By now, many people have heard how spirulina benefits the body, but what the heck is it?
Spirulina is actually a single-celled organism in the cyanobacteria family, which is actually just a fancy way of saying algae (which is a fancy way of saying green pond scum). However, don’t let its small size fool you, spirulina has a higher concentration of nutrients than almost any other natural food!
Cyanobacteria are also known as ‘blue-green algae’ and grow all over the world, thriving in hot climates with lots of sun. Although blue-green algae often live in the ocean, spirulina is naturally found in lakes. These lakes are very alkaline, which means that they are very salty and generally not compatible with other life forms. The saline water it grows in is what gives this supplement its salty taste!
The deep green color, not to mention the health benefits of spirulina, comes from the high concentration of chlorophyll in the cells. Chlorophyll is a product of photosynthesis, also known as the conversion of sunlight into energy, and is considered the blood of plants. This green pigment is a fantastic cleansing agent and has countless benefits for our body, including cleaning our blood of toxins, keeping our brain in shape, and providing great energy and stamina. Spirulina is known to have the highest concentration of any food on the planet! WOOF!
This little guy is one of the oldest life forms on earth! Dating back 3 1/2 billion years is a great achievement! In fact, spirulina has also been used as a food source for centuries! The ancient Aztecs and colonies that lived around Lake Chad in Africa collected the algae and dried them into cakes to eat.
The name ‘Spirulina’ is derived from the Latin word for ‘spiral’ as the cells come together to form microscopic spiral strands.
Although this dense chlorophyll plant grows in nature, most of the commercially available spirulina is grown in a controlled environment to ensure that contaminants do not contaminate the product. Countries like the United States, Mexico, Thailand, and Burma (to name a few) have adopted spirulina cultivation in their industries.
When spirulina is harvested, it is allowed to dry before being crushed into flakes or powder. The flakes can easily be added to salads or sauces, while the powder can be mixed with water or in smoothies. Alternatively, the powder is pressed into tablets or encapsulated for easy consumption.
Start by taking just half a teaspoon a day – it’s a great way to see how spirulina benefits you!