PureBulk

Click to Enlarge Unit Weight: 1500 grams Unit Volume: 2610 cc Click to Enlarge Certificate of Analysis Click to Enlarge Volumetric Equivalents

What is Spirulina platensis blue-green Algae?

Spirulina plantensis is a food supplement form of a one-celled, spiral-shaped microscopic blue-green algae that is exceedingly adaptable to its surroundings and naturally occurs in a wide variety of environments including fresh water, tropical springs, and saltpans. It is not a sea plant, but does grow in fresh water bodies that contain a higher than usual amount of salt. Because of its natural ability to grow in warm environments that other organisms cannot survive in, spirulina is actually one of the most sterile foods on earth. It is also known to be one of the earliest forms of life and has been on the planet for more than 3.6 billion years.

Spirulina is both a complete food and a whole food supplement. Long before it became known as a “probiotic” or “super food” by the health food industry, spirulina has been consumed by humans worldwide for centuries because of its rich nutrient range and ability to sustain life even without need for other foods. Today, spirulina farming has become a part of the new era of ecological agriculture and is recognized as a powerful food source.

What are the benefits of spirulina?

Spirulina is sometimes referred to as the world’s richest natural whole food source because of its phenomenal nutritional profile. It is also referred to as a “green food” or “whole food” because not only does it contain a huge array of trace minerals, carbohydrates, enzymes , amino acids and essential fatty acids, greater than 60% of spirulina is a highly digestible and biologically complete plant protein, providing higher amounts of protein than either red meat or soy.

Spirulina as a protein source?

As a Protein source, Spirulina contains all eight essential amino acids. This is an important feature for two primary reasons: 1) because the body requires that all protein factors be present simultaneously to synthesize the body’s repair and maintenance; and 2) because spirulina’s primitive cellular structure and lack of hard cellular walls allows for rapid formation and synthesis of proteins, thus allowing for higher and more effective digestability of protein. Having already been naturally pre-digested by the algae in its natural environment, spirulina is a highly digestible food and complete protein source.

Nutritional value of Spirulina

Spirulina also contains extensive levels of trace elements and essential minerals. In its natural aquatic environment, minerals that have been deposited from ancient soils become chelated with their amino acids and can thus be more easily assimilated by the body. Other major nutritional components of spirulina that are of significant value to human health are: * Essential Fatty Oils (EFA) - A unique composition of fatty acids, it is also a rare source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which is believed to be effective active against viral infections. * Phycocyanin - allows iron to be more bio-available and believed to stimulate the immune system. * Chlorophyl – cleanses and detoxifies the body and helps to remove heavy metals from the system. * Beta-carotene – contains amounts as much as 10 times greater than carrots * Antioxidants – for complete immune support * Vegetarian source of vitamin B12 * Enzymes * RNA and DNA

What is in our Spirulina Powder?

Our Spirulina powder has more than 60% protein, Alanine (8%), Arginine (7.4%), Aspartic Acid (10.2%), Cysteine (0.9%), Glutamic Acid (15.5%), Glycine (5.0%), Histidine (1.6%), Isoleucine (5.3%), Leucine (9.1%), Lysine (5.2%), Methionine (2.0%), Phenylalanine (4.5%), Proline (4.1%), Serine (5.0%), Threonine (5.0%), Tryptophan (1.4%), Tyrosine (4.2%) and Valine (6.0%).

How is this Spirulina Powder stored/preserved?

Our Spirulina Powder is stored in dark, airtight vacuum sealed bags, and is very fresh.

What is the daily suggested or recommended dose of Spirulina Powder?

We suggest you take between 25 and 100 grams per day of Spirulina powder for an average sized adult. Mix 10 grams, or approximately one rounded tablespoon in 8 to 12 ounces juice or water. For maximum results, take the juice/water three times a day. It can also be mixed into a smoothie of your choice if you prefer.

Retail dosages of Spirulina powder are commonly between 3 and 10 grams daily, this is partly due to retailers trying to keep the perceived monthly costs of consumption down. However, spirulina in the bulk powder form is much less expensive, and literally as a complete food, you can eat as much of it as you like. Some pre-modern cultures in South America & Africa probably consumed more then 250 grams per day(nearly 50% of their entire diet) of Spirulina Powder in the form of sundried cakes.

Methods & Recipes of ingesting Spirulina Powder.

Spirulina is best in water or juice. Any recipe for a smoothie works well with Spirulina. It does not have a very bad taste and can be easily covered up in juice or smoothies. It is possible to sprinkle food or use as a seasoning to soups, dressings, dips, sauces and casseroles. When adding to liquids though, it best to blend the Spirulina powder in a small amount of water before adding to recipes.

Taste, smell, and appearance of Spirulina Powder.

Spirulina powder has a dark bluish green appearance and has a slight marine smell and taste.

Solubility / measuring Spirulina Powder.

Spirulina is slightly soluble in normal water. But its solubility characteristics show maximum solubility in the pH range of 8 to 10 in water and pH 6.0 ± 0.5 in 0.5 M sodium chloride. The most common and accurate way of measuring the Spirulina powder is by tablespoons (tbsps.) and teaspoons (tsps.)

Additional Information About Spirulina

Spirulina side effects http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirulina-000327.htm.
Benefits of Spirulina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirulina_%28dietary_supplement%29.
What is Spirulina http://www.spirulina.com/SPBenefits.html
The Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pavia, Italy published in 1983 a study on Spirulina, “Spirulina, the Editble Microorganism” (http://mmbr.asm.org/cgi/reprint/47/4/551.pdf). This study outlines the need for non conventional sources of protein to combat human nutrition failures and finds that Spirulina, as a source of protein, may help to solve the problem of worldwide starvation and malnutrition.
A more recent study published in the Journal of Applied Phycology in 2006 (http://www.springerlink.com/content/856760585j411428/), “Current knowledge on potential health benefits of Spirulina” (http://www.springerlink.com/content/856760585j411428/fulltext.pdf) describes a range of effects spirulina has against diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, including effects on intestinal flora and positive protections against the effects of radiation.