Reddit mentions of Pure Hawaiian Spirulina Powder 16 Ounce - Natural Premium Spirulina from Hawaii - Vegan, Non-GMO, Immunity Support - Superfood Supplement & Natural Multivitamin

this is a big deal. hopefully someone explained to supplement b12 and iodine (good source of iodine is spirulina). if he plays as well or better than he did prior, it could make a significant difference for cultural perception.

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Edit: a tablespoon of spirulina will only get you about 30% of the RDA

from their website:

> Q: Does Hawaiian Spirulina contain iodine?

A: The small amount of spirulina consumed daily plus the fact that iodine occurs in only trace quantities makes the spirulina’s iodine most likely no problem for people with hypothyroidism. A daily serving of 3 grams (which is roughly equal to one teaspoon) of spirulina provides approximately 15mcg (micrograms) of iodine which is ten percent of the US recommended daily intake for iodine (150mcg)


You would need another source as well. I put dulse flakes in my smoothie as well, which covers it, but I will be clear about this in the future.

They are super fantastic. I read up on different nutrients, so I could tailor them to my needs. I hate vegetables unless they are slathered in butter and garlic, so to get the leafy green nutrition I have to have, I prefer raw wheatgrass powder and raw spirulina. I prefer raw because the nutrients have not been cooked off, like if you steam veggies. More potent, like juicing, but retains more fiber, unlike juicing.

I combine all my powders into a big mason jar about once a month or so, and each morning I put a heaping spoonful in a glass of cherry juice (cherry juice aids in meletonin production: I have trouble sleeping sometimes due to work stress). It's very cost-effective to do it myself, rather than buying something off the shelf that may not address all my health concerns.

Here are some links for my personal cocktail:

Raw Wheatgrass Powder - High in Vitamin K (eyesight aid), a laundry list of nutrients... & get yo'self REGULAR!

Raw Spirulina - Protein-rich (great for vegetarians and vegans!), Lowers blood pressure & evens cholesterol levels

Raw Maca Root Powder - High in vitamins, great for sexual health & women's hormonal support. It has helped with my depression symptoms (as does super concentrated doses of Niacin, vitamin B-3).

Raw Camu Camu Powder - A great source of vitamin C.

Raw Chaste Berry Powder - Amazing for ladies' health support. I started mixing this in and my period cramps have vanished, and my period lasts three days at most. Also evened my cycle out.

the only nutrient that is harder to get on vegan diet is b12 as far as I know. everything else will just require you to learn and change your habits a little bit.

• B12: I take this brand, which is a little pricey, but is very high quality. Contains both methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, and does not contain any additives. If you set a price alert on camelcamelcamel.com you can also get it for pretty cheap (I got a years supply for about $24 dollars a bottle). One bottle should last you a month or possibly more.
  
  as for other nutrients that are important to make sure you're getting, vegan or not:
  
  
  
  
• Zinc: this is a good brand if you want to supplement with it. pumpkin seeds are a good whole food source.
  
  
• Iodine: Spirulina is a good source, a daily serving will get you about 30% of the RDA, and spirulina is kinda like a whole food multivitamin. High in protein too. Sea vegetables like dulse (would recommend getting atlantic only) are great sources of iodine. I put a tablespoon or two in a smoothie that I have regularly.
  
  
• Omega 3 (EPA/DHA): Pure encapsulations is generally a good brand, though this particular formulation seems to melt/stick together. They'll probably fix that. You can also get them from flax seeds (either ground, or blend them), hemp seeds, stuff like that. Make sure you're getting a good balance of EPA and DHA-- some things just contain a lot of DHA.
  
  I handle most of those just by taking b12 supplement in the morning, and sticking some flax, hemp, and pumpkin seeds as well as dulse flakes in my smoothie. Once it's a habit, you don't need to think about it anymore.
  
  As far as any other concerns, it's just about making sure you're eating enough, as vegan foods are less calorie dense and so if you eat the amount you're used to eating, you won't be eating enough; and eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables somewhat consistently. Adding a bunch of things like raspberries, frozen wild blueberries, spinach, kale, cilantro, etc to a smoothie in the morning also makes this easy.
  
  Making fruit a big part of your life also makes things easy. Apples, bananas, avocados, dates, mangoes etc are great, easy snacks.
  
  Make steamed potatoes or other veggies-- it is so damn easy! You just wash the potatoes, put some water in the bottom of the pot, steam for 15-30 mins (until a fork can go all the way through), and then toss with some herbs, olive or coconut oil, and sea salt, and you have a delicious filling dinner.

From their website, I would assume so. You can also ask on /r/supplements. For what it's worth, Nutrex Hawaii is supposed to be a good brand. I eat it pretty often and it's great.

> im trying the 7 day vegan challenge

Nice! Be sure to ask questions if you have them and know you don't have to stop at 7 days ;)

Haha, yes I meant the first 5. Those plus banana, ginger and protein powder make up my morning smoothie (I'll add some blueberries if they are in season/on sale.)

Yes, the taste of spirulina can be tough to handle, but it hides well in a smootie (although it may take a week until it goes from tolerable to tasty). I buy one of these once every 2 or 3 months. If you only use 1 serving of a tsp (5g) a day then it would last you 5 months. Just be careful of your source, as some (mostly from China) have been known to contain contaminants such as lead and mercury. Hawaiian Spirulina is a safe bet though, and it actually has a cleaner flavor from what I've read (it's all I've tried). I recommend spirulina for it's abundance of bioavailable minerals, such as vitamin k, magnesium, and manganese, and it's potency as an antioxidant.

I love spirulina. I bought a jar of powdered spirulina and add 1/8 - 1/4 of a tsp to my smoothies. It makes you feel amazing.

I like this brand. I bought it at Whole Foods.

I can't say anything bad about acai, but, while we're on the topic and advice-giving, perhaps you want to look into spirulina. I've had it here and there and, after reading a bunch recently, decided to purchase this one. It arrives in a day or three, so I can't say much about it, but I did enough research to feel reasonably comfortable with it.

IMO: don't announce to your parents. Make it a transition, phasing animal products out as you learn how to follow a vegan diet. That way you'll probably avoid fears about your health and other related things, and it'll be easier for you (and more likely that you stick with it).

You could say something like you're working to reduce your consumption if you're asked. The word vegan can be scary to some people.


Make fruit a staple would be my advice for diet. Super easy + healthy + tasty. Steamed potatoes (with other stuff if you like, but I like them on their own with a bit of salt and cayenne) are a super easy satisfying meal, which you will crave as you make the switch. Also be sure you're getting critical nutrients (not that a vegan diet makes you any more likely to be deficient than the standard american diet)-- b12, iodine, and omegas are the big ones I think (the linked brands are the best ones I've found). Those supplements are expensive, but it helps that you don't need a lot. A bottle of the b12 could last you two months, and iodine could last you a year.

Spirulina is also like a vegan whole food multivitamin/mineral and good source of easily assimilable protein.