Why Spirulina?
As an urban homesteader, one of the things I became interested in cultivating is Spirulina. The two main reasons for choosing this little known species was its low cost – high reward relationship and its incredible nutritional values. In later posts I want go into the detail of its cultivation, but first of all I want to look at all the benefits of nutrient rich food.
But first a little background:
Spirulina is an oxygenic, photosynthetic cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, and is among the oldest life forms on our beautiful planet. It grows naturally in the salty, alkaline waters of (sub-)tropical lakes, such as Lake Chad in Africa or Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico, where it was first cultivated and consumed.
While Spirulina may easily have provided the nutritional backbone of the Aztec empire, the conquering Europeans were less partial to it, and with the destruction of the water-regulation system of the lake, its cultivation came to an abrupt stop, until even the locals forgot about this amazing food.
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that the wonderful properties of Spirulina were discovered by scientist, and got immediately swept up in a health-food-frenzy. Unfortunately, due to the instantly high demand world-wide that the limited supply could not meet, many green pills made it to the market, with (or without) a very small percentage of Spirulina, along with other green ingredients. Needless to say, these pills could never deliver the unbelievable benefits of Spirulina, and so the health nuts abandoned it as yet another fad.
Since then not much has changed in the general perception. Most people are completely unaware of its existence. Many of those who have heard of Spirulina, don’t know how beneficial it actually is for our health, and the ones who do usually don’t like the taste of the dried powder form. This is why I would like to list the benefits, give suggestions for eating it, and demonstrate how cheap and easy it is to grow your own.
Let’s see those nutritional facts:
Proteins
Spirulina has a lot of it. With 50%-70% of protein by its weight, it has more of it than the other most common sources eggs, milk, or lean beef. Not only that, but it has complete proteins, meaning that all eight of our essential amino acids are included, along with ten non-essential though useful ones.
Vitamins and Minerals
Spirulina is also an excellent source for a number of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in beta-carotene, most types of vitamin B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12), as well as vitamins K1 and K2, vitamin E, potassium, selenium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous.
Good for the Blood
Since Spirulina has more iron than liver, soybeans, or spinach, it is excellent for treating and preventing anemia. It is also rich in omega fatty acids (omega 6 and omega 3 in a ratio of 1.5 : 1) which helps lower cholesterol levels, and prevent heart problems. Additionally, it is known for lowering LDL (the bad) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, while raising HDL (the good) cholesterol. These effects reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties
Spirulina is a powerful antioxidant due to its high levels of Phycocyanin and other carotenoids such as Zeaxanthin. They fight free radicals, and reduce oxidative damage, which can result in the development of cancer. Phycocyanin also helps the body build white blood cells, boosting the immune system. Another type of oxidization Spirulina is useful for preventing, is lipid peroxidation, where LDL lipoproteins become oxidized, which can lead to many diseases.
Brain and Mental Functions
Thanks to its antioxidant properties, its high vitamin B12 count, and the amino acid L-tryptophan, Spirulina not only helps the brain from degrading, but boosts mental functions, focuses the mind, and prevents memory loss.
Detoxifier
Spirulina has been used successfully to treat various types of poisoning. In a Bangladeshi study it was effective against arsenic poisoning, and in Chernobyl it was effective in treating radiation sickness. In Japan Spirulina is sold as a hangover-cure to treat the effects of too much alcohol. This detoxifying effect can be attributed to its high levels of chlorophyll and its improving of bowel and liver function.
Allergies
The natural antihistamines in Spirulina relieve the common symptoms of allergic rhinitis, such as nasal congestion, irritation of the mucous membranes, and watery eyes.
Ideal for Vegans
It is not uncommon that people who live on a purely plant-based diet have a hard time sourcing certain nutrients, without resulting to dietary supplements. The first thing that comes to mind in this regard is Vitamin B12, which incidentally Spirulina has more of than the three next-best sources, clams, liver, and eggs. But there is more: Spirulina has more iodine than dairy, or any other animal product. It also has about as much calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus as milk, but without the fat or lactose that comes with it.
Now that we know...
...there should be really no doubt remaining about the awesomeness of Spirulina as a food source. The only thing that may be left is its price and the horrible taste, both of which I hope to take care of in subsequent posts, where I go into the cultivation and share tasty recipes.
Stay tuned, and Steem on!