Hi everybody this is Monica Reinagel and you're listening to the

nutrition divas quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous

Joanna wrote in with a great question this week.

She asks, can you discuss the benefits versus costs of spirulina powder

as a dietary supplement? Now for those who aren't familiar with it,

Spirillina is a dark green algae that grows on the surface of lakes.

In other words, it's basically pond scum, but really nutritious pond scum.

The ancient Aztecs used to skim spirulina algae off the surface of lakes

and dry it into cakes, which served as an important source of nutrients.

Today you're most likely to find dried sparolina powder in the health food store

where it's sold as a green supplement or added to smoothies, juices, and other health drinks.

So what are the nutritional benefits of Spirulina?

Well, it's rich in high quality protein, which can be particularly useful for vegans.

Adding one ounce of spirulina powder, which is about three tablespoons, to a smoothie, for example,

would add a pretty significant amount of protein, around 15 grams,

which is what you'd get in two jumbo eggs or half a serving of chicken breast.

Spirulina also provides various vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.

It's particularly rich in beta carotene and vitamin K, although if you're eating a reasonable

amount of fruits and vegetables, you're probably getting plenty of those vitamins already.

It's also pretty high in iron, which could be more useful for vegetarians.

Although it does contain several B vitamins, Spirolina is not a reliable source of vitamin B12.

Although the label may show a high level of B12, studies have shown that the form of B12

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