What Is Spirulina?
For centuries, the blue-green microalgae known as Spirulina has been consumed for their health benefits. Today, it’s a popular supplement commonly endorsed as the “miracle from the sea.” Although, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) claims there isn’t enough scientific evidence to determine that Spirulina products are effective. Regardless, the organisms are considered a potent superfood because they contain a high concentration of nutritional contents, including antioxidants, protein, and numerous vitamins and minerals.
Spirulina grows naturally in salty lakes and oceans in subtropical climates. It’s been harvested since Aztec times, from Central Mexico’s Lake Texcoco, and in west-central Africa, from Lake Chad. The people collect the algae and turn it into dry cakes.