Spirulina

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Spirulina
http//www.naturalways.com/spirul1.htm

• By Heather L. Milliken

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What is Spirulina?

• It is a blue-green algae
• One-celled form
• 65-71 percent protein
• Contains all essential amino acids
• Spirulina has an 8-10 percent photosynthetic
  conversion rate (land plants have about a 3
  percent conversion rate)

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The First Harvesting Techniques

• Kanembu make Dihé cakes (2)

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Harvesting

• In Mexico, Spirulina was found to be harvested
  and dried for consumption up until the late 16th
  century
• The Spanish Conquest led to lakes being drained
  to make room for new civilization (2)

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Techniques Continued

• Studies have been performed to maximize the
  production of Spirulina.
• This is done by monitoring the floatation and by
  determining the most productive growth stage. (1)

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The Benefits of Harvesting Spirulina

• Spirulina can be cultivated in shallow ponds
• As a result of this, Spirulina can double its
  biomass every 2 to 5 days, yields can produce
  over 20 times more protein than soybeans on the
  same area, and 40 times that of corn and 400
  times that of beef. (2)

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Nutritional Value

• Spirulina is a food source that consists of more
  than 60 protein.
• It has the highest known source of beta carotene.
  (25 times more than raw carrots)
• Spirulina has more vitamin B12 than any other
  known source.
• It contains the richest food source of gamma
  linolenic acid (GLA). (GLA is the precursor to
  body's important hormone prostaglandin)
• Spirulina is richest source of chlorophyll.
• Spirulina has a number of natural antioxidants
  like beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin B1, B5,
  B6, zinc, manganese, copper and selenium amino
  acid methionine. (3)

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The Pink Flamingo

• Some flamingos evolved a filter in its beak to
  specifically eat spirulina.

http//www.thewildones.org/Animals/flamingo.html
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Forms of Consumption

• Kanembu people use crumbled Dihé to mixed with a
  sauce of tomatoes and peppers, and poured over
  millet, beans, fish or meat.
• It taken in the pill form as a nutritional
  suppliment
• Spirulina is added to numerous types of pet
  foods.

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The Benefits of Eating Spirulina

• Reduces blood cholestrol
• Spirulina helps to control diabetes
• Helps in kidney detoxification
• Useful in combating malnutrition
• Spirulina is very useful in preventing vitamin A
  deficiency (helps prevent blindness and eye
  disease (4))
• Aids in the prevention of anaemia
• (3)

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References

• 1) Kim, S.G., Choi, A., Ahn, C.Y., Park, C.S.,
  Park, Y.H., Oh, H.M.
• (2005). Harvesting of Spirulina platensisby
  cellular floatation and
• growth stage determination. Letters in Applied
  Microbiology 40,
• 190-194.
• 2) http//www.spirulinasource.com/earthfoodch1b.ht
  mlbeginning
• 3) http//www/nbent.com/spirulin1.htm
• 4) http//www.spirulinasource.com/earthfoodch8b.ht
  ml