First of all, let me define what I mean by absolute numbers. Have you ever heard a product advertised as having x number of calories and y amount of protein, but when you look closer at the “per serving” numbers, you realise that it is not worth the time and money to purchase? The first part of that question is a display of absolute numbers. This means that when you are talking about a product, you give totals that mean nothing instead of the relevant figures that an individual can actually use.

For instance, I saw someone posted a comparison between spirulina and beef where they used the same weight of both and found that the spirulina had more protein and less fat than the beef. I have not verified these claims myself, but if they are true, this is very impressive. Except that it isn’t! The reality is that we are not going to eat (or drink) a steak’s weight in spirulina at any one point in time.

Additionally, the comparison focused on certain nutrients and ignored the value of other nutrients that the steak may have. We don’t even have to explore the health benefits of dietary fats from varied sources (one should still err on the side of caution when it comes to fats from meat, but there is research that shows that saturated fats should be consumed in some small quantities).

Finally, there is the fact that not all protein is created equal. There are nine essential amino acids (amino acids that your body can’t make and you need to get them from food). There is no amino acid profile mentioned in the example comparison above so, even if there is “more” protein in spirulina, the amino acids present make a huge difference as to the quality of the protein source. For the record, meat is the best source of the nine essential amino acids.

The point is that whenever you see figures being used to defend something or demonise something, try to dig a little deeper. The numbers don’t always tell the whole truth. Is this for an entire pack or for a serving? What is the source of the nutrient involved? Does our body need the particular nutrient in the quantities being advertised? What about your specific needs (which would be based on age, gender, activity levels, quantity of sleep and a host of other factors)? These are just some of the questions one should ask when presented with numbers. I hope this helps in figuring out your nutritional plan.