Ecklonia cava is an edible brown alga that grows in warm coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean. Though it has long been used as an herbal remedy for breastfeeding mothers and treatment for various health conditions, it has only recently become more popular outside of Asia.

Benefits and uses

While Ecklonia cava is rich in nutrients, not all of its traditional uses are proven.

Furthermore, scientific studies are still preliminary. As much of the available research was conducted in test tubes and animals, the findings may not apply to humans.

Here are some of this alga’s potential benefits that are best supported by research.

Rich in many nutrients

Spirulina is an organism that grows in both fresh and salt water (1Trusted Source).

It is a type of cyanobacteria, which is a family of single-celled microbes that are often referred to as blue-green algae (2Trusted Source).

Just like plants, cyanobacteria can produce energy from sunlight via a process called photosynthesis.

Spirulina was consumed by the ancient Aztecs but became popular again when NASA proposed that it could be grown in space for use by astronauts.

A standard daily dose of spirulina is 1–3 grams (g), but doses of up to 10 g per day have been used effectively (1Trusted Source).

This tiny alga is packed with nutrients. A single tablespoon (tbsp.), or 7 g, of dried spirulina powder contains:

• Protein: 4 g
• Thiamin: 14% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Riboflavin: 20% of the DV
• Niacin: 6% of the DV
• Copper: 47% of the DV
• Iron: 11% of the DV

It also contains decent amounts of magnesium, potassium, and manganese.

In addition, the same amount contains only 20 calories and less than 2 g of carbohydrates.

Spirulina also provides a small amount of fat — around 1 g per tbsp. (7 g) — including both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in an approximately 1.5–1.0 ratio.

May reduce blood pressure
High blood pressure is a main driver of many serious conditions, including heart attack, stroke, and chronic kidney disease.

One review of five studies found that taking 1-8 g of spirulina per day could significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, especially for people with high blood pressure levels (25Trusted Source).

This reduction is thought to be driven by an increased production of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that helps your blood vessels relax and dilate.

May improve muscle strength and endurance
Exercise-induced oxidative damage is a major contributor to muscle fatigue.

Certain plant foods have antioxidant properties that can help athletes and people who are physically active individuals minimize this damage.

Spirulina appears beneficial, as some studies pointed to improved muscle strength and endurance (38Trusted Source).

In one study, spirulina supplementation was able to improve oxygen uptake during an arm cycling exercise, with researchers noting that it could act as ergogenic aid to enhance athletic performance.