GEM Glossary: Spirulina Benefits

Spirulina? Never Heard of it. 🙉

Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.

Spirulina is a blue-green algae, known to be one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Fueling ancient societies such as the Aztecs, this vibrant colored algae has been making a comeback as of late. The UN named it the “food of the future” and has spoken to the superfood’s ability to fight malnutrition worldwide. We believe one of the benefits of spirulina is turning us women into superwomen!

Where does it come from 🌊?

Spirulina comes from lakes all over the world.

Here at GEM, we only want to give you the best. That's why we choose to source our spirulina from Southeast California as it is known to be the best quality and of course, it’s made in the USA :) The algae farm is located far from urban centers and polluted air and pesticide filled farmland. Thus, throughout the algae’s growing process, it remains 100% pure and free of any chemicals.

Our chosen spirulina is natural as it is grown with inorganic fertilizers, which have been the backbone of algae growth for billions of years. To get organic certification, animal or plant waste must be used as a fertilizer, which contaminates the algae. And who wants to do that! On top of using the billion-year-old growth methods, there are no GMOs ever!

Does Mother Earth-like it as much as we do 🌎?

Not only is it a vibrant superfood food for womankind, but it’s also the world’s most sustainable crop. Needing very little water, space, or money to grow, it is very low maintenance and extremely adaptable with the ability to flourish anytime and anywhere. It grows quickly and abundantly, absorbing carbon and producing oxygen in the meantime and has the ability to suckup more CO2 and expel more O2 than the entirety of the world’s rainforest (1). Scientists approximate that 50% of the air we breathe comes is generated by algae. Think: small, but mighty!

Moreover, algae are one of the most concentrated foods on earth so we say we ditch GMO corn that finds its way into all our foods and start eating this green powerhouse!

Why for GEM women 💁‍♀️?

Well, first off, it's the most nutrient-dense food on the planet; 1 gram of spirulina has the same amount of nutrients as 1kg of fruits & vegetables. Moreover, it contains more beta-carotene than carrots, more chlorophyll than wheatgrass, 50X more iron than spinach and 2X more protein than meat (2). It’s the queen👑 of all superfood. With all the essential amino acids, omega-3s fatty acids, and antioxidants, it will support your brain, eye and skin health. Packed with all these vitamins, spirulina can also support the immune system in fighting off infections and ridding the body of heavy metals and other toxins. If you are looking for nutritional support, why not chose spirulina? Well, at least here at GEM, we think spirulina is the way to go.

Health benefits 💪?

reduce blood sugar and pressure
increase endurance
antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities

Antioxidants counter this process and can reduce oxidative stress (3). Antioxidants occur naturally in many plant-based foods, like fruits and vegetables. You’ve probably heard of some of key players, like flavanols that are found in chocolate, resveratrol from wine, and lycopene from tomatoes. Other popular antioxidants include vitamins A (beta-carotene), C, E, and catechins.
But here at GEM, astaxanthin is our antioxidant of choice, which comes from algae. One study looked at how the antioxidant can help prevent or stop cell damage caused by oxidation (4). Turns out, astaxanthin is more than 6,000x higher than vitamin C, 550x higher than vitamin E and 40x higher than beta-carotene in its antioxidant superpowers (5). For GEM, astaxanthin is our glow-getter ingredient for all things beauty nutrition.

treat chronic illness as it supports immune systems
similar to probiotics in the way
12% of daily calcium which is supported by
Antioxidants
Eye and skin health

Smooth wrinkle by preventing dehydration of the skin

Cardiovascular health with reduced blood pressure and blood sugar as well as improved blood flow
Protein content → physical health and muscle function
Combat malnutrition because of the density of nutrients

“The micronutrients in seaweed: These are the things the brain feeds on,” he says by phone, noting how some seaweed has a healthy mix of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, as well as significant levels of potassium, magnesium, and iodine”

GEM’s Spirulina 🌱

California produced and it even supports women around the world!

Another thing that makes spirulina such an amazing option for countries and communities battling widespread malnutrition is that it has the ability to help not only their physical health but to help them achieve economic freedom, as well. How? Basically, because spirulina is easy to grow and harvest, it could become a business venture for women in these areas.

"In the long run, there are no cheaper and better ways to sustainability than creating local businesses which make use of the knowledge and skills of local women," IIMSAM, the Intergovernmental Institution for the Use of Micro-Algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition, intergovernmental observer to the United Nations, explained in a 2010 report on spirulina. "A truly sustainable solution will emerge if rural women can be profitably involved in the eradication of malnutrition and, in the process, make a living out of it. Spirulina can become a sustainable long-term solution if programs can be designed which enable profitable enterprises that are capable of combating malnutrition as a business." (6)

GEM has chosen spirulina and other varieties of algae are the powerhouse of our nutrient food bite. And based on its health and environmental benefits and world-saving possibilities, how could you say no?