Due to the environment that this algae is usually found in, it is able to absorb both the rich amino acids and all of the vitamins present in the water, compacting them all in the form of a single celled organism which can then be consumed to reap those benefits of those vitamins later by putting them directly into the body.
As a bonus, Spirulina acts as a great source of Vitamin B12, essential fatty acids, Beta Carotene, and Chlorophyll. Some of these elements are only present in high amounts in the diets of meat eaters and other nutrients like Beta-Carotene and Chlorophyll are useful in that they help the body get rid of toxins and act as antioxidants which further promote a healthy immune system by getting rid of free radicals. Also, even though carrots are generally credited with being one of the richest sources of Beta-Carotene, as it turns out, the amount in Spirulina is ten times that which is in carrots.
Because of the amount of nutrients in it which are present in meat and which most people usually receive from meat in their own personal diets; Spirulina has been the number one choice in supplements for people with a vegetarian diet. It even has these nutrients in quantities that are sufficient enough to use it as a regular supplement (in other words, you need not eat thirty six spoonfuls of Spirulina to get the effect of one forkful of steak, they level out just about. It even has more protein in it than soybeans which are traditionally cited as the best source of protein when on a vegetarian diet.
Health Benefits Provided by Spirulina
Spirulina has such positive nutritional content that it is called the world's richest whole food which can be found naturally. Not only that, but it is sometimes called "green food" as well due to the fact that it has such an enormous amount of healthy minerals in it and it also has such low calorie content (only coming in at 2.9 calories per gram). And if using this as a supplement for protein specifically this is less than 3/4 the amount of calories in protein per gram.
Due to the large amount of Iron in Spirulina, it helps to promote the creation of new red blood cells too. Not only does Spirulina contain high protein content within it, but it also has nutrients in it which increase the body's ability to absorb protein. This means that it even makes any other protein being consumed by the person more effective than if they had just consumed the protein alone. In this way, Spirulina may even be a better source of protein than most meat. Spirulina contains a concentration of very essential amino acid as well. These are amino acids that the body cannot survive without, but that we cannot produce ourselves which means we have to get them through other dietary means. Spirulina is thus, the one stop shop for essential amino acids which help to repair the body when it is damaged in any way and keep it running regularly. Those who have a poor diet which is mostly made up of processed foods such as chips and microwaveable meals, as well as those people that identify as vegetarian or vegan should all consider taking this supplement to make up for the nutrients that their diet is lacking. Taking Spirulina has never resulted in toxic effects according to any reports.
