Spirulina is a new development in the world of the medical field. Spirulina is a bacterium that usually grows both in fresh and saltwater. It is called blue-green algae, a type of cyanobacteria. You can compare spirulina to a simple plant as their energy comes from sunlight via photosynthesis process.
Spirulina comes in two forms either tablet or powder. For tablet form, it can be taken as a dietary supplement and powder can be mixed with food. Health benefits of spirulina are linked to its load of different nutrients and antioxidants that are good for body and brain health. It is considered as “superfood” that has the excellent nutritional content that benefits our body that makes spirulina good for you.
1. It can Lower Cholesterol
Spirulina benefits are reduced LDL or bad cholesterol in the body. High cholesterol in our body may lead to heart diseases. There is a study tested in 25 people with heart disease taking 2 grams of spirulina per day. The result of the study showed that taking spirulina can improve or lower cholesterol. Taking spirulina supplement have a significant impact on blood lipids, which is fat found in the blood.
2. It helps to Reduce Blood Pressure
Spirulina nutrition helps to reduce blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause many diseases like stroke, heart attack, and chronic kidney disease. Taking 1 gram of spirulina per day is not enough instead you can take 4.5 grams per day for you to reduce blood pressure.
3. Improves Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis
Runny nose, red and teary eyes, and sneezing are some symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is an inflammation of the nasal passageways when the immune system overacts to an allergen in the air. Spirulina benefits can aid people to reduce various symptoms of allergic rhinitis. There is a study conducted in 127 people with allergic rhinitis and it shows that taking 2 grams per day can reduce the symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, and teary eyes.
4. Fight Against Anemia
Anemia is a common disease in both teenagers and adults nowadays. Anemia can lead to fatigue and prolonged feeling of weakness. It can improve the immune system that can fight against anemia that makes spirulina good for you. There is a study done in 40 older people with a history of anemia and the result shows that taking spirulina supplements can increase the hemoglobin content of red blood cells.
5. May Aid Blood Sugar Control
One of the spirulina benefits is for the blood sugar level of diabetic people. High blood sugar can lead to diabetes. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death nowadays. Management of blood sugar is not that easy, there are lots of foods that you need to avoid for you to control the blood sugar level.
6. It helps to Prevent Cancer
Cancer is a serious disease that needs a healthy body to prevent it. One of the best spirulina nutrition is the fact that it has anti-cancer properties. There is a study that shows the effectiveness of spirulina on oral cancer or cancer on the mouth. A study is done among 87 people from India with precancerous lesions or also called oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) in the mouth. It shows in the result that those people who took 1 gram of spirulina per day for one year have a significant difference in terms of lesion compare to those people who stopped taking spirulina.
7. Spirulina is High in Many Nutrients
The Health benefits of spirulina are linked to its high nutrients content. Spirulina is considered as the most nutritious food on the planet. One tablespoon or equal to 7 grams contains nutrients such as 4 grams of protein, Vitamin B1 (thiamine) 11% of RDA, Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 15% of RDA, Vitamin B3 (niacin) 4% of RDA, and Iron 11% of RDA. It also contains magnesium potassium and manganese.
8. Stops Cholesterol Oxidation
Fat in the body especially cholesterol and LDL are susceptible to oxidation brought about by free radicals. This condition can happen because of the process known as lipid peroxidation. Surprisingly, studies found the effectiveness of spirulina in reducing oxidation of LDL and cholesterol in both animals and humans.
