Spirulina- A Nutritious Seaweed To Consume Often

As you continue to grow on your health journey you will discover things that may seem weird in nature but will be beneficial to your overall well being.  For me, Spirulina was one of those things.  The thought of consuming a seaweed or an algae was unthinkable.  I had always thought of algae (or an algae eater rather) as something that we use in a fish tank to help facilitate a healthier environment for the fish.  Never once did I consider the thought of consuming algae as a part of my personal diet.  I soon found out just how little I knew about wellness.

​So what is Spirulina? Spirulina is a blue-green fresh water algae that was once considered to be a staple food in the Aztec and Mesoamerican culture.  What makes it unique is the amount of nutrients that it contains.  This plant contains high amounts of iron, calcium Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, magnesium and Vitamin C.  It is said to be one of the world's most nutrient dense foods.  This means that you will be hard pressed to find individual food sources that have equal or more nutrients than Spirulina has.  There are other forms of healthy seaweeds in addition to spirulina.  This just so happens to be my favorite.  If you feel that you'd like to try something else there is; sea moss, dulse, wakame, nori, kombu, bladderwrack and kelp.  The Japanese culture has been documented as the longest lived people on earth in recent studies.  It's no coincidence that their diet is rich in sea vegetables.  They consume high amounts of soups and vegetables within their daily alimentation.  Sea veggies like spirulina are ideal for our consumption because they come from fresh water and are rich in minerals.  All nutrients are essential for human consumption but if I had to single out a family of nutrients that's at the top of the food chain it would be minerals.  Without minerals you cannot absorb vitamins.  Without minerals you are prone to contract any one of a collection of nutrient deficiency diseases.  Sea vegetables like spirulina, sea moss and others are most noted for their high mineral content.

Unlike the fresh produce that we consume from the land on which we reside, spirulina and other sea veggies do not rely on the soil for their growth.  This in turn gives them an advantage as we know that much of our soil has been tainted over the years due to environmental pollution and farming methods.  Blue-green algae and all other sea vegetation rely on the water for their growth.  The one concern that I have with regards to seaweed is that they too are subject to pollution via the water.  You must be diligent in finding out which commercial brands are the best.  Consult your local herbalist or herb shop to find out if the brands that are available to you are credible.
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One of the most impressive benefits to consuming seaweed is that you generally don't need to consume anything else as a supplement.  One or two high quality mineral-rich seaweed supplements on the daily basis will be just enough to help you get on the right track.  This is of course in addition to a healthy balanced diet and moderate exercise (if possible).  Spirulina is available in capsules or bulk powder form.  If you purchase it in powder form it's easiest to consume in a smoothie.  Trying to consume spirulina in a cup of water may be tough for the average person.  If you can pull it off I say go for it.  But I haven't had the urge to do so.  The most expedient way would be to get them in capsule form.  Be sure that the capsules are vegetable or vegan capsules as you want to consume the healthiest capsule form possible.