Finish Summer Strong with Algae

August 01 2019, by Catharine Arnston, 11 min reading time

Spirulina and Chlorella can help you end your summer on a healthy note, and keep you going strong all fall.

What You’ll Learn

Spirulina can keep you moving and healthy throughout the end of summer.
You can naturally protect your skin from the sun with algae’s high concentration of chlorophyll, calcium, iron, phosphorous and vitamins A, B-12 and E.
Chlorella algae helps you recover after summer sports or summer parties.

End Your Summer on a Healthy Note

August is a sign that our glorious evenings dining al fresco and lounging at the beach will be ending soon (insert sigh). But don’t fret, we’re going to help you make the most of these few remaining days of summer…

But let’s face it. All those late summer nights, BB Q’s and summer cocktails probably led to your healthy routine slipping a bit. Right? No worries! We’re going to share a few tips about bits that will get you back on track and help you detox any “bad boys” that may have landed on your lips or hips this summer.

Before we get to our tips, we’re going to give you some science about algae, so you’ll understand the difference between spirulina and chlorella algae and why you need them both.

First of all, did you know that algae is a food? Yes! Algae is a food category just like fruit and vegetables, and just as every food category has variations, so does algae. For example, the category “fruit” has multiple types like apples, oranges, or bananas, each of which have a different nutrient profile and do different things in your body. Algae is the same.

man-enjoying-beach — Summer is coming to an end, but your healthy lifestyle shouldn’t!

There are two main “categories” of algae:

Seaweed
Microalgae

Seaweeds are great to add to your diet because they contain fiber and iodine, but they do not hold a candle nutritionally to microalgae. There are two main groups of microalgae:

Blue-green algae
Green Algae

1. Blue-Green Algae

There are tens of thousands of both these types of microalgae, most of which grow wild (in the ocean, lakes or land) and all are toxic. You do NOT want to eat wild algae because it absorbs whatever toxins are in the water where it grows. That’s why you sometimes will read about toxins being in algae. This only happens when the algae is growing wild (spoiler alert -spirulina and chlorella which are the two microalgae grown by ENERGYbits neither of them are toxic because we grow them in triple-filtered spring mountain water so they are the safest, purest food you’ll ever put in your body– but more on that later). In fact, we have our algae tested by a third-party lab whose results CONFIRM there are NO toxins of any kind in our algae including NO BMAA. That’s why you are safe with our algae.

The only type of blue-green algae you should take is spirulina which is a TYPE of blue-green algae that has been harvested as a food crop for the last fifty years primarily in Asia (spoiler alert- most other algae companies are not as careful to grow their spirulina algae as cleanly as ENERGYbits so always be sure to do your research).

2. Green Algae

The only type of green algae you should take is chlorella, because this TYPE of green algae has been harvested as a food crop for fifty years – primarily in Asia (spoiler alert- most other algae companies are not as careful to grow their chlorella algae or crack it as cleanly as ENERGYbits so always be sure to do your research).

Spirulina and chlorella are the two most nutritionally dense, safe, pure foods in the world. We recommend you take both every day because they do different things in your body. We’re going to tell you a few of these differences now!

Spirulina (a blue-green algae)

Spirulina is considered as one of the most protective, functional, and healing foods of the 21st century and boasts an unmatched nutrient profile and benefits. <1> It has the HIGHEST concentration of PROTEIN in the world <2>, which helps to eliminate hunger. Spirulina is considered a superfood because it contains 40 vitamins, minerals, antioxidants <3> and other nutrients that work synergistically to help improve energy and focus <4>, helps restore skin & hair health <5>, helps improve athletic performance <6> boost vitality, reduce inflammation <7>, reduce hunger <8> and support optimal health…and that’s just for starters! So, if you want to have a great rest of the summer, spirulina is your answer!

Chlorella (a green algae)

This type of algae contains the HIGHEST concentration of CHLOROPHYLL in the world. Chlorella algae even has 25 times more chlorophyll than liquid chlorophyll or wheatgrass! What is chlorophyll, and why is it so important? Chlorophyll is the green pigment that makes plants green. Chlorophyll is why your mother always told you to “eat your greens.”

But chlorophyll is not just a pigment! It is also an essential antioxidant/nutrient that cleanses your body (particularly your blood and liver), and it heals your cells walls so nutrients can get in and toxins can get out. Think of chlorophyll as a “window washer” for your cell walls! When your windows are dirty, sunlight can’t get in, and you can’t see out. Your cell walls are the same. Chlorophyll keeps your cell walls clean so nutrients can enter your cells (to feed your mitochondria and give you energy) and so toxins can be removed (to keep your immune system healthy). And since chlorella algae has the highest concentration of chlorophyll in the world, it is one of the easiest ways to boost your health (without having to eat greens!). As a bonus, chlorella algae also has the hardest cell wall in the world. This hard cell wall attaches to toxins and removes them. So, in addition to the cleansing action of the chlorophyll, chlorella algae acts like your personal “Roomba.” It sucks up and removes toxins and heavy metals. This includes toxins like heavy metals (mercury and lead) as well as radiation, pesticides, and even alcohol (which converts to a toxin called acetaldehyde, which is what causes hangovers). <9>

woman-riding-bike-beach — Chlorella can keep you moving after long summer nights.

In addition to its detoxifying properties (as if it wasn’t amazing enough), chlorella algae also has high amounts of bio-available iron, RNA/DNA, chlorella growth factor, and forty other vitamins and minerals that help to help further boost your immune system, speed cellular renewal, and reduce aging. <10>

Chlorella also contains a rare source of natural Vitamin K2 which supports heart health, bone health, and skin health. <11> When people think about healthy bones, they often forget about Vitamin K2, which is imperative for bones. Did you know that most people are deficient in Vitamin K2? Without Vitamin K2, your calcium gathers in soft tissue like blood vessels, organs, and skin where it can contribute to heart disease, kidney stones, and wrinkles. Chlorella algae contains your daily requirement of Vitamin K2 so it can move calcium out of places it shouldn’t be and into your bones where it should be.

Now That You Know the Basics

Now that you’ve had a refresher about these two algae and the fantastic things they do let’s see how they can help you make the best of these last few weeks of summer…

Summer Benefits of Spirulina Algae

1. Boost your Energy with Spirulina Algae

Fast, Easy, Healthy Snacking. Most packaged snacks and energy bars are filled with sugar and carbohydrates that spike your insulin and then quickly leave. Not spirulina algae! Our tablets have ONE ingredient and NO sugar or carbs and the energy you get is slow and steady. Spirulina is a great source of protein and healthy fats (3x the amount of protein as steak) that satisfies hunger and improves focus and mood.
Satisfy Hunger and Boost Focus. Spirulina is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats (3x the amount of protein as steak) that satisfies hunger and improves focus and mood (as confirmed a study <12>. )
Improve your Energy and Sleep with Spirulina. According to this article, athletes saw increased energy, improved sleeping quality, and improved endurance with spirulina.

2. Bring Your Skin Back to life with Spirulina Algae

Stay Youthful-Looking. Spirulina ramps up your vitamin E, selenium and tyrosine, and antioxidants, which are all known for their anti-aging benefits. <13>
Maintain Naturally Dewy Skin Without Makeup. Spirulina’s high concentration of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins also help fight free radicals to purify and restore skin’s vitality and dewy complexion- no makeup meltdowns with algae!
Tackle Sun Damage and Protect Your Skin. Spirulina brings about faster cell turnover, which helps your skin heal faster, especially from sun damage. Increasing your skin’s metabolism is key to shedding dry skin cells that make your skin appear sallow and dull.<14> Spirulina helps beautify the skin by reducing fine lines, improving elasticity, and giving your skin a healthy glow from the inside. You can also use it as a facial mask!

Dewy Summer Glow with Spirulina Mask

Ingredients:

30 tablets of ENERGYbits Spirulina
1 tbsp of raw honey

Directions: Use a pestle and mortar to grind your bits into a powder. Mix the powder with the honey and spread over your face (add a little water if needed to make the consistency of peanut butter). Leave on for 10-15 minutes, rinse thoroughly, and apply a moisturizer if desired.

*For more ways to incorporate spirulina into your Summer, check out our Spirulina Lemonade Recipe

Summer Benefits of Chlorella Algae

1. Detox Naturally

Remove Toxins – Chlorella plays an essential role in extracting all toxins, including heavy metals such as mercury <15>, which are harmful to our health. In a study, it was shown that chlorella was able to reduce blood lead levels in mice. <16> Add chlorella to your diet, and you won’t need to stress about adding sushi to the menu this summer!

2. Help Prevent Hangovers Naturally

Reduce Hangovers with Chlorella. Don’t forget to pack chlorella for your summer BBQ or boozy brunch. It’s shown that consuming chlorella after drinking alcohol reduces ethanol in the blood and reduces acetaldehyde (a toxic byproduct of alcohol that contributes to hangovers). If you want to say “adios” to summer hangovers, chlorella is the answer!

3. Recover Faster from Workouts

Chlorella helps with endurance. Chlorella was found to improve peak oxygen in individuals significantly. <17> These findings suggest that consuming chlorella could be beneficial to those who participate in sports or exercise requiring significant aerobic endurance.
Reduce Muscle Soreness. Chlorella identifies lactic acid as a toxin, so taking chlorella after a workout will help prevent muscle soreness the next day. Chlorella also contains 18 amino acids, including all eight essential amino acids, which humans need for optimal recovery from exercise. For this reason, chlorella can be an ideal addition to your post-workout routine and accelerate recovery time. <18>

woman-doing-yoga-beach — Keep your healthy habits heading into the fall!

Giving your body and brain a boost with these two algae will help you enjoy the final days of summer. So get out there and enjoy August with your “Bits of Summer.”

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