How Spirulina Can Help You Lose Weight
Having a healthy lifestyle means finding a balance between what you eat and exercise. Spirulina has special properties that make it perfect for losing weight. Find out more about this algae!
There are a lot of ways to lose weight. Some people beat themselves up with strict diets that aren’t necessarily good for their bodies. At the same time, there are people who think exercise is all they need to be healthy, no matter what they eat.
The truth is that a healthy lifestyle means finding a balance between what you eat and your exercise. Doing some physical activity multiple times during a week and eating a good, nutritious diet are important. This is where spirulina comes into play.
What is spirulina?
Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae with incredible amounts of nutrients. It is also one of the oldest life forms on Earth. It’s thought that this little plant is the main element responsible for oxygen in the atmosphere. Oxygen, in turn, makes it possible for animal species to develop, from dinosaurs to us humans.
According to UNICEF, spirulina is a superfood, one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the face of the planet. It’s recommended for high-performance, elite athletes and NASA even recommends it for their astronauts. In fact, military organizations throughout the world have their soldiers consume it to keep them healthy in all kinds of situations.
The algae grows in waters near Ecuador, Africa, India, the Americas, and the Middle East. Today it can be found in pharmacies and shops, now being processed by pharmaceutical and nutritional supplement companies. If you decide to buy it, make sure it’s organic.
Benefits of spirulina
1. It is extremely nutritious
Usually when a person feels hungry between meals, it’s their body saying there is some nutrient deficiency. When you eat food with low nutritional value, or poor quality, it triggers hunger in your body even if it hasn’t been very long since you’ve eaten last.
Spirulina acts as a nutrient catalyst and gets your digestion going. It contains many different vitamins, including vitamin C, B complex, and E. It also contains minerals, such as zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium, as well as certain enzymes. These vitamins and minerals speed up your metabolism and prevent unnecessary fat absorption.
2. It provides protein
So many people still believe that protein is only found in meat. However, actually there are many vegetables that contain large amounts of protein that is just as good for you as animal protein. Spirulina is one of them. Spirulina is 55% to 75% protein. Therefore it is a perfect food for people on low-carb diets.
Protein helps build muscle mass. If you’re still not convinced, you should know that protein in spirulina is four times more easily absorbed than protein from meat.
3. It is low-calorie
This little algae is one of the lowest-calorie foods per gram in nature. One teaspoon contains just 20 calories, approximately. Eating low-calorie foods is essential in any weight-loss diet. Regularly consuming spirulina meets a large portion of your body’s nutritional needs, without having to take in very many calories.
4. It reduces blood pressure and blood sugar
Spirulina is is highly recommended for people with high blood pressure and other heart conditions. It regulates triglycerides in the blood and also helps process bad cholesterol while mobilizing intramuscular fat. When you consume spirulina while also exercising, your body burns fat more easily. Spirulina is very good for people with diabetes or high blood sugar.
Due to the high levels of fatty acids, like omega 3 and gamma linoleic acid, in spirulina, eating it regularly regulates the production of insulin. Proper levels of insulin, then, help prevent obesity and related diseases.
For weight loss, spirulina is much better than taking artificial, store-bought supplements. Remember, it’s much more effective to lose weight by eating right and being active. Go ahead and try spirulina and enjoy all it has to offer!
However, while it’s very good for you, we do recommend consulting your doctor before taking it. Few people have had allergic reactions to spirulina, but it’s a good idea to have your doctor do tests in order to prevent any adverse reaction. Don’t consume it if you’re allergic to shellfish or fish, or if you have hypothyroidism.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Carr AC., Maggini S., Vitamin C and immune function. Nutrients, 2017. 9 (11): 1211.
- DiNicolantonio J. J, Bhat A. G, et al. Effects of spirulina on weight loss and blood lipids: a review. Open Heart. Marzo 2020. 7 (1): e001003.
- Food Data Central. Seaweed, spirulina, dried. U. S. Department of Agriculture. Abril 2019.
- Hidro Growth Laboratories. La utilización de microalgas alimenticias contra la malnutrición aguda en las emergencias humanitarias y para el desarrollo sostenible. Resolución de las Naciones Unidas de octubre 2005.
- Kalafati M., Jamurtas AZ., Nikolaidis MG., Paschalis V., et al., Ergogenic and antioxidant effects of spirulina supplementation in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2010. 42 (1): 142-51.
- Karkos P. D, Leong S. C, et al. Spirulina in clinical practice: evidence-based human applications. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011: 531053.
- Mazokopakis E. E, Papadomanolaki M. G, et al. The hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic effects of spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) supplementation in a Cretan population with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a prospective pilot study. Annals of Gastroenterology. 2014. 27 (4): 387-394.
- Medline Plus. Blue-green algae. National Library of Medicine. Agosto 2021.
- Office of Premarket Approval. GRAS notification Spirulina microalgae. Food and Drug Administration. Marzo 2002.
- Parikh P., Mani U., Iyer U., Role of spirulina in the control of glycemia and lipidemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Med Food, 2001. 4 (4): 193-199.
- Zeinalian R, Farhangi M. A, et al. Effects of spirulina platens on anthropometric indices, appetite, lipid profile and serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in obese individuals: a randomized double blinded placebo controlled trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2017; 17: 225.
