Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Pure Spirulina

Spirulina is a tiny aquatic plant with a blue-green color produced from species of the cyanobacteria. It is a very rich source of proteins, iron, vitamin A and carotenoids, an antioxidant that protects the body from the harmful effects of free radicals abundant in the environment. It is grown in many parts of the world and used as a whole food or as a dietary supplement. It is also extensively used in aquaculture as fish feed as well as in the poultry industry. It is available in tablet, flake, and powder form.

Pure spirulina is considered a superfood because it contains the essential vitamins and minerals needed by the body such as the B complex vitamins including vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), plus vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. It is also a very rich source of minerals, including a large amount of potassium, zinc, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chromium, iron and manganese. It has vitamin K, zeaxanthin or lutein and the essential fatty acid, gamma linoleic acid and some unique pigments that give spirulina their bluish color.

Spirulina has become a household name the world over because of the promise of tremendous health benefits to its users. Thus together with spirulina’s increase in demand also comes the increase in the number of manufacturers who want to have a share of its lucrative market. Because of this, production becomes difficult to control which could compromise quality of the product. This is especially true if you are looking for the pure spirulina product.

Pure spirulina can be obtained from a number of manufacturers who produce it in various forms. The pure spirulina that these manufacturers claim to be 100% pure should contain no other ingredients added to their product, it should be free of pesticides or herbicides, it should not be contaminated by pathogens, pesticides or heavy metal and it should not contain any additives, preservatives or fillers.

You can easily identify a Pure Spirulina tablet because it has retained its original dark green color and it is shiny. On the other hand, an impure Spirulina tablet has white specks and has a dull, light green color. The spots are caused by the binders that have been added to the mixture. In the case of the capsules, it is difficult to check the purity of is contents because it is enclosed and you cannot check the purity of its contents right away.

With regard to the Pure Spirulina flake, you can tell it’s pure because of its invigorating marine fresh aroma. And besides the Pure Spirulina flake did not have to undergo multiple steps to process thus retaining its natural form and nutritional content.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Bulk Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green microscopic algae, processed from the spirulina cyanobacteria that thrives in warm climates and warm alkaline water. It is a very rich source of carotenoids, a type of antioxidant that protects our cells from damage. It is 28 times richer in iron content than beef liver and 58 times richer than raw spinach. It has more beta carotene content than carrots and has a very high chlorophyll content. It accounts for 65 percent of its total protein content, surpassing that of soy beans. NASA, in fact wants to grow spirulina in the space station as it is considered one of the most efficient oxygen-producing foods available. Bulk Spirulina can be an incredible source of superfood!

Spirulina makes a great dietary supplement because of its rich vitamin and mineral content. It contains many vitamins including vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E and the B complex vitamins that include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), nicotinamide (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), and vitamin B12. Spirulina is also rich in minerals, including a large amount of potassium, zinc, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chromium, copper, iron and manganese.

It also contains vitamin K, zeaxanthin or lutein and the essential fatty acid, gamma linoleic acid and some unique pigments that give spirulina their bluish color, phycobilins including phycocyanin and allophycocyanin.

Spirulina, when processed and manufactured into fine granules becomes spirulina powder and sold in health food stores and pharmaceutical counters in major shopping centers across the country. Bulk spirulina powder is also sometimes available at these outlets where you can purchase it dried or freeze-dried. But for a steady and regular supply of bulk spirulina powder, you can go online where you will find virtual nutritional supplements stores that sell not only bulk spirulina powder but also spirulina tablets and capsules.

Spirulina powder tastes very much like spinach and seaweeds and has a very mild flavor which makes it very appealing for culinary purposes. It can be freely used in cooking from preparing envigorating soups to all sorts of delicious and mouth-watering desserts.

Spirulina has been labeled a superfood due to the large amount of vitamins and minerals it contains, its very high protein content, its reasonable cost, and ease of producing it. It has also been declared as a potential element to fight global malnutrition and because of this, it has been strongly lauded and supported by the United Nations envisioning a world whose people are being fed with spirulina currently grown in abundance in thousands of ponds in areas like Lake Chad in Central Africa, Lake Texcoco in Mexico, and the Great Rift Valley in East Africa.
Previous studies conducted suggest spirulina may boost the immune system. It has antiviral and anticancer properties although more research is needed to further prove whether or not spirulina is indeed beneficial to humans.

Another reason why people take spirulina powder is that it is believed to alleviate the effects of allergic reactions. When regularly taken in small doses, it regulates the amount of interleukin-4 in the body significantly reducing the potency of these allergies. These daily small doses can save the life of people suffering from minor allergies such as animal allergies and hay fever and get their bodies back to their normal function again.