Originally used by Aztecs, the history is told as this: The Aztec emperor Montezuma (1467-1520) really enjoyed fish. He would send messengers to gather fish from the Gulf of Mexico, nearby what today is known as Mexico City…a one-way distance of 400 kilometers (just under 250 miles). These runners had advanced endurance & energy to run these incredible distances thanks to spirulina. They would gather it from the body of water and then using sun desiccation to achieve extreme dryness forming edible “cakes”.
As impressive as the history is, it all comes to a halt when the Spaniards came. They didn’t appreciate this culinary treat called tecuitlatl, which translates to rock feces, and drained many of the alkaline lakes where spirulina grows naturally.
Spirulina has recently made a comeback after NASA ascertained it to be a dietary supplement for astronauts on space missions. Now you see it everywhere! But what is it? How do you know what to buy?
This super food is called such because of the growing list of health benefits. Even the precautions are listed to err on the side of caution because, simply put, to claim it safe under certain conditions, more studies must be done.
So what’s so great about it? Rawsome BLUE SPIRULINA is the highest, purest form of BLUE SPIRULINA available. Third party tested against heavy metals, certified USDA organic, Halal, and Kosher. You will find several options even on Amazon but you must ask what grade which sadly, most suppliers won’t openly list or provide, because they likely don't know. There are cheaper options that only have E25, E18 or even lower grades which lack the depths of the royal blue color.
I have tried to abbreviate this list of benefits simply because I know people do not always reading longer articles but I may have failed. This is such a super impressive food, that you simply cannot abbreviate the ongoing list of benefits without omitting key findings. Let’s start with the basics:
High in Nutrients
It has been confirmed time & time again, BLUE SPIRULINA is nutrient dense. It contains protein, vitamin B1, B2, B3, Copper, Iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese. The quality of the protein is excellent and provides all of the essential amino acids that your body needs, including the same acids found in human breastmilk (gamma-linolenic-acid).
Mental Health – rich in tryptophan, which is an amino acid that increases serotonin levels in the brain.
Powerful Anti-Inflammatory & Antioxidant Properties
When you have oxidative damage, it harms DNA & cells and can also be the cause of chronic inflammation, which can contribute to cancer & other terrible diseases. BLUE SPIRULINA is an excellent source of antioxidants & can protect against oxidative damage.
Rawsome spirulina is 100% E40 grade phycocyanin. This is the main active (component) that fights free radicals & stops the production of inflammatory signaling. It is this active that contributes to the anti-inflammatory & antioxidants found in studies. E25, E18 or lower grades will not help you achieve this so be warned of inferior products with a lower price point.
Lowers Bad LDL & Triglyceride Levels & Increases HDL (good cholesterol) – Thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease. Those with Type 2 diabetes have shown improved cholesterol and those with high cholesterol showed significant improvement by taking 1 gram of BLUE SPIRULINA per day. The study took place in 2014 with 52 people for 12 weeks concluding with significant decreased levels 16.3% average for triglycerides, and an eye-opening decrease of 10.1% LDL levels. (Pub Med. 2014, Elias E. Mazokopakis)
Protects LDL cholesterol from Oxidation – Lipid peroxidation is when fatty structures in your body are giving way to oxidative damage. This oxidation is a key driver of many serious diseases ( i.e. heart disease). The antioxidants found in BLUE SPIRULINA may be extremely effective at reducing lipid peroxidation. Details of the study include two dose groups, 1g per day dose & 2g per day dose. After 30 days results in reduced peroxidation by 12% and those taking 2g/day reduced peroxidation by 18% and for 60 days at 1g/day resulted in 21% decrease and those with 2g/day dose resulted in 36% reduction in the peroxidation levels. The complete study can be found at NIH PMIDL 25685791. MD Ismail
Anti-Cancer Properties – Studies show the addition of BLUE SPIRULINA to animals has both reduced cancer occurrences & in the case where tumors were present, that have shrunk in size.
Blood Pressure Reduction – BLUE SPIRULINA has shown to increase nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax and dilate. Studies shown that a total of 4.5 grams of BLUE SPIRULINA a day for 12 weeks has helped reduce blood pressure significantly. NIH 2021 Sept PMID:34578932 Piotr Machowiec
Blood Glucose Levels – Synergistically with allowing blood vessels to relax & dilate, BLUE SPIRULINA also helps control blood glucose levels. For example, a study with 25 people who had Type 2 Diabetes were given 2 grams of BLUE SPIRULINA per day. HbA1c is the marker for long-term blood sugar levels and it resulted in a drop from 9% to 8%. Why is this significant? This is incredible because a 1% drop in blood sugar levels lowers the risk of diabetes-related death by 21%! (only 2 grams per day achieved this result)
Improves & Helps Allergies – Allergic rhinitis is triggered by environmental allergies like pollen, animal hair, grasses, dust, etc. BLUE SPIRULINA is a popular alternative treatment for allergies based on evidence found in studies. This study found it more effective than cetirizine (an antihistamine used for treatment of allergies & decreased inflammation (Clinical comparison of the efficacy of spirulina platensis & cetirizine for treatment of allergic rhinitis, 2020 June Morteza Nourollahian). The two groups compared were given 2g BLUE SPIRULINA & 10mg cetirizine for two months daily. The effect of intervention on symptoms showed significant improvement (nasal itching, sneezing, smell reduction, nasal obstructions).
Effective against Anemia – In 2011, study showed that BLUE SPIRULINA increased hemoglobin content of red blood cells and improved immune function. 3g/day blood samples collected at 0, 6 & 12 weeks showed significant improvement over the duration of the study. More recent studies must be done to confirm these findings (this study was done in 2011, May by Carlo Selmi PMID 21278762)
PLEASE NOTE:
As quoted by Dr. Salomon Shamosh “Spirulina regulates and acts as an immunomodulator (a substance that affects the function of the immune system) and on one hand, it increases the defenses in immunocompromised and at the same time, it regulates the functioning of the immune system in people with autoimmune diseases in which there is an immunological hyperreactivity.”
Because BLUE SPIRULINA boosts your immune system, it may be a concern for those with certain autoimmune diseases such as lupus, or MS in which the immune system attacks the body. Feeding the beast so to speak. Double note that we are differentiating from those suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the joint lining causing inflammation, swelling & pain and Osteoarthritis, which is the more common type of arthritis, resulting from degeneration of cartilage. More studies are coming out to support the regulation of immune hyperactivity, but, as always, discuss with your treating doctors prior to taking BLUE SPIRULINA if you have rheumatoid arthritis.
In direct correlation to why BLUE SPIRULINA is favorable for those with high blood pressure, those who are on blood thinners should recognize that while BLUE SPIRULINA does not affect blood clotting time, little is known about effects for those already on a synthetic blood thinner.
The studies mentioned reiterate that BLUE SPIRULINA is indeed a superfood, may help improve several health conditions. It is also an ideal endurance booster for athletes (runners, game sports etc.). As with all FDA approved “safe” substances, more evidence is needed to further solidify the findings we shared here…but so far, all seems very promising! All these reasons and more, is why we embraced this nutritiously wealthy product in the Rawsome lineup.