Truths and myths about spirulina

By Vannesa Hidalgo - Bootcamp by PFG

In indigenous populations around the world, food goes beyond satisfying the appetite. For these millenary communities, food consumption is a communion with Mother Earth; an action in which you commune food for the body and the spirit.

Loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and phytochemicals, almost all products in the diet of indigenous communities, especially American and African, have been recognized over the years by the World Health Organization (WHO) as superfoods.

Superfoods are understood to be the densest foods on the planet that for thousands of years were used by these communities and that after scientific research all their properties were recognized.

It is mostly raw food and whose combination was also recommended by the shamans (leaders) of those indigenous communities to prevent diseases.

Spirulina is within the exquisite group of superfoods. Also called Artrospira , spirulina is a blue algae that occurs in alkaline lake waters in Africa and Mexico.Since ancient times, miraculous powers have been attributed to it by combining proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals such as magnesium, potassium and phosphorus in a single product, as well as iron and fatty acids.

In 2015 it was re-declared by the UN as the "best food to fight malnutrition in underdeveloped countries" or those where the intake of animal protein was impossible.

Erroneously, the consumption of this seaweed (which is sold crushed or in the form of capsules at a very high cost) has been misrepresented as suitable "for losing weight".Investigations by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA-USA) in 1991 concluded that it was indeed a superfood but ineffective for weight loss.

These studies indicate that because it has "phenylalanine", it is conferred the quality of suppressing the appetite and because of that satiating power and by combining proteins, vitamins and minerals, spirulina could be used as a nutritional supplement or diets for athletes. However, research adds that you would have to consume too much of this algae to effectively replace any food on the nutritional table.

Just one leaf of this algae contains iodine, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, B12, B1, B2, K and E , essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.It also contains protein (up to 55%, 30% more per gram than fish or meat). But despite its innumerable beneficial properties for the body, there are cases in which its consumption is not recommended: hyperthyroidism or autoimmune diseases; nor in periods of pregnancy or lactation.

As Hippocrates said: "Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food . " If it is within your reach, enjoy this miraculous algae now that will do a lot for your body.