We have all noticed our food bills rising and as we turn to buying organic and sustainable food, this isn’t predicted to change. To get premium nutrition and stretch your food budget, supplementing your diet with high quality whole food supplements can help. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae , AFA bluegreen algae is one of Earth’s first foods, regenerates itself quickly and has been used as a plant based supplement to the human diet for thousands of years. You may know that AFA bluegreen algae is rich in phytonutrients, plant-based proteins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and other micronutrients, but let’s take a look at specifically a few of the benefits algae can provide us with.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll, the natural phytochemical creating the green pigment in plants, stimulates liver function and excretion of bile, strengthens immunity, and detoxifies chemical pollutants. Numerous studies indicate that chlorophyll has anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic properties as well as antioxidant effects that combat damage from carcinogens.
Phycocyanin
Phycocyanin, the blue pigment in blue green algae, provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and is particularly effective working with chlorophyll.
Beta Carotene and Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an antioxidant nutrient that comes from foods with beta-carotene. The body takes beta-carotene from foods and converts it into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that helps keep skin healthy and your skin is your body’s first line of defense in the immune system for keeping out bacteria and viruses.The beta carotene and chlorophyll in blue-green algae also help strengthen the intestinal wall, so proteins and other food particles can’t slip into the bloodstream and vitamin A has been shown to help reduce elevated LDL oxidation in those with diabetes and is essential for good vision and cell growth.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid
Omega-3 fatty acid has a variety of health benefits and is essential for brain and nervous system health. It has been shown to help with cardiovascular health, depression, cognitive health, hydrating skin and reducing wrinkles, reducing triglyceride levels, reducing inflammation and may improve blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids form the cell membranes that cover neurons and other cell organs and are also the main ingredient in your synapses and dendrites, which are the connections between your neurons. To be healthy, you need 3 to 4 times as many omega-3’s as omega-6’s, but most Americans get a lot more omega-6’s than omega-3’s. AFA bluegreen algae has the exact ratio of fatty acids the human body needs.
Amino Acids
Bluegreen algae has 20 different amino acids including carnitine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. Amino acids found in AFA are the building blocks of healthy nerve cells and neurotransmitters vital for proper brain function. It has all the raw ingredients our bodies need to produce carnitine which transports fat molecules across the cell membrane, so the cell can metabolize the fat and give us energy. Phenylethylamine, or PEA, has been shown to elevate the mood, decrease appetite, regulate neurons, and reduce stress. Tyrosine, a precursor to thyroxin, is a hormone associated with reducing symptoms of depression, help decrease food cravings and elevates mood.
Vitamin B-12
B-12 is one of the vitamins that help us relax, soothes our nerves and helps us deal with stress. When we are stressed, we tend to use up our body’s supply of B vitamins just when we need them most and need to replace them. It also is essential to brain function, the nervous system, blood formation, metabolism of cells, and energy production. B-12 has also been reported to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering homocysteine levels.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K must come from diet as our bodies do not create the amount we need. It can help strengthen blood vessels, boost the immune system, is important in blood coagulation, helps the body absorb calcium and bone metabolism.
Minerals
AFA bluegreen algae has a variety of important minerals a healthy body needs including calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Calcium of course is essential for bone health. Magnesium is needed for over 300 biochemical reactions, maintaining muscle function, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and for immune system health. Manganese is important for bone health, healing wounds and to activate enzymes in metabolism. Phosphorus contributes to bone health, cell membranes, activating hormones and for producing and storing energy. Potassium is important for proper functioning of cells, muscles, neurons, heart, fluid balance and excreting toxins. The body needs zinc to support the immune system and to make proteins and DNA.
Trace Minerals
Another benefit of AFA bluegreen alage is the trace minerals it provides such as copper and chromium. Copper helps the body produce energy, metabolize iron, assists central nervous system reaction and antioxidant properties. Chromium supports the functions of insulin and may help lower blood lipid levels.
That’s a lot of benefit from taking a few capsules or tablets to supplement your sustainable food diet. AFA bluegreen algae is the perfect way to get the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids your body needs to stay healthy. Buying organic sustainable food is the healthiest way to go. Offsetting the cost with high quality bluegreen algae is the smart way to stretch your sustainable food grocery budget.
Sources:
http://whyalgae.com/blue-green-algae-nutritional-information/
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products on our website.
Image courtesy of New Earth