Do you know the secret of the great physique and top form of players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema? It is the regular intake of seaweeds.
Athletes and their top form
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, French football player Karim Benzema, 34, and Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, 35 are in their 30s now. Despite that advanced age, they are still in top form. They are skilful and agile on the field in their games. They play well and are full of energy. This helps them in their competitive sport and performance on the field. Their scores are excellent and unmatchable.
All these three players are also on an extremely strict diet and exercise regime. But they eat healthily and adequately. And the common top secret of their great body, form and performance on the field is their regular consumption of seaweeds. Spanish newspapers Marca and Mundo Deportivo has revealed this in their publication.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Source: Twitter)Seaweeds: the superfood
Seaweeds is a great food. It is actually a form of algae found in the oceans. The most common countries in which people consume it traditionally are China, Japan and Korea: the Far East nations. It has seven times more protein than that in meat or fish. These marine weeds have negligible calories but are packed with nutrients. They are a source of thr amino acid, phenylalanine. This substance removes toxins from the body at a faster rate and increases body metabolism.
Seaweeds (Source: IAS Express)The weeds also have vital vitamins such as vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E and K. Moreover, they have ample quantities of potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber. The calcium amount is 10 times that in milk.
These weeds from the sea are algae that can make one feel full. On contact with water, they swell and this is responsible for the satiety associated with them. Additionally, these weeds also have anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. This boosts immunity.
What their celebrity chef says?
Alberto Mastromatteo is a celebrity chef of the star footballers. He states:
“They contain great nutritional value because with a small amount you get a lot of vegetable protein, which the body synthesizes even better than animal protein ,”
Spirulina powder and tablets (Source: Healthline)He adds:
“I am a fervent believer in the extraordinary nutritional power of microalgae, incomparable sources of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids -and other healthy lipids-, vitamins, carotenoids, antioxidants, etc. That is why I usually include spirulina and chlorella in all my dishes.”
WHO has put Spirulina in the superfood category. Also called blue gold, its protein content is 70% and it has a lot of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. While Chlorella is an algae from freshwater that has 60% protein that slows down the aging process.
Last season, Cristiano was Manchester United’s top goalscorer. He has scored a great number of goals in all the significant competitions.
Read also: Seaweeds: uses, countries, health benefits
And Lionel Messi, 35, had a score of 11 goals. During his debut season with Paris Saint-Germain he had 15 assists.
The Real Madrid hitman Karim Benzema, 34, had an incredible performance. He scored 44 goals in 46 appearances for Los Blancos in all competitions. This was the best amongst the performances of all three players.