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Spirulina tablets
Spirulinadried Nutritional value per 100g (3.5oz) Energy Carbohydrates - Sugars - Dietary fiber Fat - saturated - monounsaturated - polyunsaturated Protein - Tryptophan - Threonine - Isoleucine - Leucine - Lysine - Methionine - Cystine - Phenylalanine - Tyrosine - Valine - Arginine - Histidine - Alanine - Aspartic acid - Glutamic acid 1,213kJ (290kcal) 23.9 g 3.1 g 3.6 g 7.72 g 2.65 g 0.675 g 2.08 g 57.47 g 0.929 g 2.97 g 3.209 g 4.947 g 3.025 g 1.149 g 0.662 g 2.777 g 2.584 g 3.512 g 4.147 g 1.085 g 4.515 g 5.793 g 8.386 g
2
- Glycine - Proline - Serine Water Vitamin A equiv. - beta-carotene 3.099 g 2.382 g 2.998 g 4.68 g 29 g (4%) 342 g (3%)
- lutein and zeaxanthin 0 g Thiamine (vit. B1) Riboflavin (vit. B2) Niacin (vit. B3) Pantothenic acid (B5) Vitamin B6 Folate (vit. B9) Vitamin B12 Choline Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Calcium Iron Magnesium Manganese Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc 2.38 mg (207%) 3.67 mg (306%) 12.82 mg (85%) 3.48 mg (70%) 0.364 mg (28%) 94 g (24%) 0 g (0%) 66 mg (13%) 10.1 mg (12%) 0 IU (0%) 5 mg (33%) 25.5 g (24%) 120 mg (12%) 28.5 mg (219%) 195 mg (55%) 1.9 mg (90%) 118 mg (17%) 1363 mg (29%) 1048 mg (70%) 2 mg (21%)
[1]
Link to USDA Database entry Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. [2] Source: USDA Nutrient Database
Spirulina is a cyanobacterium that can be consumed by humans and animals and is made primarily from two species of cyanobacteria: Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima. Arthrospira is cultivated worldwide; used as a dietary supplement as well as a whole food; and is available in tablet, flake and powder form. It is also used as a feed supplement in the aquaculture, aquarium and poultry industries.[3]
Historical use
Spirulina was a food source for the Aztecs and other Mesoamericans until the 16th century; the harvest from Lake Texcoco and subsequent sale as cakes were described by one of Corts' soldiers.[4] The Aztecs called it "techuitlatl". Spirulina was found in abundance at Lake Texcoco by French researchers in the 1960s, but there is no reference to its use by the Aztecs as a daily food source after the 16th century, probably due to the draining of the surrounding lakes for agricultural and urban development. The first large-scale spirulina production plant, run by Sosa Texcoco, was established there in the early 1970s. Spirulina has also been traditionally harvested in Chad. It is dried into cakes called dih, which are used to make broths for meals, and also sold in markets. The spirulina is harvested from small lakes and ponds around Lake Chad.[5]
Other nutrients
Spirulina's lipid content is about 7% by weight,[6] and is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and also provides alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA). Spirulina contains vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin E. It is also a source of potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments which may be beneficial and bioavailable, including beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll-a, xanthophyll, echinenone, myxoxanthophyll, canthaxanthin, diatoxanthin, 3'-hydroxyechinenone, beta-cryptoxanthin and oscillaxanthin, plus the phycobiliproteins c-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin.
Spirulina (dietary supplement) Safety issues for certain target groups Due to very high Vitamin K content, patients undergoing anticoagulant treatments should not change consumption patterns of spirulina without seeking medical advice to adjust the level of medication accordingly. Like all protein-rich foods, spirulina contains the essential amino acid phenylalanine (2.6-4.1 g/100 g), which should be avoided by people who have phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder that prevents the body from metabolizing phenylalanine, which then builds up in the brain, causing damage.
In vitro research
The primary active component of spirulina is Phycocyanobilin, which constitutes about 1% of Spirulina by weight. This compound inhibits NADPH oxidase. Spirulina has been studied in vitro against HIV,[12] as an iron-chelating agent, and as a radioprotective agent.[13] Animal studies have evaluated spirulina in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced heart damage, stroke recovery,[14] age-related declines in memory,[15] diabetes mellitus, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and in rodent models of hay fever.[16]
Human research
In humans, small studies have been undertaken evaluating spirulina in undernourished children,[17] as a treatment for the cosmetic aspects of arsenic poisoning,[18] in hay fever and allergic rhinitis, in arthritis, in hyperlipidemia and hypertension, and as a means of improving exercise tolerance. At present, these studies are considered preliminary. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, at present there is insufficient scientific evidence to recommend spirulina supplementation for any human condition, and more research is needed to clarify its benefits, if any.
Advocates
In the late 1980s and early 90s, both NASA (CELSS)[19] and the European Space Agency (MELISSA)[20] proposed Spirulina as one of the primary foods to be cultivated during long-term space missions.
External links
"Blue-green Algae" (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/923.html). MedlinePlus. National Institutes of Health. December 2011. "Blue-green Algae" (http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/blue-green-algae). Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. December 2011. "Spirulina" (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirulina-000327.htm). University of Maryland Medical Center. June 2011. "Spirulina" (http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/HolisticHealth/HerbsandSupplements. aspx?ChunkID=21606). Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. August 2011.
License
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