The green gold from the lake... the blue green miracle... Mother Nature's power plant... a gift from God... vitality pure... stored sunlight... – all these buzzwords reveal an inconspicuously tiny, just about 0.3 mm, blue green microscopic alga of the botanical name “Spirulina platensis”.
Ever since the re-discovery of this nutrient-rich microscopic alga about 40 years ago, it has continued unabated on the most triumphant march around the world – from Japan to the US all the way to Europe. Today, it has reached some sort of cult status with millions of health-conscious people. For obvious reasons: out of roughly 30 000 species of algae that live on this planet, this spiral-shaped microscopic alga, Spirulina platensis, is perhaps the most unusual natural food ever discovered. Up to now none endosperm, plant or even food product has been found to contain such an extensive range of natural nutrients. In one single softly pressed tablet of spirulina, which we tenderly call “Spirulet”, Mother Nature has joined, believe it or not, 4058 different vital nutrients. Isn't that amazing?! By the way – spirulina is not sea algae but rather fresh water algae that grows in lakes rich in minerals. Certainly this is why the iodine content of spirulina is extremely low.
In contrast, its protein content or to be exact its content of essentiall and thus life-sustaining, amino acids (the building blocks of protein) is very high. Generally, meat, fish, poultry, and milk products are considered to be the main sources of protein or amino acids. Spirulina, however, contains three times their level of protein as it consists of up to 65% of protein. Our body gratefully accepts this protein-packed food – since, after all, it consists of water and protein (although some do contain fat). Our organism needs protein to build all the cells and antibodies and to help form hormones and enzymes. Mother Nature has also packed a host of vitamins into spirulina to aid our metabolism. The blue green alga is, for instance, the richest source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into the needed vitamin A. Spirulina provides fourteen times more the level of beta-carotene than carrots.
Other vitamins in spirulina include: vitamin B 12, B 1, B 2, B 6, inositole, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin and vitamin E or tocopherol. The multitude of vitamins is combined with an extensive spectrum of minerals and trace elements such as magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, chromium, lithium, manganese and many more. Similar to the amino acids, vitamins and minerals that the body cannot produce naturally, the human organism also needs a certain amount of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. The polyunsaturated fatty acids that spirulina abounds with include linoleic acid as well linolenic acid.
The body converts these fatty acids into gamma linolenic acid, among others, to help support numerous vital functions of the organism. An enzyme, which unfortunately is rather sensitive to environmental changes, converts the fatty acids into gamma linolenic acid. Yet, negative environmental influences will adversely effect the conversion into gamma linolenic acid and, in the long run, the metabolism is going to be effected, accompanied by a sense of overall loss of energy. So it works out well that almost the entire amount of linolenic acid already is available in spirulina as useful gamma linolenic acid – just as it is in human breast milk. By the way, this is also the very reason why spirulina is often referred to as Mother Nature's "milk".
Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is what lends the unusual, intense blue green colour to spirulina algae. Spirulina contains about three times more the level of chlorophyll than other plants. Spirulina even contains significantly more chlorophyll than wheat grass or barley grass, which contain the most chlorophyll of all ground vegetation. Chlorophyll can positively affect the human organism and is such an intriguing and interesting substance that Prof. Richard Willstätter won the 1915 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his study of the structure of chlorophyll and other plant pigments.
As you can tell, this tiny blue green alga supplies our body with more than just a triad of nutrition but a symphony of essential nutrients. That is why NASA and the Russian Aeronautics and Space Administration have discovered spirulina for themselves and are currently testing this incredible microscopic alga. In the field of aeronautics scientists have been searching in vain for years for a nutrition concentrate that would supply the human organism with essential nutrients and energy. Now NASA is investigating whether miniature algae cultivation could be a viable solution to ensuring a foundation of life-sustaining nutrition for extended missions to space.
Actually, there is hardly one single food that provides such a spectrum of all-purpose application. Yet due care is in order: there are a great many differences regarding the quality of this superfood – depending where it has been cultivated and how it was processed. Our Spiruletas contain 400 mg each of high-quality Spirulina platensis microscopic algae. And only spirulina – no fillers or additives. We are cultivating Spirulina platensis on our sun farm in China, which is certified pursuant to ISO 9001. A 125 metre deep, pristine spring exclusively feeds our microscopic algae with water – far, far away from any civilisation. In this way we can assure that our Spirulets are from a superior quality. In addition, back in Germany each and every individual batch is tested by independent labs for microbiological and heavy metal content. Other benefits of our Spirulets include:
- Optimal light and temperature
- Optimal harvesting time in the early morning
- Immediate processing right after harvesting
- Absolutely gentle flash air drying
- Absolutely gentle compression
- No synthetic components whatsoever
- Quality controls at every single step of the process
Please note: Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a well-balanced and varied diet as well as a healthy life-style.