NAME
Spirulina
LATIN NAME
Arthrospira platensis, and Arthrospira maxima.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Blue green Algae.
TRADITIONAL HERBAL USES AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Spirulina is a wonderful health booster and is known to help:
Curb cravings and addictions
Alkalise the blood
Inhibit growth of fungi and mould
Strengthen immunity
Natural detoxify
Balance digestive and gastro intestinal health
Lower cholesterol.
Nutritional profile
Spirulina is a blue-green algae and it contains a wide range of valuable nutrients. Firstly it contains 65% easily digested PROTEIN, and 18 amino acids. It is a unique vegetarian complete source of protein and much of its protein has been pre-digested by the algae itself and these enzymes go on to assist in the human digestive and absorption process.
This protein source is superior because it also has lower fat, lower cholesterol and no artificial growth booster chemicals like meat and dairy protein.
Spirulina is often used by athletes and bodybuilders because of its highly nutritious, high protein, low fat and low cholesterol profile.
Spirulina is also excellent for weight control and weight loss; because it's incredible range of nutrients can help balance sugar highs and lows. When it is taken it boosts the energy levels, suppresses the appetite and rebalances the body's subtle chemistry. When it is taken over the long term it has an alkalizing effect on the body, blood and digestive system which can eliminate cravings for sugar and other addictive substances. When the body receives proper nutrition it is less likely to have an overactive appetite, so Spiralina can be successfully used as part of a weight loss plan.
Chlorophyll
Spiralina can also play an important role in detoxification. One of the reasons your mum always told you to eat your greens is because of Chlorophyll. It is the pigment that makes plants green. And humans, well it makes them healthy because it helps the body get rid of toxins, alkalise the blood, and inhibits the growth of harmful moulds and fungi, all of which are thought to be the root cause of many illnesses. So when stressed out bodies are showing a wide range of symptoms due to excess acid in the blood Spiralina can rebalance the PH levels and bring the body back into harmony and health.Spiralina is packed with:
*Vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and essential fatty acids
*Highly digestible vegetarian source of protein
*18 Amino Acids
*Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E and H
*250% more B12 than Liver!
*One of the highest plant sources of Beta-carotene (x20 than carrots)
*Iron (more than 2 cups of spinach per recommended daily intake)
*Highly alkalising for the blood
*No artificial anything
*Anti-oxidant
FOLKLORE AND HISTORY
Spirulina is believed to have been a food source for the Aztecs and other MesoAmerican until the 16th-century; its harvesting Lake Texaco and subsequent sale as cakes is described by one of Cortes soldiers. The Aztecs called it Teocuitlatl, meaning stone's excrement. Spirulina was found in abundance at the lake by French researchers in the 1960s, but there is no reference to its use there as a daily food source after the 16th century. The first large-scale Spirulina production plant, run by Sosa Texcoco, was established there in the early 1970s.
Spirulina may have an even longer history in Chad, as far back as the 9th century Kanem. It is still in daily use today, dried into cakes called Dihé, which are used to make broths for meals, and also sold in markets. The Spirulina is harvested from small lakes and ponds around lake Chad.
CONSTITUENTS
Spirulina contains unusually high amounts of protein, between 55 and 77% by dry weight, depending upon the source. It is a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, though with reduced amounts of methionine, cysteine, and lysine, as compared to standard proteins such as that from meat, eggs, or milk. It is, however, superior to all standard plant protein, such as that from legumes.
Essential fatty acids
Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and also provides alpha-linolenic (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA)
Vitamins
Spirulina contains vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamid), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. The bioavailability of vitamin B12 in Spirulina is in dispute. Several biological assays have been used to test for the presence of vitamin B12. The most popular is the US Pharmacopeia method using the Lactobacillus leichmannii assay. Studies using this method have shown Spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B12. However, this assay does not differentiate between true B12 (cobalamin) and similar compounds (corrinoids) that cannot be used in human metabolism. Cyanotech, a grower of spirulina, claims to have done a more recent assay, which has shown Spirulina to be a significant source of cobalamin. However the assay is not published for scientific review and so the existence of this assay is in doubt.
Minerals
Spirulina is a rich source of potassium, and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, and zinc.
Photosynthetic pigments
Spirulina contains many pigments including chlorophyll-a, xanthophyll, beta-carotene, echinenone, myxoxanthophyll, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin,diatoxanthin, 3-hydroxyechinenone, beta-cryptoxanthin, oscillaxanthin.
