“Spirulina is literally nature’s single most potent nutrient source by far, nothing comes close.”
-Dave Sandoval
Need a new protein powder for your smoothie?
Ready to banish your fatigue?
Need to revamp your gut?
Spirulina just became your best friend!
There’s so many reasons to love this blue-green algae. Here are just a few of its superpowers!
Nutritionally Complete
Spirulina has been deemed one of the very few “nutritionally complete” foods – meaning, it has everything your body needs to survive. It is rich with iron, vitamins, minerals and trace minerals, protein (more on this below), beta-carotene (more than carrots have!), chlorophyll (read this post to find out why this can replace your sunscreen), antioxidants, gamma-linolenic acid, complex carbohydrates, and so much more. I could go on and on about how each of these components are beneficial for health! Anti-aging, anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, and so much more.
The best part? All of these amazing nutrients are easily absorbed by your body. They are quickly ready to be used – the body doesn’t have to do much work to convert them into a usable form. This makes spirulina a great way to support the body when healing from illness or wanting to maintain good health and prevent dis-ease in the body.
A small amount of spirulina can go a long way; however, it is a great item to add to a daily routine. Often the body is depleted of these nutrients due to the amount of pressures and stresses we endure daily – so this is a great support to the body. When you toss a spoonful into your smoothie, feel confident that you are adding a super-powered multi-vitamin!
Packed With Protein
Did you know that most of spirulina’s dry weight is protein? This super-algae is full of protein that is bioavailable to your body – meaning, it can be utilized quickly and easily, instead of going through a lot of the rigamarole of the digestive system that animal protein requires. Plus, it doesn’t come with the extra fat, hormones, and bacteria!
Allow me to let you in on the secret of protein.
Your body requires many different kinds of protein – your eyes need a certain kind of protein; your eyelashes, your skin, your cartilage, your fingernails, etc. It is not possible to get all these different proteins from foods – only a few. So how does your body get these specific proteins?
Your liver builds them.
Yes! Your amazing, beautiful, hardworking liver builds the specific proteins each area of the body needs. What does the liver use to build these proteins? Amino acids. What foods have all the essential amino acids that are easily used by the liver? Plant foods – including spirulina!
For those who are athletes, exercise often, or work a very physical occupation, spirulina can give you energy, endurance, and muscle strength.
Skip the dehydrating protein powders like whey (a byproduct of the dairy industry) that are just empty calories because your body can only use so much at a time. Replace it with this whole food that will nourish your body on a cellular level and give your body what it needs to THRIVE. Spirulina is a perfect powder to switch with a whey protein powder that is full of chemical fillers and additives. Harness the power of plants to fuel your body, and you’ll see amazing results!
Detoxes Heavy Metals
Not only does spirulina supply the body with numerous nutrients, it also removes what the body does not need. High on this list are heavy metals, which can accumulate in the body from many different sources (read more about heavy metals here). Spirulina has a completely unique combination of phytonutrients, including chlorophyll, phycocyanin and polysaccharides, that can help to purge toxins from the body. According to Anthony William, this blue-green algae helps draw heavy metals out of your brain, central nervous system, and liver. It also works in concert with barley grass juice extract powder to soak up the metals BGJP pulls out.
Improves Gut Health
Spirulina promotes beneficial flora in the gut while also suppressing the bad bacteria that can cause candida and other digestive issues. Gut health has come more and more into the spotlight in recent years as scientists begin to scratch the surface of everything that your gut does for your body. Poor gut health is linked to autoimmune diseases, food allergies, poor cognitive function, and even behavioral problems. What you eat directly affects your gut health – so tossing in some spirulina on the daily is a great way to influence your gut health!
Strengthens Your Immune System
It is for all the above reasons and more that spirulina is a great ally to the immune system. Many recent studies have linked a healthy gut to strong immunity, and it’s no secret that nutrition also plays a starring role. The power that spirulina holds to remove heavy metals and other pathogens from the body while also giving life-supporting nutrients is unparalleled. When your body has the nutrients it needs, and is able to get rid of what can cause illness, a strong immune system and vibrant health emerge.
Keeps You YOUNG
Spirulina is abundant in antioxidants, which fight the oxidation of cells in your body. Oxidation is a normal process, but these days with the pressures and demands we are under – in addition to what we are bombarded with in our food, air, water, and personal products, etc. – this process can happen more quickly than normal and on a larger scale, leading to a faster aging process (among other health conditions). Antioxidants combat this process and are what help keep your cells young and strong – including your skin!
In this study, it was concluded that spirulina can reduce skin aging. In fact, many skin creams use it as an ingredient. (Check out my fabulous face mask with spirulina below.) Believe it or not, a component in spirulina was even found to help with hyperpigmentation of the skin.
How To Get High Quality Spirulina
As always, the quality of your spirulina is extremely important. If you are wishing to use spirulina to detox and/or support your body, it is crucial not to cut corners. Cheap spirulina supplements or powders can have additives or fillers in them that water down or detract from the benefits of spirulina. Here are a few of the high-quality spirulina powders I use, love, and recommend:
- Purium (powder)
- Purium (capsules)
- Purium Renew Hair Skin & Nails (contains spirulina – love this product!)
- Vimergy
- Nutrex Hawaii (powder)
- Nutrex Hawaii (capsules)
Ways To Use Spirulina
There are many ways to use spirulina – but here are just a few of my favorites:
- Dump some in your smoothie! Check out the Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie by Anthony William, otherwise add it in increasing amounts to whatever smoothie you already have going on.
- Make a natural “formula” to support your baby. Before adding any supplements to your child’s regimen, I encourage you to work with a health practitioner you trust. For my kids, I blended together sesame milk, spirulina, and a banana, then strained, for an absolutely nourishing drink. Along with its other countless nutrients, spirulina also has gamma-linolenic acid, which is a compound found in breastmilk that supports healthy child development.
- Sprinkle on watermelon, or add to Thai coconut water. According to Anthony William, this combination of nutrients is incredibly nourishing to the body.
- Replace food dye. Spirulina can make an absolutely mermaid-like greenish blue, which when sprinkled or mixed into frosting can make a lovely decoration! Check out some healthy frosting recipes and other food dye alternatives here.
Fabulous Face Mask
Use spirulina in a face mask - it is an amazing way to give nutrients to the skin! Here’s my recipe:
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp Spirulina powder
- 1/4 tsp Fulvic Acid powder* see note
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2-3/4 tsp water
Instructions
-
Mix and massage onto your face and neck. Leave for 20-30 minutes then rinse off. It makes the skin feel amazing! It nourishes the lymph, skin, and circulation in the face.
Recipe Notes
Note about pregnant women: While there isn’t enough clear research on spirulina use with pregnant women, my experience with myself while pregnant and with clients who are pregnant is that spirulina is an amazing support for the body. A pregnancy demands a lot from a woman’s body, and all of the nutrients and benefits of spirulina are wonderful for helping her body meet that demand. As for detoxing heavy metals, spirulina is able to do this in a gentle way so that the baby is not affected by the detox.
Cheers to better health!
Nature has beautiful gifts and solutions for your health – all we have to do is get back to the basics and trust her. Spirulina is an amazing gift from nature. I have only scratched the surface of its benefits here. However, I encourage you not to take my word for it. Put spirulina to regular use in your life, and watch what happens!
Ignite the healer within,
Amber Bodily
P.S. If you want to learn more about how to support your immune system, sign up to learn more about my upcoming online course PLUS get a free ebook of immune-boosting smoothies here!
