Agnese Codignola December 13, 2017 Food Safety CommentsSpirulina is one of the superfoods of the moment.The product - often sold in tablet or powder form - is very popular especially as a supplement among vegetarians, vegans and more.The fame came when NASA announced it wanted to give it to astronauts as a food product.All sorts of therapeutic qualities are attributed to it, being recommended against inflammation, as well as for its benefits on bones, cholesterol, not to mention mood, energy and there is also someone who speaks of anticancer action.But what's true?And above all, does taking spirulina involve risks?The only way to see clearly is to resort to scientific data, which the French Food Safety Agency (Anses) summarized in a report published at the end of November, also focusing attention on the risk of allergies and contamination.The first mistake made when talking about spirulina is to consider it an alga.It is not, it is a cyanobacterium of the genus Arthrospira, and this has some specificities.Certainly spirulina is a precious source of protein: in percentage, it contains between 60% and 70% by weight, against 25% of fish, 35% of soy and 14% of cereals.For this reason it is being studied in many laboratories as a protein alternative to be proposed to subjects with nutritional deficiencies.The interesting aspect is that spirulina contains almost all the essential amino acids (so called because our body does not know how to make them by itself), necessary for the construction of many organic molecules and the same proteins.Apart from the protein material, cyanobacteria contain many vitamins, especially of group A (3 to 6 grams of spirulina are enough to satisfy the daily requirement of adults, equal to about 900 micrograms) and of group E. However, not everything is like this. discounted.Spirulina has almost no vitamin B12, the most necessary for vegans, because it is present mainly in meat, fish and eggs that are not part of their diet.The little vitamin present is in a form that is almost impossible for the human body to assimilate.It is no coincidence that in 2016 the American Academy of Nutrition did not classify spirulina as a source of vitamin B12 useful for vegetarians and vegans, a concept also reaffirmed by Anses.To all this are added the mineral salts - calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron - of which it is very rich: 10 grams are enough to cover between 64% and 200% of the daily requirement of an aged child. between 6 months and 3 years (this requirement would be covered with 38 grams of whole grains).As for false attributions, the list is long.There is no evidence that spirulina helps with weight loss, aids digestion, or decreases anxiety and stress.Small studies, at the moment not definitive because conducted without control groups and on very few people, seem to reveal a slight beneficial effect on cholesterol and some antioxidant characteristics, but it is too early to express themselves.Finally, the risks.After receiving 49 reports (ten of which worthy of further study), Anses considered it appropriate to underline them, recalling that spirulina may contain cyanotoxins, bacteria and traces of heavy metals (lead, arsenic and mercury) which if absorbed during growth if cultivated in less than optimal conditions (cases have been reported in the United States, Cuba, Thailand, Mexico, India, Israel but also in Italy, again according to Anses), and which can induce allergies.Those who already suffer from a predisposition, as well as those with phenylketonuria problems, should limit or avoid its intake.There have also been some cases of intoxication from supplements containing numerous components, including spirulina, although it has not been possible to attribute any specific responsibility to it.To get more elements and express a more thoughtful judgment, the agency proposes to start an international surveillance network, to clarify the various doubts.Anses specifies that if spirulina is consumed in normal doses it presents no problems and concludes by recommending to always buy it from controlled sources and not to think that it is a miraculous supplement.* By credit card (through PayPal).Click here* By bank transfer: IBAN: IT 77 Q 02008 01622 000110003264indicating the reason: support Ilfattoalimentare 2017. Click hereTagAnses spirulina superfood supplements SuperfoodOn March 24, 2022, Restaurant Brands International (Rbi) - the Canadian-American multinational that owns Burger…Thank you for giving clear information on spirulina.Since 2010, we have been the first farm in Italy to cultivate it.Having been taking spirulina for 25 years, the one we bought resulted from laboratory analysis full of heavy metals and with little nutrition.This was the reason that led us to grow it 'at home' in a territory, the Maremma, where water, air, sun and what is fed is controlled, certified organic and above all metal-free. heavy.We are very satisfied with the result and we invite you to try it!fberg45@gmail.com This is my email, I may have the necessary information for a contact.Thanks FerruccioCan you please have the name?I live in London and there is a lot of confusion about quality.Thankseven if the problem of pollutants on spirulina is related to the presence of methanol and IPA.The remaining pollutants is "from chickens" if there are any.True control is not done.Hi Ferruccio, this is the site dedicated to our spirulina http://www.spirulinabiologica.it Merry Christmas to all!Dear Finally some clarity from a Science Journalist, I have been studying algae and cyano bacteria for 14 years.The production must be controlled by Biologists who know what they are doing that is why Spireat is born. If you want more information or comparisons http://www.spireat.it where you can also find our contacts.By clicking on Subscribe, you declare that you have read and accepted the information