<p>Good question! &nbsp;I first discovered these primitive life forms when I was looking for ways to <strong>detoxify my body</strong> from heavy metals. After doing a lot of research I found out that they are <strong>very beneficial </strong>not only for heavy metal detox but many other health issues aswell. So beneficial, that I've been taking both <strong>Chlorella</strong> and <strong>Spirulina</strong> for more than a year now.</p>
<p>The consumption of algae, more specifically the strain called spirulina can be traced back to&nbsp;the Aztec civilization of the 14th century. &nbsp;They used it for many reasons such as increasing endurance, assuring enough vitamins and minerals for their body and fighting off diseases. Today, algae like Chlorella, Spirulina and many others are commonly referred to as superfoods because of their&nbsp;high concentrations of<strong> vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and protein.</strong></p>
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<p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/8a/8ac073b177.jpeg"/></p>
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<p><strong>&nbsp;Generally, algae contain:</strong></p>
<ul>
  <li>Protein and amino acids, up to 60 percent protein by dry weight</li>
  <li>Vitamins A (beta-carotene), C (ascorbic acid), E and K</li>
  <li>Many of the B-complex vitamins, including B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), choline, biotin, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid and B12 (cobalamin)</li>
  <li>Minerals and trace minerals, including iodine, calcium, chloride, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and zinc</li>
  <li>Omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA, DHA, GLA and ALA</li>
  <li>Active enzymes</li>
  <li><a href="https://draxe.com/phytonutrients/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">P</a>hytochemicals like&nbsp;chlorophyll, fucoxanthin&nbsp;and other plant pigments</li>
</ul>
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<p><strong>Health benefits</strong> of consuming algae like <strong>Spirulina</strong> or <strong>Chlorella</strong> are:</p>
<ol>
  <li><strong>Boosts your immune system</strong> -&gt; Algae contain &nbsp;a compound called phycocyanin, &nbsp;a strong antioxidant that fights off anything that causes &nbsp;damage to your cells.&nbsp;</li>
  <li><strong>Aids in weight loss</strong> -&gt; &nbsp;Even though they are packed full of <em>&nbsp;</em>nutrients, algae normally contain about 20 calories per tablespoon. They also have &nbsp;an amino acid called l-phenylalanine, which has been linked to suppressing appetite. Appart from that algae contain fucoxanthin. A naturally occurring pigment &nbsp;that’s been shown to promote fat burning.</li>
  <li><strong>Fights cancer</strong> -&gt; Studies have shown that regular consumption of algae might suppress growth of cancer cells in some patients.</li>
  <li><strong>Protects the body from chemotherapy and radiation therapy </strong>-&gt; &nbsp;According to <strong>Memorial Sloan Kettering </strong>(https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/blue-green-algae), animal studies suggest that spirulina has chemotherapy and radioprotective effects. &nbsp;Another study by <strong>Acta Pharmacol Sin. in 2001 </strong>(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11749812 ) shows that &nbsp;&nbsp;polysaccharide acts as a chemotherapy protective agent which means that it has the ability to protect the body from or minimize the side effects of chemotherapy. &nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, it also has radio-protective capabilities, which means it can protect the body against the &nbsp;dangerous&nbsp;effects of radiation treatment. &nbsp;</li>
  <li><strong>Lowers blood pressure </strong>-&gt; &nbsp;By helping to increase the blood flow. Spirulina increases the production of nitric oxide, a gas molecule that helps to widen blood vessels. Thus, blood flows more freely and &nbsp;easily to the heart and doesn’t have to work as hard.&nbsp;</li>
  <li><strong>Increases endurance</strong> -&gt; Because of the ability to increase blood flow, if used on a regular basis algae can increase endurance in athletes.</li>
  <li><strong>Helps the body to detox from heavy metals </strong>-&gt; The reason I got into algae in the first place was because my body was &nbsp;highly toxic from 5 amalgam fillings I had in my teeth for &nbsp;more than ten years. Chlorella acts as a natural chelator that removes heavy metals from the body. &nbsp;It can literally wrap itself around toxins residing in our bodies, such as&nbsp;lead, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals and keep them from being reabsorbed.&nbsp;</li>
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<p>&nbsp;With all of the mentioned health benefits its strange how this superfood isn't as widely popular as it should be. Not many people are familiar yet with the health benefits daily consumption of algae provide, and for that reason I feel like its very important to spread this knowledge far and wide so that people can start eaping the benefits of this <strong>nutrient powerhouse</strong>!</p>