Richard D, who reads this column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (in the United States), writes: “I am 82 years old and in good health compared to most men my age I know.
“Spirulina – I recently started adding a half teaspoon to my breakfast. What are your ideas about it?
“Green tea: I started drinking it because it is supposedly beneficial. How does a person know if he is useful?
“Because I have osteopenia, my endocrinologist wants me to eat more protein and reduce the amount of green leafy vegetables.
“Have you written an article about the nutritional value of beans?
“You write quite clearly so it is easy to understand the topic. I wouldn’t be surprised if your minor was in English or Literature.”
Sounds like you’re taking good care of yourself, Richard. Let’s get rid of your questions.
Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae, organisms that live in water and produce energy from the sun.
A recent review in the magazine molecules Gives Spirulina a nutritional thumbs up.
It is high in protein and other essential nutrients, including vitamin B12, which is often lacking in plant-based diets.
Spirulina also contains a large number of compounds that help the body fight inflammation and boost the immune system.
Extracts of its blue-green pigments have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as natural color additives for a variety of foods and candies.
And get this, NASA has used spirulina as a dietary supplement for astronauts.
However, some precautions remain.
People with autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis or those taking immunosuppressive medications should avoid spirulina supplements due to its immune-boosting effect.
And because some unregulated products can contain unwanted contaminants, pregnant and lactating women, as well as young children, should avoid it.
How to know if green tea is beneficial?
It’s how we know seat belts save lives.
Studies have shown that green tea (and other types of tea from the camellia sinensis plant) may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and may even protect against cancer and other chronic diseases.
By the way, green, black and oolong teas are from the same plant; they are just processed differently.
Yes, I wrote a recent column on the value of beans.
If your article was not published, you can access it at here.
Thanks for the compliment, but my specialty was cowboys, not English literature.
Before I changed my major to food science and nutrition as a sophomore (college sophomore), I had hopes of becoming a second grade teacher.
Maybe that stint in education has helped. – By Barbara Intermill/Tribune News Service
Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist in the US.
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