Spirulina as a “superfood” and its nutritional composition
Spirulina contains the most remarkable concentration and combination of nutrients known in any food, plant grain or herb.
Proteins: The protein content in spirulina is 15 to 20% higher than that of meat, 35% higher than that of soya beans and 12% higher than that of eggs. Spirulina proteins show an excellent quality since all the essential amino acids are present, forming 47% of the total protein weight. The high digestibility of the proteins - about 90% - is due to the soft envelope of the spirulina cells (they do not have hard cellulose cell walls). Thus spirulina does not need cooking or special treatment to increase the availability of its proteins and serves as a supplement for protein prone diseases.
Vitamins: Spirulina contains beta-carotene (provitamin A), vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, D, E, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Inositol. Beta-carotene in spirulina is ten times more concentrated than in carrots.
That’s why it is a good source of food for healthy vision. Vitamin A protects against infections and safeguards the integrity of the skin and the mucous membranes. Studies demonstrate that low doses of spirulina are sufficient to achieve a reduction in the risks of blindness and neurological damage caused by vitamin A deficiency in children. Other studies in the context of AIDS have shown that the transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her child is strongly related on vitamin A deficiency the more serious a seropositive pregnant woman’s vitamin A deficiency, the more likely her child will become infected with the AIDS virus. Carotenoids seem to have a range of effects against cancer too.
Moreover spirulina is the world's richest natural source of vitamin B12. This vitamin is the most difficult to get in meatless diet since common food plants don’t contain it.
Minerals: The minerals of particular interest in spirulina are iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Spirulina is without any doubt the best natural iron supplement. It contains ten to twenty times more iron than other foodstuff - and good iron sources in food are rare. As iron deficiency anaemia is very widespread, particularly in pregnant women and children, the very high iron content in spirulina should be doubly emphasized. Additionally the iron contained in spirulina can be absorbed easily and cannot pose toxicity problems like iron supplements.
Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium content in spirulina occur in quantities comparable to those found in milk. The relative amounts of these elements are balanced.
Lipids: The total lipid content of dry spirulina varies around 6%. For our body the essential fatty acids (EFA) are of most importance. Human requirements of EFA are considered to be 1-2% of energy intake for adults and 3% for children. The importance of these fatty acids (in particular gamma-linolenic acid) lies in their influence on the immune systems, both humoral and cellular. After human milk and some little used vegetable oils, spirulina is one of the best known sources of the gamma-linolenic acid.