30-Day Spirulina Challenge

Fresh off the heels of the holidays and ready to start the New Year with a goal, our co-founder Dev is attempting a 30-day spirulina challenge. For many, this may not be much of a challenge. After all, eating something every day isn’t all that ambitious. However, the real challenge is discovering new methods of using spirulina, new recipes, and getting a real sense of the incredible versatility of this micro-algae. 

The challenge is simple: eat something with at least a tablespoon of spirulina in it every day for 30 days straight. The caveat is that these things must be fresh, new, and creative ways of eating this superfood. For example, smoothies are a great way of getting your daily dose of spirulina algae, but can get a bit boring after a while. Of course, switching up smoothie recipes is easy and thousands of different recipes exist online to choose from. But, why not try new recipes, new foods, for example dinner foods, baked items, side dishes, or an afternoon pick-me-up. Therefore, Dev must not eat the same type of food more than 3 times, for example he cannot have smoothies more than 3 times. You can follow along as he discusses new recipes, how he feels, and more on both Instagram, Facebook, through weekly releases of our blog, on LinkedIn, or by subscribing to our newsletter. 

*For anyone interested in partaking in this challenge but doesn’t want to test out weird, whacky, and potentially time-consuming recipes, we recommend simply adding a teaspoon to a tablespoon of spirulina algae to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The goal is to eat spirulina algae for 30 days straight–so, how you choose to eat it is up to you. :)

The kind of sciency science bit about all of this: prior to starting the 30-day challenge, Dev is getting bloodwork done and will have a baseline of his vitamins and minerals numbers. Upon the completion of the 30-day challenge, Dev will get bloodwork done again. We may see a change in his vitamin and mineral numbers, however, this is just a 30-day period and it may not be long enough to demonstrate a noticeable change. 

The benefits of adding spirulina algae to your diet

The Protein

At almost 70 percent protein by weight, few sources of protein rival what spirulina offers. Additionally, the protein offered in spirulina is of the highest quality available, rivalling the meat-based proteins Westerners have become all too accustomed with. Spirulina, like these meat-based proteins (e.g. beef, pork, poultry, salmon, etc.) is a complete protein. Unlike other sources of vegan protein that lack all the amino acids, a complete protein contains all the amino acids your body needs to function.

The Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids are a miracle fat–these aquatic fats keep hair healthy, skin glowing, and arteries clear of debris. In essence, they keep us looking and feeling younger! Most get their omega-3 fatty acids from fish, for example Pacific salmon. However, many are unaware that fish meat is filled with omega-3s because of the micro-algae they consume. Micro-algae is, therefore, the most raw source of omega-3s available. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are also great additions to endurance athletes or those performing lengthy, strenuous activity. Your body metabolizes carbohydrates first, and when these carbohydrate stores are depleted your body will begin working on fats. Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids provide long-lasting energy so your performance isn’t impacted when your carbohydrates stores run out. 

The Vitamins & Minerals

Micro-algae, and especially spirulina algae, are packed with a plethora of necessary vitamins and minerals. From vitamin A to B complexes, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and more. Micro-algae is the bedrock of life on earth, all forms of life are, to a certain extent, reliant on this uni-cellular cyanobacteria for nourishment. Therefore, it must be packed with almost everything necessary to keep life forms alive and, therefore, it should be almost solely capable of supporting human life. In fact, the only vitamin not bioavailable in spirulina algae (some other forms of algae do have this vitamin in bioavailable form) is vitamin B12. Many spirulina algae supplements will claim to provide vitamin B12. This is just a marketing ploy and your body is unable to digest this form of B12. 

One of the greatest benefits of consuming spirulina algae is the high amount of iron present in this food. 1 teaspoon of spirulina algae has 8% of your daily value of iron–or about 1 to 1.5 mg. Spirulina algae makes it incredibly easy to get the necessary iron to support good blood functionality. Devon and Alessandra, the co-founders of Algi, know the pains of having low-iron and anemia. Both have suffered and Alessandra still suffers from iron deficiency. It sounds too good to be true, but spirulina algae really can make a world of difference in those with iron deficiencies. 

Apart from iron and B12, spirulina algae is filled with Vitamin A, which helps maintain good vision, reproduction, and immunity, Magnesium, which provides energy production, muscle and nerve development, and Niacin (Vitamin B-3) and Potassium, which help your body absorb nutrients from food and helps muscles maintain efficient contraction, respectively. 

So, spirulina algae is a powerful supplement food that everyone will benefit from. The vitamins and minerals, fats, and protein density of this food make it the best addition to your daily diet. At Algi, this 30-day spirulina challenge will demonstrate just how incredible this food is and just how easy it is to incorporate into your diet. We would love to see what you come up with throughout the challenge, use #AlgiSpirulinaChallenge to share your amazing recipes and eats :)