Let's talk about Spirulina
What comes to mind when you hear the word spirulina? Do you think about a spiralizer you purchased to make zucchini noodles? Maybe, it sounds like the name of a flower. What about a more familiar term, one that is floating around the aisles at the supermarket, appearing all over the internet, and printed on newspapers and magazines, superfood. What comes to mind when you hear this word? A head of broccoli parading the streets dressed as superman or the kale quinoa salad in your refrigerator at home? Spirulina has been increasing in popularity as an emerging superfood.
What is it really? Spirulina is blue green algae. It grows naturally in oceans and salty lakes in subtropical climates. There are multiple species, but three are highly studied because of their nutritional value: spirulina platensis, spirulina maxima, and spirulina fusiformis. As a result of being a concentrated source of protein, B- vitamins, and iron, it has been gaining the interest of vegans and vegetarians.
Emerging or coming back? Believe it or not, spirulina has been known to be a nutritional superhero (superfood) since forever (the 16th century). It’s packed with a variety of nutrients: protein, B vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc. It has been used by NASA astronauts as a dietary supplement and has made its way into smoothies, desserts. Spirulina is essentially riding the whole-foods, plant-powered revolution wave. Additionally, it has been proposed as a sustainable solution in developing countries to help reduce malnutrition because it is nutrient-rich, easy to produce, and can be added to traditional foods.
Although spirulina is packed with nutrients, it may not be worth the cost for the average healthy individual, compared to other plant-based proteins. For example, although it is high in protein, one supplement contains an average of 2 grams of protein. In comparison, ¼ cup of almonds contains approximately 5 grams of protein, ½ cup of cooked lentils contains about 9 grams of protein, and ½ cup of cooked oatmeal contains about 13 grams of protein.
The consensus: spirulina has been around for ages and you will most often see it labeled as a superfood. This microalga may be beneficial on a larger production scale in regards to reducing malnutrition in developing countries. However, when choosing whether or not you should purchase spirulina supplements, consider this; it may be nutrient packed, but it is expensive and your diet may already be adequate in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Forget the spirulina infused smoothies and opt for an overall, super balanced diet, containing vegetables, fruit, protein, whole grains and dairy.
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Jenna Ellis is a senior dietetic student in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics.