Is It Safe to Take Spirulina While Pregnant?

Spirulina is a seaweed that has many health benefits and can be consumed during pregnancy. Learn more in today's article.

Spirulina has become popular in recent years due to its health benefits. It’s a blue or green alga that contains a good amount of micronutrients and antioxidants. Now, some people wonder if it can be consumed during pregnancy, and that’s what we’re going to find out below.

The first thing you have to keep in mind is that the introduction of seaweed into the regular diet is considered positive for health, at least for healthy adults. These edibles are able to promote inflammatory and oxidative control within the body, which promotes metabolic efficiency. Read on to find out if spirulina can be taken during pregnancy.

Is spirulina a good supplement during pregnancy?

There are no scientific articles that warn about a potential danger related to the consumption of spirulina during pregnancy. So, it’s a product that can be included in the diet.

However, there’s a precaution to be taken in this regard, and it’s that you must make sure that it comes from organic sources. This way, you avoid ingesting a product capable of concentrating heavy metals, which can be really harmful to the health of the fetus. In the same way, you should avoid eating large fish frequently, because they concentrate mercury in their meat.

However, spirulina can be a source of essential micronutrients, such as iron. Regular intake of this mineral helps prevent anemia in pregnancy.

Nutritional properties and benefits of spirulina

You’ve already seen that there’s no problem with including spirulina in the diet during pregnancy. What we’re going to discuss below are the main nutritional properties and benefits of this algae:

• It’s a source of calcium: This is a determining mineral for bone health in the medium and long term. A calcium deficit could increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women, according to research published in the journal Nutrients. Of course, in addition to regulating calcium intake, it’s important to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D, which is obtained through the exposure of the skin to the sun in the non-central hours of the day.
• It has a good amount of protein: In fact, it has more than almost any other food of vegetable origin. In addition, the aminogram of these nutrients is quite complete. Although it’s true that its digestibility isn’t high, its quality is quite acceptable.

How to take spirulina

When it comes to taking spirulina, it’s usually most practical to purchase an encapsulated product. This facilitates dosage and avoids the organoleptic characteristics of the algae, which aren’t to everyone’s liking. However, there’s also the option of buying it in powdered form and adding it to different culinary recipes. In addition, there are several vegetable creams that contain it among their ingredients.

In any of the options, you should take into account that the maximum doses established by the manufacturer should never be exceeded. At the same time, it’s important to consult your doctor before incorporating it, especially if you receive any type of multivitamin or mediation.

Spirulina can be consumed during pregnancy

As you’ve seen, it’s possible to consume spirulina during pregnancy. You’ll only need to make sure of its origin to avoid the fact that it may contain heavy metals inside.

Finally, keep in mind that to maintain a good state of health means you’ll have to ensure a good diet. This has to be balanced, varied, and based on fresh foods. Supplements can help to avoid deficiencies, but should never become the protagonists of your diet. Also, before starting to take them, it’s best to visit a specialist in nutrition to get their opinion or assessment on the matter.