Spirulina is a blue-green, interestingly smelling algae. How delish! Okay so that doesn’t sound super appetizing but what if we told you that this emerald green powder is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet? It contains over 100 vitamins and minerals and may just be the superfood answer to obtaining nutrients that might otherwise not be available in a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Despite the more recent hailing of spirulina as natures multivitamin, it seems we were a little behind the times with the Aztec’s being the original trend setters of spirulina consumption way back when it was a natural occurrence growing on alkaline lakes. Today spirulina is cultivated across the globe in a variety of warm sunny climates where it basically soaks in the sunshine and through photosynthesis develops its high nutrient profile. So what specifically does this sensational superfood contain?
First and foremost spirulina is a source of iron. So put down the bucket of spinach because as little as 2 tsp of Vita-fit's Certified Organic Spirulina Powder will provide you with 34% of your recommended daily intake and it even contains (the vegan-elusive) B12! This ultimately means that you will be a bounding ball of energy as you add it into your smoothies and juices in the morning, much to the delight of your housemates/partner/kids or pets. And that’s not evening mentioning the fact that iron is also an essential mineral for normal immune system function and blood formation. However, not all iron sources are created equal, especially those from plants – luckily enough, Spirulina is easily digestible meaning that the non-haem iron it contains might be more bio-available (absorbable) than other plant sources of iron.
However, I know you didn’t come here just for the iron advice, so here you go, here’s another spirulina flavoured nutritional nugget to tie you over. Calcium is an imperative macro-mineral that you might be hard-pressed to find in a vegan or ovo-vegetarian diet but it is present in spirulina. Furthermore, micro-nutrients such a beta-carotene and chlorophyll also make an appearance. When compared to the likes of calcium & iron, these little guys might seem like the nutritional underdogs but with an antioxidant capacity that rivals vitamin C, their necessity in the diet shouldn’t be underestimated.
But the biggest, boldest and all around bestest feature of Spirulina has got to be its protein content. Spirulina is positively protein packed with its physical makeup being approximately 70% protein by weight. This is more than any other plant or animal food source on the planet.
Spirulina is the algae all rounder every vegan or vegetarian needs on a daily basis. The powder can be easily incorporated into more than just smoothies or juices, with its subtle salty flavour it is a complementary addition to any dinner dish or savoury snack. And for those busy working warriors out there we’ve got you sorted with a choice in spirulina tablets from either Pro-life or Vita-fit.
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