1. Amazing phytonutrients

Spirulina provides a wide range of delicate phytonutrients like Phycocyanin and carotenoids with significant health benefits. Phytonutrients are nutrients that come from plants and include antioxidants known for giving fruits and vegetables their orange and yellow colours. Nutritionists recommend increasing your intake of phytonutrients to protect against the harmful effects of UV sunlight, pollution, and environmental stress. Just a few tablets of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina® supply the phytonutrients contained in a whole salad.

 

2. High-quality protein

More than 60% of Spirulina is made up of high-quality protein, making it one of the richest sources of vegetable protein known to man. The quality of protein depends on the composition of the amino acids of which it is made. The protein in Spirulina contains all eight essential amino acids, plus nine non-essential amino acids, in exactly the right natural balance. (The human body cannot produce these essential amino acids itself; so they have to be ingested as part of your diet.)

 

While most animal proteins are high in fat, calories, and cholesterol, Spirulina contains only 5% fat, most of which are beneficial unsaturated fatty acids like GLA. There are less than four calories (16 kilojoules) in each gram and practically no cholesterol.

 

To determine the percentage of usable protein in a food, we measure the amount of protein present, its digestibility, and its biological value. The only food with more usable protein than Spirulina is eggs. None of the protein sources in the chart below has even close to the amount of other nutrients that Spirulina has; and of course, many of these other protein sources have very negative properties as well, such as being high in animal fat and cholesterol.

 

3. Vitamins

Spirulina contains all the vitamins within the recommended daily allowance, especially the all-important vitamin B complex. Because of its positive effect on the nervous system, vitamin B is important for people with busy and hectic lifestyles.

 

For vegetarians, the vitamin B 12 in Spirulina is especially important because it is extremely rare in most plant-based foods. In addition, Spirulina contains a large amount of beta-carotene, which is converted in the body into vitamin A. This increases your resistance to illness, is a powerful antioxidant, and is good for your skin, hair and nails. Lastly, Spirulina also contains vitamin E, which improves your mental and physical capacity and increases your vitality.

 

4. Minerals

No matter how important vitamins are, they cannot do anything for us without minerals. Although our bodies are able to produce a number of vitamins, it is impossible for us to produce minerals. Spirulina contains all the minerals that are essential for the human body – iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and the rare selenium.

 

A food supplement will only work optimally if vitamins and minerals are naturally balanced and taken together. This is the great strength and synergy of Spirulina. Spirulina is also one of the best natural sources of organically-bound iron. Unlike sea algae, Spirulina only contains traces of iodine. Spirulina is rich in iron, which, together with vitamins from the B complex, is required for the formation of red blood cells and for the transportation of oxygen in the blood.

 

A high percentage of anaemia is caused by a shortage of iron in the diet. Women have a greater need for iron than men due to menstruation and pregnancy. Also, many women are low on iron intake owing to their slimming habits. (Iron shortage due to slimming is mostly prevalent in women between the ages of 18 and 25 years.) Tip: Try not to take Spirulina at the same time as you drink your coffee or tea. These drinks contain substances that slow down the complete absorption of iron. A half-hour gap would be sufficient.

 

5. Pigments

Chlorophyll

Spirulina has an abundance of chlorophyll. This is the green matter that enables plants to convert sunlight into nutrients and energy. Chlorophyll cleanses the blood and improves the absorption of iron by the bloodstream. Chlorophyll is also good for your liver, which plays an important role in removing toxins and waste products from your body. It also helps to eliminate heavy metals from the body.

 

Phycocyanin

One of the most important substances in Spirulina is phycocyanin, a blue colour pigment that is not found in any other plant. Just like chlorophyll, phycocyanin can absorb a lot of sunlight. Together they give Spirulina its blue-green colour. Phycocyanin is a strong antioxidant. It supports the detoxifying action of the liver and kidneys. Because the liver is responsible for detoxifying poisons from the blood, liver cells are subject to high concentrations of toxic chemicals, which can cause free radical damage. Phycocyanin helps protect liver cells and aid the detoxification process. It also protects the cells against free radicals, stimulates red blood cell production and strengthens the immune system.

 

Carotenoids

The carotenoids are yellow, orange and red colour pigments that are found in carrots, oranges and other orange-coloured vegetables and fruits. Due to the very sunny climate in Hawaii where Marcus Rohrer Spirulina® is produced, it contains high concentrations of natural carotenoids. The most important substance is beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.

 

The carotenoids are powerful antioxidants; they protect the nervous system and increase resistance. They keep the skin elastic and ensure that the hair, nails and eyes are in optimal condition. Beta-carotene also protects the skin against UV radiation. Numerous studies have indicated that people whose diets contain a lot of foods rich in carotenoids have a lower risk of developing various types of cancer.

 

Carotenoids are essential for the efficient functioning of the eyes. (Did you know that if you sit at a computer screen often, watch a lot of TV or drive at night, you need extra beta-carotene?)

 

Natural vs. synthetic carotenoids:

A good illustration of the importance of taking natural vitamins from food can be made with beta-carotene, one of the carotenoids present in Spirulina in large quantities. There are many synthetic beta-carotene supplements on the market. In fact, even some that claim to be “natural” are synthetic. Nature makes beta-carotene in two shapes, called cis and trans, while synthetic is primarily only one shape (trans). Cis and trans forms of beta-carotene are two different compounds, different chemically, and different physically. They behave differently when crystallising and when dissolving. There is also a difference when they are absorbed in the intestine for digestion. In fact, a study showed that chickens and rats absorb ten times more natural beta-carotene than synthetic. In studies where beta-carotene is correlated with lower incidence of cancer, the beta-carotene is from natural food. This is one reason why major government agencies in the USA, such as the National Institute of Health and the National Cancer Institute, recommend natural food sources of beta-carotene.

 

Another advantage of natural beta-carotene is that it contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives, whereas synthetic betacarotene contains preservatives and trace residues of chemicals used in the refining process. There are between 400 and 600 carotenoids about which we know very little: almost all the research so far has concentrated on betacarotene, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin and most recently astaxanthin. The full range of carotenoids is only found in food, which is why it is important to include carotenoid-rich foods in your diet. It is quite possible that the other carotenoids are just as valuable for your health as beta-carotene. Carotenoids are used and stored in several parts of the body, including the adrenal glands, the reproductive system, the pancreas and spleen, the skin, and the retina. Depletion of these stores results in distrubances in the body despite adequate levels of beta-carotene.

 

Sources of natural beta-carotene

There are many food sources of beta-carotene. Spinach, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, squash, papayas, cantaloupes, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are all excellent sources. Unfortunately, most people get only 25-30% of the daily dietary carotenoid intake recommended in a cancer-preventive diet; and many people are unwilling to make radical dietary changes. The easy way to eat your daily dose of food-based beta-carotene is to take Spirulina, the richest wholefood source of beta-carotene.

 

Unlike other beta-carotene supplements, Spirulina is a wholefood with its beta-carotene in a naturally-chelated food matrix. And Spirulina is not only rich in beta-carotene; it also contains other very important carotenoids such as zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin, as well as lesser-known carotenoids such as myxoxanthophyll and echinenone.

 

Zeaxanthin

The second most prevalent carotenoid in Spirulina is zeaxanthin. In fact, there is more zeaxanthin in just 3g of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina® than there is in a large bowl of spinach, one of nature’s richest sources. Zeaxanthin is a very important antioxidant for two reasons:

1) It is one of the few antioxidants that can cross the blood-brain barrier and bring antioxidant protection to the eyes, brain and central nervous system.

2) It is also one of the few antioxidants that never becomes a prooxidant (causes oxidation in the body).

 

6. Gamma linolenic acid (GLA)

Spirulina contains a large quantity of gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Mother’s milk and oil of the evening primrose are two other sources of this rare fatty acid. Your body converts GLA into DGLA and from there into prostaglandins which are extremely active hormone-like substances and necessary in a vast array of bodily functions. Gamma linolenic acid is also good for normal and regular menstrual periods. In addition, it helps to keep your cholesterol level down. Evidence is mounting that factors such as stress, ageing, alcohol consumption, and poor diet make it difficult for our bodies to convert linoleic acid to GLA. And some people simply have insufficient linoleic acid in their diets. This makes finding a dietary source of GLA very important. Fortunately, the plant world has a few good sources: Spirulina, black currant seed oil, oil of evening primrose, and borage seed oil are all rich in GLA. Of these, only Spirulina provides GLA in a wholefood form, a form the body can efficiently use. In fact, Spirulina and mother’s milk are the only natural food sources of GLA. The others are all extracted oil compounds. The concentration of GLA in Spirulina is remarkably high, so that five grams provide 50 milligrams compared to an evening primrose oil capsule of 500 milligrams which provides 45-50 milligrams. And, unlike the other sources, Spirulina provides a wide range of additional nutrients.

 

7. Enzymes

Spirulina contains a number of important enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD). An iron-containing enzyme, SOD supports important body-cell processes and also protects the cells from free radicals. Enzymes are essential for the construction of your cells. You could not live without enzymes. Enzymes are very vulnerable and are easily destroyed by heat or oxidation. Fortunately, Marcus Rohrer Spirulina® exhibits an extremely high enzyme activity owing to its processing.