Spirulina VS Chlorella – Two Of The Best Sources Of Multivitamins

Today, we Malaysians are living a comfortable life. If we have no time or not in the mood to cook we can always eat in the restaurants or food stores. But have we noticed what we are putting into our mouth? Kon Loh noodles, fried rice, tom yam, seafood, roti canai, nasi lemak, ice cream, cakes, breads, KFC, McD, etc…… Sound delicious right? What are these actually?

Most of them are poor nutritional foods high in carbohydrate, high in fat, low in fibre, low in vitamins and minerals. We are taking unhealthy, processed and refined fast foods into our precious body. Even if we cook at home taking in a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables they can be contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. To make matters worse, foods in today’s time have far less nutrients in them than they did 25-50 years ago. This is because our soil have become depleted and contain only few trace minerals and other vitamins.

Isn’t this frustrating? Is there anything that we can do to take good care of our health while access to high quality whole foods is such a challenge? Here comes the role of supplemental multivitamins. Most of the Multivitamins on the market are Synthetic, Isolated and man-made while natural sources of Multivitamins like spirulina and chlorella would be better choices as they are unprocessed, unrefined and complete with the major vitamins, trace minerals, micronutrients, cofactors, co-enzymes, anti-oxidants and other components needed to help the vitamins do its job.

SPIRULINA

Spirulina is one of the most nutritious and concentrated food sources on the planet. It contains 60% of protein including all the essential amino acids, B vitamins (including exceptionally high B-12), vitamin K, and other vitamins, iodine, minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium manganese, potassium, and zinc, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), essential fatty acids, phytopigments (phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and carotenoids), metallo-thio-nine compounds (proteins combined with metals that bind heavyradioactive isotepes) and it is low in carbohydrates (15-20%).

Scientific studies showed that two grams per day of spirulina helps to improve sugar control (HbA1C) and cholesterol levels in people with diabetes. Spirulina reduces risk of stroke by reducing the tendency of blood clotting in the blood vessels. Spirulina protects people with heart disease and high blood pressure by improving their cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure and by increasing elasticity of blood vessels. This helps in reducing the risk of heart attack. Spirulina supplementation aids in curbing hunger and promoting a feeling of increased energy. A clinical study showed that taking 2.8 grams spirulina 3 times a day helps in reducing body weight in the participants.

Spirulina helps to protect our eyes from damages; it helps to slow down the progress of age related eye diseases. Phycocyanin in spirulina can lower the risk for age-related brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Spirulina supplementation (1g/day) produces significant improvement in lung functions. C-phycocyanin in spirulina reduces the triggers of allergic reactions and thus reducing the severity and frequency of asthma attacks or any other allergy symptoms like food and skin allergies.

Spirulina helps in reducing nutritional diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency), vitamin A deficiency, and kwashiorkor. It strengthens our immune system, reduces inflammations in our body as well as reducing symptoms of arthritis. Spirulina promotes optimal gastrointestinal flora thus supporting optimal digestion. It protects our livers by reducing inflammation of liver membrane. Spirulina supports heavy metal detoxification hence protecting our bodies from damage by heavy metals, like lead and mercury.

The scientific evidence for spirulina’s health benefits is abundant, frequently showing remarkable clinical results. Spirulina is safe, even at high doses. However, it can be contaminated with other substances that can be toxic. Hence, it is important to buy a reputable brand of spirulina, if possible, go organic. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking spirulina. People with kidney problems, hyperparathyroidism, serious allergies to seafood, seaweed or iodine should avoid spirulina. People who has an autoimmune disease, such as multiple scleroses, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus, should avoid spirulina too because theoretically, it could stimulate the immune system and make their condition worse.

Another exciting nutritional resource available today to help our bodies naturally fight environmental pollution is a whole food based supplement called chlorella.

CHLORELLA

Chlorella is a “green food”, a single-celled, micro-algae that is about two to ten microns in size. It’s very small. It is this small size combined with its unique properties that make it such a useful detoxification tool. Its molecular structure, allows it to bond to metals, chemicals and some pesticides. When chlorella is taken into our bodies, its natural action will bind it to lingering heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides found in our body’s cells. So chlorella first and foremost will help our bodies eliminate unwanted metals and toxins. But it does more than that.

Chlorella is uniquely designed by nature to not bind to the minerals our bodies naturally need to function optimally. It does not bind to beneficial minerals like calcium, magnesium, or zinc. It’s almost as if chlorella knows which metals belong in our bodies and which chemicals need to be removed. Chlorella has been extensively studied as a food source since it is made up of whopping 50 percent protein and is considered a complete amino acid-based food. Even NASA has studied using chlorella as the one of first whole foods in space on the international space station!

Studies in Japan have shown chlorella may help reduce body fat percentage and may be useful in fighting obesity and weight related diabetes. It may also help reduce both cholesterol and hypertension. Chlorella has a cleansing action on our bowel and other elimination channels. Its liver protection property also helps promote clean blood and clean blood helps assure metabolic waste get efficiently carried away from our tissues.

Chlorella is such a powerful detoxifier because it is rick in chlorophyll, which is known to aid us in processing more oxygen, cleanse key elimination systems like our bowel, liver, and blood, help purify our blood and clean away toxins, aid us in promoting optimal blood pressure, support elimination of molds in our bodies, help neutralize bad air we might breathe in and promote growth and repair of our tissues.

Chlorella is actually very useful even beyond detoxification, and its range of health benefits include boosting our immune systems, improving our digestion, especially if constipation is a problem, providing B vitamins, enhancing our ability to focus and concentrate, increasing our energy levels, balancing our body’s pH, normalizing our blood sugar and blood pressure, reducing our cancer risk as well as freshening our breath.

Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) is a key component derived from the nucleus of the chlorella. CGF can stimulate faster and healthier growth in young children. It also has the potential to help remove poisoning of chlorinated hydrocarbons, dioxin, PCB’s and heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium.

Everyone – young and old, healthy and ill – can benefit from chlorella BUT pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as people with hyperthyroidism SHOULD AVOID taking chlorella. Clinical research suggests that adding chlorella to the diet, rather than relying solely on pharmaceutical drugs may be extremely beneficial to those who are dealing with serious health issues, and those who want to stay healthy. This may also enable our bodies to deal with the root of the problem naturally, rather than merely masking the symptoms.

As we can see, spirulina and chlorella can serve as potent “super foods”. Just remember to do our research and arm ourselves with knowledge before deciding what supplemental Multivitamins we should take. It is the best way to take control of our health!