Spirulina Nutritional Breakdown

Spirulina, a blue-green algae, grows naturally in fresh water ponds and is grown commercially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the US. With an unusually high amount of ribosomes in the cell structure of Spirulina, it yields a typical 65% - 71% protein content. This is very important information for vegetarians and vegans, as it meets protein content in meats - AND provides a whole bunch of micronutrients. This post will go through an in-depth nutritional breakdown of the high net gain food Spirulina! Keep in mind through your read that the lack of hard cellular walls in this superfood allows for rapid and easy assimilation of the following nutrients. This means less energy is spent on digestion, and more energy is available to deal with life's events!

The eight essential amino acids include:
ISOLEUCINE: encourages optimal growth, intelligence development and nitrogen equilibrium in the body
LEUCINE: Stimulates brain functioning, increases muscular energy levels.
LYSINE: Building block of blood antibodies, strengthens circulatory system and maintains normal growth of cells. (also used as a supplement to treat HSV)
METHIONINE: Vital lipotropic (fat and lipid metabolizing) amino acid that maintains liver health. An anti-stress factor, it calms the nerves.
PHENYLALANINE: Required by the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine (which acts on metabolic rate)
THREONINE: Improves digestion
TRYPTOPHANE: Increases use of B vitamins, improves nerve health, promotes calm (used as a supplement for depression)
VALINE: Stimulates brain functioning and muscle coordination

Spirulina also supplies ten of the twelve non-essential amino acids.
ALANINE: Strengthens cellular walls.
ARGININE: Helps detoxify blood, as well as produce semen. (Seminal fluid is roughly 80% arginine.
ASPARTIC ACID: Helps transformation of carbs into cell energy.
CYSTINE: stimulates good pancreatic health, stabilizing blood sugar & carb metabolism.
GLUTAMIC ACID: With glucose, one of the main fuels used by brain cells.
GLYCINE: Stimulates energy & oxygen use in cells.
HISTIDINE: Strengthens nerves, particularly in the auditory organs.
PROLINE: A precursor of glutamic acid.
SERINE: Helps build the protective fatty sheaths around nerve fibers.
TYROSINE: Slows aging of cells, used in coloration of hair & skin, including protection from sunburn.

Next, let's take a look at the vitamin content in Spirulina.
B6: Helps in assimilation of protein, and promotes cardiac health
BIOTIN: Enzyme carries CO, helps in assimilation of other B-complex vitamins. (eating raw egg whites & some raw fish will destroy biotin)
B12: This is the tough one for those of us that eat entirely plant-based. Spirulina is very rich in this vitamin, containing 250% more than beef liver, thought to be nature's richest source previously. One serving of Spirulina exceeds the Recommended Daily Allowance of 1.5 to 3 mcg daily.
PANTOTHENIC ACID: Used by adrenal glands, to deal with physical/mental stress.
FOLIC ACID: Necessary to forming hemoglobin in red blood cells. Deficiency results in poor growth of cells, very important vitamin for women who plan to conceive (you can take folic acid supplements up to a year before you plan to conceive to prepare your body for optimal baby health!)
INOSITOL: Maintains liver health, detoxifies carcinogens, normalizes blood cholesterol levels. With choline, inositol is used by the liver to manufacture lecithin.
NIACIN: cholesterol lowering (A good point to remember is that plant foods contain NO CHOLESTEROL-meaning plant based diets are ideal for those individuals who struggle with cholesterol build up.
RIBOFLAVIN or B2: Deficiency can lead to cataracts, failing vision, watery eyes and uncontrollable eczema. This is the most common vitamin deficiency.
THIAMINE or B 1: Helps in breakdown of carbohydrates and maintains glucose levels in the blood.
Vitamin E: Protects heart and vascular health, promotes oxygenation of cells (which is why it is important to skin)

Being a sea vegetable, spirulina is able to absorb minerals from ancient soils and lives in alkaline waters, where no other plants can live! Minerals in spirulina include:
POTASSIUM: Crucial to body electrolyte balance, deficiency may cause heart arrest, hypertension, adrenal exhaustion or muscular collapse.
CALCIUM: Important to bone & dental health (Spirulina supplies about as much calcium, gram for gram, as milk)
ZINC: Effects mental health, prostate functioning & healing capacity.
MAGNESIUM: Assists in assimilation of vitamin C, B vitamins and protein.
MANGANESE: Promotes activity of acetylcholine (neurotransmitter), & assists in stabilizing blood sugar.
SELENIUM: Slows aging, oxidation & free radical formation, reduces the toxic effect of carcinogens, & improves cardiac functioning
IRON: Assists in forming hemoglobin, (the blood pigment in healthy red blood cells that carries oxygen)
PHOSPHORUS: Found in almost every cell, works with calcium to maintain bone density. Helps digestion of carbs & B vitamins (niacin & riboflavin)

Another quality of this superfood that is rare is the abundant cartenoid content. Cartenoids can be thought of as a pre-cursor to the production of Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A in a pre-formed state is only found in animal sources. This pre-formed source of vitamin A is fat-soluble and not easily excreted from the body, often leading to toxicity. Spirulina contains the following cartenoid forms: alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, xanthophylis, cryptoxanthin, echineone, zeaxanthin, and lutein.

In addition to the vitamin, mineral and protein content of spirulina, it's enzymatic pigment content is important to know as well. Chlorophyll is spirulina's most visible pigment. Did you know the molecular structures of chlorophyll and human hemoglobin are almost identical? This is why chlorophyll is sometimes referred to as 'green blood'. When chlorophyll is ingested with enough iron, the magnesium can yield a hemoglobin molecule. Chlorophyll intake can aid with anemia, digestion, and ulcers. It can also relieve constipation, regenerate damaged liver cells, dilate blood vessels (increasing circulation), and used in WWII as an antiseptic/anti-inflammatory.

To leave you all with one final comparison, the caloric content of spirulina makes it an ideal food for those of us trying to lose weight. The are roughly 3.9 calories per gram of protein in Spirulina, versus 65 calories of beef per one gram of protein. Nutrient-dense plant foods are the ideal way to obtain micronutrients and macronutrients, and to spend less energy in digestion and more energy living life!