
Would be glad if u are able to share more...

[appie]

Can diabetes take spirulina?

[HealthyGal]

Please remember Spirulina is a food supplement not medicine, so u must take it consistently.

Below are some information I have from health articles:-

Dietetic therapy with Spirulina for those with diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease in which carbohydrate utilization is reduced and blood glucose level is extremely high. Those with untreated diabetes mellitus finally show various symptoms complicated with diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy.

The basic treatment for diabetes mellitus consists of the daily control of blood glucose levels and calorie control by dietetic therapy.

These patients are required to reduce their food intake and to supplement balanced amounts of necessary nutrients and dietary fiber. These conflicting demands are fulfilled only by Spirulina which contains protein and trace elements abundantly. (Clinical test performed by Chiba Hygienic College; Literature No.44, 273-277, 1991)

and

Spirulina was given to the serious diabetes patients by taking 7 tablets after meal, 3 times a day simultaneously with strictly control of food consumption for 60 days. The result of research found that the sugar level in almost patients was significantly reduced to normal level.
(Dr. Takaya Takuishi, M.D., Ph.D., National Medical and Dental Science University, Tokyo, 1977).

Hope it helps.

[ririan]

is it true that spirulina can improve immunity?
can children take it?

[Blitz]

immunity is based upon several factors - if your diet is atrocious and not giving the body what it needs to repair itself together with high levels of stress in your lifestyle, then anything won't work.

however green supplements like spirulina would help in rebalancing the body's PH balance which will help however the basis of diet and lifestyle must be in place first.

[dovespaniel]

Can this replace calcium supplement? I need calcium just for precautionary measure so thought since Spirulina also has some calcium, might as well go for it. There are so many nutrients in Spirulina.

[jiayeeh]

Yes there is a lot of nutrients in spirulina, but I guess it cannot replace calcium.. Still have to take calcium pills!

I've been eating spirulina since pri school.. so far so good

[ciara20]

People always say, "ahhhh spirulina tastes like nori". Maybe my taste buds are whack, but I don't think it tastes anything like nori. I love nori and could eat it by itself all day long. Spirulina? Not so much. I had one of those "complete" juices one time and spirulina was the main ingredient. To me it tasted like what it would taste like to lick sludge off the bottom of a river. It kind of reminded me of times when I was a kid and would play in stagnant ponds like a moron and some of the nasty water would get in my mouth.

To me, spirulina is one of those fad "miracle" foods that they charge a ridiculous amount of money for and I could get the same nutrients from much better tasting (and less costly) fresh foods. You also have to be really careful about the source of the spirulina. Contamination is a huge concern with spirulina, so you have to buy from companies where it is pretty much cultivated in a special environment (such as a special lab type "farm" where it is completely sanitary to prevent fungal and bacterial contamination).

Also bear in mind that a lot of the health benefits that have supposedly been discovered were tested on animals, such as how it helps people undergoing chemotherapy or have heart disease and also as a weight loss supplement.