If you've shopped for supplements in a store or online, you may have spotted some made from algae.
Spirulina and chlorella are staples of health food stores, but are there more ways to get nourishment from algae supplements?
Would it make sense to take more than one type of algae for nutrition?
Read on to learn more about the facts and benefits of algae supplements.
What Is Algae?
Algae has been around much longer than humans have been on this Earth. Among scientists, algae is sometimes classified as a simple plant or a protist. While algae lack the roots, stems, and leaves of more complex plants, they contain specialized organelles called chloroplasts which allow them to produce food via photosynthesis.
Algae aren't always green, though! They can be blue-green or red. A large and diverse group of organisms, algae are found in many various bodies of water and different types of algae even contain different nutrients.
Spirulina is cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, and it contains more riboflavin, thiamine, iron, copper, and fewer calories than other algae. It is found in freshwater or saltwater.
Chlorella is a green alga named for its high chlorophyll content. This algae lives in the ocean and only needs carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and some minerals to grow. It has more calories, alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid, riboflavin, magnesium, and zinc than spirulina does.
These two types of algae have been used in supplements for decades and are fairly well-known. As we have already seen, they contain different nutrient profiles and could both be helpful for supporting your wellness goals.
Are there any other forms of algae that might make sense to take as supplements? Keep reading to find out!
Are Algae Supplements Really Made From Algae?
Yes, algae supplements are made from real algae. Algae supplements are usually made from either chlorella or spirulina, as we have seen, but there are additional types of algae that provide nutrients not found in the two traditional algae supplements.
Even more exciting, these other types of algae — nannochloropsis and schizochytrium — contain the same true omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA, that you would get from fish oil supplements… but can be grown and harvested in a way that is far more sustainable than fish.
Why Should You Take Algae Supplements?
Simply put, algae supplements are renewable plant sources of different vitamins and minerals that your body needs for many functions.
For example, research shows that different algae supplements, like those made from blue-green algae, can help maintain your body and support immune system health.
This may be due to the various nutrients, minerals, and vitamins algae contain. Read more below to find out what the different types of algae potentially have to offer!
There is a lot to love about algae supplements, especially here at iwi life. Let’s take a closer look at some potential ways algae supplements can support your wellness.
What Are the Health Benefits of Algae Supplements?
If your only association with algae is cleaning a pool, you might not have thought about the fact that with an estimated 70,000 species, there are more types of algae than there are types of trees on Earth!
Some types of algae can provide nutrition, and a few types provide nutrients that can't be found from any other plant source.
Algae is rich in dietary fiber and contains high levels of calcium, iron, and vitamin B12, plus vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, selenium, and magnesium.
Here are some examples of some of the potential health benefits algae supplements offer:
- Helps support proper blood sugar levels
- Supports emotional wellness
- Maintains your heart health and function
- Support for your immune function
- Maintain brain health and cognitive function
What Are Algae Omega-3 Supplements?
When it comes to algae omega-3 supplements, not every multivitamin is made equal.
At iwi life, we pride ourselves on our omega-3 algae supplements. Omega-3 is critical for many of your body's key systems to function, and iwi life algae omega-3 supplements are packed with nutrients and essential fats.
iwi life uses the only phototrophic algae that produces omega-3, and we are the only omega-3 source that contains EPA only.
What Are Omega-3s?
Want a refresher on omega-3s and their importance? No problem — we want to ensure you understand everything about omega-3s to reach your wellness goals.
Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats with potential health benefits for you and your body. They are important fats you obtain from your diet.
There are three main forms of omega-3s:
We will be focusing mainly on DHA and EPA, as these are the types of omega-3 your body mainly relies on. ALA can be converted into DHA and EPA when it enters your system, but only very small amounts can be converted at one time.
How Can I Add Omega-3s Into My Diet?
There are two common ways to add omega-3s into your diet: fish and supplements.
Since fish contains high levels of DHA and EPA, this can be an effective way to get omega-3s into your diet. But what if you don’t want to eat fish that often?
Some people choose to take supplements. They find it easy to incorporate supplements into their daily routine since supplements can come in the form of capsules, tablets, powders, or gummies.
Fish oil supplements contain the levels of DHA and EPA a body needs. But what if you don’t like the taste of fish? What if you’re allergic or are vegan?
At iwi life, we wanted to make our supplements accessible to everyone. If you aren’t a fan of fish or want to get rid of the fishy aftertaste of fish oil supplements, our algae supplements can be a great option.
What Are the Health Benefits of Omega-3s?
At iwi life, taking care of you and the global community is our top priority. That’s why we make accessible algae supplements that contain the nutrients the human body needs.
Ready to learn how omega-3s can help support your wellness goals? Find out more below.
DHA Health Benefits
Here are some health benefits often associated with DHA:
- Research shows that DHA can maintain heart health because it is often associated with support for healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
- A 2012 study shows it may support cognitive function, focus, and attention, suggesting that blood levels of DHA play a key role in your brain health.
- A recent study shows that taking DHA supplements can help support a growing fetus and maintain the mother’s health during pregnancy.
- Studies indicate that DHA may have soothing effects and can help support healthy joints and muscles.
Remember that many of these studies involved supplements containing both DHA and EPA, so many potential benefits may overlap.
EPA Health Benefits
EPA can also potentially provide various health benefits. Here’s a look at how EPA can potentially support your body:
- Similar to DHA, EPA can support cardiovascular health.
- Studies also show that EPA can help support mental wellness and a positive mood.
- EPA can also help support women’s health, according to research.
These are just some potential ways that EPA and DHA can help support bodily health.
Algae supplements with omega-3s can offer you a way to help meet your wellness goals.
What’s the Difference Between Fish and Algae Supplements?
There’s a significant factor that sets fish supplements and algae supplements apart: sustainability.
Here at iwi life, one of our core values is to help protect the earth and to feed you and our global community — without that dreaded, fishy aftertaste! And we found a way to do just that: using sustainable harvesting and farming techniques to make our algae supplements sustainable.
That way, we can also avoid contributing to overfishing or harming any ecosystems by removing fish or krill from the delicate food chain of the ocean.
Beyond that, algae supplements are meant for everyone to enjoy. You don’t have to worry about the fishy aftertaste or force yourself to have fish if you don’t want it.
What Should You Look for in Algae Supplements?
There are thousands of supplements to browse. So what should you look for? Here are some quick tips on how to find an algae supplement that will meet your wellness and lifestyle goals:
- Nutritional transparency: Look for algae supplement companies that are honest and transparent about ingredients, disclosing even the inactive ingredients that are used to make the capsules.
- Sustainability: We can't separate our own wellness goals from the health of the planet… without a healthy planet, where will we live? A source of abundant nutrition that is truly sustainable is good for you and good for the planet.
- Inclusivity: Your algae supplements should be made with everyone in mind. Whether you’re swearing off fish from your diet or don’t like the taste of fish, algae supplements have everything you need.
The good news? iwi life believes in all of this and more. Check out our story today.
iwi life’s Algae Omega-3 Supplements
Let’s take a deeper dive into iwi life’s algae supplements so you can see how they compare.
Here’s more information on our omega-3 algae supplement:
- 850 milligrams of algae oil
- 351 milligrams of total omega fatty acids
- Specifically, 150 milligrams of EPA and 100 milligrams of DHA
- Plus a variety of minerals and vitamins so you can make the most of your algae supplement
Are you looking specifically for DHA algae supplements? We’ve got you covered. Our supplement contains:
- 1,250 milligrams of algae oil
- 513 milligrams of total omega-3 fatty acids
- 500 milligrams of DHA
Want to incorporate more EPA into your life? We have our EPA algae supplement with:
- 1,000 milligrams of algae oil
- 419 milligrams of total omega-3 fatty acids
- 250 milligrams of EPA
At iwi life, we believe in inclusive innovation that can change the world. And it starts here, with our iwi life algae supplements.
Ready to change your world and learn more about iwi life? Get started today and shop our algae supplements.
Believing in Better Living: iwi life Algae Supplements
We have an array of different algae supplements that can help you potentially meet your wellness goals. Better living doesn't always have to mean more work. We make sustainability easy for you with our algae supplements, designed with the global community in mind.
At iwi life, better living doesn’t have to wait, no matter what stage of life you are in or how far along you are on your wellness journey.
Sources:
Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Immune Cells - PMC
Cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids | NCBI
DHA supplementation and pregnancy outcomes - PMC
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) in Muscle Damage and Function | PMC
Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Mental Health: Summary | NCBI
