Spirulina strongly supports the immune system
LATIN NAME: ARTHROSPIRA PLATENSIS
COMMON NAME: Spirulina, Blue-Green Alga
The Arthrospira platensis, or spirulina, is one of the most studied and widely cultivated of the blue-green algae, and its tiny, spiral-shaped, green cells which grow rapidly in the alkaline lakes and its rich content of the protein, the vitamins and the minerals have made it a subject of the research and the health-food industry across the world. It grows as a filamentous, blue-green alga or cyanobacterium of the spirulina family, with the tiny, spiral-shaped, green filaments which contain the chlorophyll and the phycocyanin and multiply rapidly in the warm, alkaline, sunny water, forming a dense, green culture. It is a species of the cyanobacterium, found in the alkaline lakes of the Africa and the Central America, while it has been cultivated in the large-scale ponds for its nutritional value, and it is known as the spirulina or the blue-green alga.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The spirulina has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the biology and the microbiology, since the Arthrospira platensis is a cyanobacterium with a unique, spiral-shaped structure and a long history of use as a food, and the researchers have examined its cell structure, its photosynthesis and its growth, while the study of the cyanobacteria has drawn attention in the international biological and biotechnological press. The alga has also been studied in the food science and the nutrition, since the spirulina is rich in the protein, the vitamins, the minerals and the antioxidants, and the researchers have examined its composition, its nutrition and its many uses, while the study of the nutritional algae has been of continuing interest. The species has also been studied in the biotechnology and the environmental science, since the spirulina is used for the wastewater treatment and the carbon dioxide fixation, and the researchers have examined its applications and its potential, while the tiny, spiral-shaped, green cells of the spirulina have been of interest to the biologists and the biotechnologists. For an alga of such study, the Arthrospira platensis has a rich and distinguished record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
To cultivate the Spirulina, the spirulina is a filamentous, blue-green alga of the alkaline lakes, bearing the tiny, spiral-shaped, green filaments which multiply rapidly in the warm, sunny water. Its green cells form the base of the aquatic food chains and a food for the small aquatic animals, and its rapid growth makes it a useful alga for the biotechnology and the environmental applications. Its economic value is real: the spirulina is prized as a nutritional supplement and a useful alga for the biotechnology and the environmental applications, and its value has drawn attention in the international food and biotechnological press, while the rich nutrition and the rapid growth have made it a favourite of the health-food industry and the biotechnologists, and the alga is a useful product for the nutritional supplements, the animal feed and the biotechnology. To cultivate the spirulina, grow the algae in shallow, mineral-rich ponds in a warm, sunny place, keep the water gently mixed, and harvest the algae when the culture is dense.
grow the algae in shallow, mineral-rich ponds in a warm, sunny place, keep the water gently mixed, and harvest the algae when dense.
Description Spirulina is a simple one-celled microscopic blue-green algae with the scientific name Arthrospira platensis. Under a microscope, spirulina appears as long, thin, blue-green spiral threads. The odor and taste of spirulina is similar to seaweed. Spirulina can be found in many freshwater environments, including ponds, lakes, and rivers. It thrives best under pesticide-free conditions with plenty of sunlight and moderate temperature levels, but it is also highly adaptable, surviving even in extreme conditions. More than 25,000 species of algae live everywhere – in water, in soils, on rocks, on plants. They range in size from a single cell to giant kelp over 150 feet long. Macroalgae are large like seaweeds. Microalgae are microscopic. Ocean microalgae, called phytoplankton, are the base of the ocean food web. Spirulina is often deemed the most nutritionally complete of all food supplements, containing a rich supply of many important nutrients, including protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, and vitamins A, K, and B complex. It also has a high supply of carotenoids such as beta carotene and yellow xanthophylls which have antioxidant properties. It is also rich in chlorophyll, fatty and nucleic acids, and lipids. Thus, spirulina has countless uses as a supplement for maintaining good health and for preventing diseases. Spirulina is the richest beta carotene food, with a full spectrum of ten mixed carotenoids. About half are orange carotenes: alpha, beta and gamma and half are yellow xanthophylls. They work synergistically at different sites in our body to enhance antioxidant protection. Twenty years of research proves eating beta carotene rich fruits and vegetables gives us real anti-cancer protection. Synthetic beta carotene has not always shown these benefits. Research in Israel showed natural beta carotene from algae was far more effective. Natural is better assimilated and contains the key 9-cis isomer, lacking in synthetic. As suspected, natural carotenoids in algae and vegetables have the most antioxidant and anti-cancer power. Spirulina is an ideal anti-aging food; concentrated nutrient value, easily digested and loaded with antioxidants. Beta carotene is good for healthy eyes and vision. Spirulina beta carotene is ten times more concentrated than carrots. Iron is essential to build a strong system, yet is the most common mineral deficiency. Spirulina is rich in iron, magnesium and trace minerals, and is easier to absorb than iron supplements. Spirulina is the highest source of B-12, essential for healthy nerves and tissue, especially for vegetarians. Healthy Dieting with Spirulina About 60% of spirulina’s dry weight is protein, which is essential for growth and cell regeneration. It is a good replacement for fatty and cholesterol-rich meat and dairy products in one’s diet. Every 10 grams of spirulina can supply up to 70% of the minimum daily requirements for iron, and about three to four times of minimum daily requirements for vitamins A (in the form of beta carotene), B complex, D,and K. By itself, it does not contain vitamin C, but it helps maintain this vitamin’s potency. Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid or GLA, a compound found in breast milk that helps develop healthier babies. Moreover, with its high digestibility, spirulina has been proven to fight malnutrition in impoverished communities by helping the body absorb nutrients when it has lost its ability to absorb normal forms of food. Another health benefit of spirulina is that it stimulates beneficial flora like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria in your digestive tract to promote healthy digestion and proper bowel function. It acts as a natural cleanser by eliminating mercury and other deadly toxins commonly ingested by the body. Spirulina also increases stamina and immunity levels in athletes, and its high protein content helps build muscle mass. At the same time, it can curb hunger that may develop during the most demanding training routines. Thus, it indirectly acts as an effective way to maintain an athlete’s ideal body weight.