When you think of a superfood, you probably think of salmon or blueberries-not the algae that floats on the surfaces of lakes, ponds and reservoirs.
But there's a type of blue-green algae that has been used for food and medicine in developing countries for centuries...that NASA has recommended as an ideal food for long-term space missions...that is loaded with health-giving nutrients...and that might be a key component in a diet aimed at staying healthy, reversing chronic disease and slowing the aging process.
That algae is spirulina.
Spirulina grows mainly in subtropical and tropical countries, where there is year-round heat and sunlight. It is high in protein (up to 70%), rich in antioxidants and loaded with vitamins and minerals, particularly iron and vitamin B-12. And it has no cellulose-the cell wall of green plants-50 its nutrients are easy for the body to digest and absorb.
Green Medicine
Dried into a powder, spirulina can be added to food or taken as a tablet or capsule. And ingested regularly, spirulina can do you a lot of good.
Spirulina has anti-inflammatory properties and can prevent the release of histamine and other inflammatory factors that trigger and worsen allergic symptoms. Studies also show that spirulina can boost levels of IgA, an antibody that defends against allergic reactions. In one study, people with allergies who took spirulina had less nasal discharge, sneezing, nasal congestion and itching.
Ideal Dose
A preventive daily dose of spirulina is one teaspoon. A therapeutic dose, to control or reverse disease, is 10 grams, or one tablespoon.
Spirulina has been on the market for more than a decade, and it's among the substances listed by the FDA as "Generally Recognized as Safe" GRAS).
Caution: If you have an autoimmune discase, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, talk to your doctor. Spirulina could stimulate the immune system, making the condition worse.
Best Products
Like many products, the quality of spirulina varies. What to look for…
Pets Reduce Childhood Allergies
Recent findings show that children younger than age one who lived with a cat were 50% less likely to become sensitive to cats later in life. (Exposure to pets after the age of one is not associated with allergy risk.)
Theory: Being exposed to pet allergens and bacteria at a young age may allow infants' immune systems to develop in such a way as to avoid being sensitive to pets.
Study of 566 children by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy.
- Clean taste. Top-quality spirulina tastes fresh. If spirulina tastes fishy or "swampy" or has a lingering aftertaste, it's probably not a good product.
- Bright color. Spirulina should have a vibrant, bright blue-green appearance (more green than blue). If spirulina is olive-green, it's probably inferior.
- Cost. You get what you pay for-and good spirulina can be somewhat pricey.
Example: Spirulina Pacifica, from Nutrex Hawaii-grown on the Kona coast of Hawaii since 1984 and regarded by many health experts as one of the most nutritious and purest spirulina products on the market-costs $50 for a 16-ounce, 454-gram jar of powder. Store it in the refrigerator.
- Growing location. The best spirulina is grown in clean water in a non-industrialized setting, as far away as possible from an urban, polluted environment. If you can find out the growing location of the product you're considering buying
How To Add It To Food
There are many ways to include spirulina in your daily diet...
- Put it in smoothies. Add between one teaspoon and one tablespoon to any smoothie or shake.
- Add to juice. Add one teaspoon or tablespoon to an eight-ounce glass of juice or water, shake it up and drink it.
- Sprinkle it on food. Try spirulina popcorn, for instance-a great conversation starter at a potluck. To a bowl of popcorn, add one to two tablespoons of spirulina powder, three to four tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, two or three tablespoons of olive oil, one-half teaspoon of salt and one-eighth teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Add it to condiments. Put one-quarter teaspoon in a small jar of ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard or salad dressing. This way you'll get a little each time you use these products.
