The Health Benefits of Spirulina and Chlorella

Spirulina
Use this nutritious natural green superfood freely. They will do you nothing but good. Queen of them all is spirulina. A near- microscopic, blue-green freshwater alga, spirulina is one of the finest green wholesome foods you will ever find.

It is made up of translucent bubble-thin cells stacked end to end to form an incredibly beautiful green helix. 31/2 billion years ago the blue-green algae began to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and to convert it into carbon dioxide and sugars, releasing free oxygen in the process. This created the oxygen-rich atmosphere in which the rest of life was able to develop.

Spirulina is probably the single most important nutritional supplement you can use to support high level health. It is unusual in that it is high in protein, which is alkaline forming in the body rather than acid-forming.

This can be very important for detoxifying the system and also for helping you deal with high levels of stress.

Spirulina is also rich in vitamins E, B12, C, B1, B5, and B6 as well as beta-carotene, and the minerals zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. It also contains good levels of anti-aging anti-oxidants and of phycocyanin – a blue pigment structurally similar to beta-carotene.

Scientific studies at UC Davis shows that Spirulina may be the most potent immune boosting food ever studied. After only 2 weeks, gamma interferon and interleukin levels increased by up to 10 times. These are essential for the body to battle a wide variety of cellular imbalances.

Finally, spirulina although very low in fat is rich in important essential fatty acids, imperative to the manufacture of hormones in our body.

Chlorella
Chlorella, also a superfood, is a green alga with pretty amazing properties, and it too is great as a supplement. It gets its name from its high content of chlorophyll. It contains 2-3 times more than other algae's and grasses.

In addition it is rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, nucleic acids, amino acids, enzymes, something called CGF – chlorella growth factor – and other important compounds. Chlorella is the biggest-selling health food supplement in Japan.

Among the green foods, chlorella is known as the great normaliser, thanks to its apparent ability to alter bodily processes that are under – or over-active so that they return to normal. About 60 per cent of chlorella is protein.

The vitamins it contains include vitamin C, beta-carotene and other carotinoids, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, vitamin B12, biotin, chloline, vitamin K, inositol and PABA. Chlorella is also rich in minerals and trace elements including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, iron, calcium, manganese, copper, zinc and cobalt.

Japanese scientists have discovered that chlorella can stimulate the production of white blood cells and enhance immunity as well as having anti-viral activity. It can also bind heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, lead, pesticide and herbicide poisons including PCB, and help remove them from the body.

Meanwhile it helps protect the liver from toxic injury, and some practitioners claim it can help prevent hangovers by promoting the removal of alcohol from the body.

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