Spirulina: Nutrition Facts and Benefits

Spirulina is one of the hottest superfood powders of today. Thanks to NASA using it and calling it the ’food of the future’, this health food-slash-supplement has been more famous than ever. Not only is it easy to cultivate, but it’s packed with nutrients as well. With spirulina’s touted health benefits against heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, even cancer, it has become the go-to supplement for many health enthusiasts.

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that grows in fresh and saltwater, specifically in the sunny climates of India, Spain, the US, Japan, and Greece. It is a type of cyanobacteria, a single-celled organism that can make its own food. Technically speaking, spirulina refers to the dried mass of a bacterium known as Arthrospira platensis.

While spirulina powders were recently made famous by NASA’s use of it in space, its potential has long been identified by the ancients. Named ‘tecuitlatl’ by the Mesoamericans, this food source was used to make cakes – up until the 16^th-century Spanish conquest. It was grown by the Aztecs in the now-drained Lake Texcoco, which is the present-day site of Mexico City.