Hi, and welcome back to our channel.
Today I'm going to share the health benefits of spirulina. Just kind of give you a general introduction to this supplement as well as all the benefits it can provide. Discuss a few potential side effects from starting spirulina to what maybe you don't want to connect or combine it with and follow it up with how can you add it into your diet.
But first, my name is Marcie Vaske, and I'm a licensed nutritionist with Flusso Nutrients. At Flusso Nutrients, we work really hard to educate you on different types of supplements. There's so much information out there, which is awesome, but it can become a little overwhelming. So we try to keep our videos concise and to the point about what kind of supplements may help support you best.
Now remember that if you have questions, you can always ask them below, but we are not diagnosing or suggesting you must take any kind of supplement. It is purely for educational use.
[Video Transcript Below + Supplement Links Discussed In Video]
So first,
What is Spirulina?
Spirulina is a blue-green algae that really is a nutrient dense powerhouse, and as I walk through this video today, you'll see just how beneficial spirulina can be.
So what are the health benefits of Spirulina?
So spirulina is packed with protein, and specifically it has all nine essential amino acids. So spirulina is often described as a complete protein, meaning that it has all the essential amino acids to make it. So if you're a vegetarian or a vegan, supplementing or using spirulina as a way to get additional protein is one way. Now there's four grams of protein in a tablespoon of spirulina. So you might not be eating tablespoon after tablespoon, but because it's a complete protein, that's what makes it so unique. Spirulina is also high or rich in many vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron and magnesium.
Boosts Immune System
One of the most significant benefits of spirulina is its role in increasing our immune system. And the way that it does this is it helps to increase our antibodies and help to kill off infection. So some people like to use spirulina in the wintertime during cold and flu season, but it can also help the immune system with chronic infection or just helping to promote a healthier immune system in general. So by taking it every day, that's also a big support.
Supports Weight Management
So another fun fact about spirulina is that it helps with weight management. And how this helps support is that because it's so nutrient dense, it has protein, it does help to stabilize your energy levels. It also has a component within that that helps to curb those afternoon cravings. So using spirulina as a weight management tool is definitely something that people have done and seen a lot of success with. Now of course, in addition to doing spirulina, you also need to be doing some, watching what you're eating and moving and all the good things along with it, but that's just like an extra little step that you can put in that's easy.
Aids Detoxification
Spirulina also helps our body to detox, so we are up against different kinds of toxins all day long, and so our body is working really hard to constantly detox stuff out. This is where spirulina can come in because it is high in chlorophyll, which will help to support our detoxification pathways.
And in addition to supporting our liver function and detoxification, it also helps to keep our free radicals low, so it's high in antioxidants, which will keep those free radicals from getting out of our system.
Improves Hair and Skin
Spirulina has also been suggested for use with hair and skin, so because it helps to hydrate and it's high in antioxidants and it's also alkaline, this helps to support better hair growth and also just having healthier, more glowing looking skin. Now, some people may use spirulina even as a facial mask, so you can take an internally, but also you can make a little paste out of it and use it as a mask and you'll end up with really nice complexion afterward.
Enhances Brain Function
Now, spirulina can also help support our brain power or our brain function. And if you're using it daily, you may notice that you have better focus, better mental acuity because it helps to keep our inflammation low. It is known as also an anti-inflammatory type of supplement. So along with those antioxidants and the essential fatty acids, we're getting a big brain boost from spirulina. So using that daily, like I said, can help to keep those free radicals from going haywire and improving a more mental focus and acuity.
So those are a few of the main benefits of spirulina, and I would say that if you're curious, go ahead and try it. But if you are going to try it, you may think, okay, well I think this sounds good. What should I do?
Potential Side Effects of Spirulina
Any kind of symptoms that come from spirulina are usually an allergic reaction. So if that's the case, obviously stop. Other things that can be a little bit you may notice is just some digestive discomfort, and so that's why it's very wise just to start with just a little bit. So maybe you start with an eight of a teaspoon and just see if that's how your body responds to that, and you can just go up really slowly.
How to Incorporate Spirulina into Your Diet
And because spirulina really doesn't taste amazing, it is an algae. What you can do is kind of mix it in things. So how can you incorporate it into your diet? You can easily throw it into a smoothie. So using a teaspoon, a spirulina in a smoothie in the morning, you can also make little protein or energy balls and put some spirulina in that. Some people will even put it in sauces.
So if you're making something and you can throw a little bit of spirulina in there, you're just getting a boost of antioxidants, extra protein, and obviously those essential fatty acids. You can also put it in any baking that you're doing. So I think kind of thinking outside the box with it, but if you want to keep it very simple, I mean you can even just put it in a little bit of yogurt that you're consuming or you can just put it in water and consume it. I think overall you're going to probably want to mix it in a food. It's kind of thick, I guess you would say, or gritty. It's algae. So it's a little unusual tasting, but I think mixing it is something, it really hides that and it goes down without a problem. So when it comes to making a decision on if you want to try spirulina, I mean, I think go ahead and do it, especially if you don't have any allergic reactions.
Obviously you won't know until you try. And again, start slow. I don't want you to have any GI issues because of it, and it would mostly be bloating and gas, maybe even some diarrhea. But I would just start very slow with it and titrate it up over the next couple of weeks and see what you think. It has so many amazing benefits. I think the most important things with it will be just the antioxidant support as well as just the brain support that I can give you and the anti-inflammatory support.
So hats off to Spirulina,
And if you feel like you want to give it a shot, I'm going to link a product down below where you can easily order that. If you have questions about this topic, please let us know. Happy to answer. Thanks for watching today. I hope you feel a little bit more educated about a supplement.
Check out the high-quality supplements we discussed in this video - links below for your convenience!
1) Raw Spirulina Powder by Metabolic Response Modifier: create an account, then search the name "Raw Spirulina Powder by Metabolic Response Modifier" - https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/flussonutrients
2) ALL PROFESSIONAL QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com & https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/flussonutrients