Peiyi Wang, Changhong Liu, Lei Zheng
The pursuit of sustainable and health-promoting food resources is a pressing global challenge under the pressures of population growth and resource scarcity. This review aims to provide a sustainable-development perspective on natural microalgae resources by bridging their systemic health benefits with their emerging applications in the modern food industry. The main findings are that microalgae provide abundant bioactives, including proteins, polysaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and pigments, that benefit human health in multiple aspects. These compounds act through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, prebiotic, and additional mechanisms. Evidence shows protective effects against metabolic disorders such as fatty liver disease, diabetes, and obesity, as well as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular dysfunction, gastrointestinal injury, and skin aging or wound healing. At the same time, microalgae and their derivatives are advancing into food industrial applications, including encapsulation and delivery systems, synthetic-biology-based production, nutritional fortification, natural colorants, flavor enhancers, biodegradable packaging, and alternative proteins. By systematically analyzing both health-promoting potential and industrial applications, this review highlights the dual role of microalgae as a sustainable nutritional source and as a technological driver for next-generation food systems. The societal impact of this work lies in providing scientific evidence and practical directions to promote human health, reduce reliance on finite resources, and accelerate the transition toward sustainable and innovative food industries.