Chlorella, Spirulina,
And
Klamath Lake Algae
The Benefits of Spirulina, Chlorella, And Klamath Lake Algae
Chlorella, Spirulina, And Klamath Lake Blue Green Algae
Chlorella, Spirulina, and Klamath Lake Algae have tremendous benefits.
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However, they need to be manufactured, dried, and tested correctly to achieve their full potential.
The Benefits Of Spirulina And Chlorella
These algae are rich in many nutrients, including carotenoids, vitamin K1, magnesium, GLA (a beneficial fatty acid), phycocyanin, zeaxanthin, and much more.
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They are a great way to get some extra green vegetable nutrition in your diet and are one of the richest food sources of chlorophyll. They are a far better source of chlorophyll than semi-synthetic "liquid chlorophyll" supplements.
Spirulina and chlorella are also great for eye and joint health because they are potent antioxidants.
Do Spirulina And Chlorella Have B12?
Spirulina and chlorella are often promoted as a good source of vitamin b12. However, this is only partially true.
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Properly grown and manufactured chlorella contains b12, which is usable by the body.
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Spirulina and Klamath Lake algae contain analogs of vitamin b12, which are not usable by the body.
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Testing for b12 content of spirulina, chlorella, and Klamath Lake algae should be done using the LC-MS/MS method- which detects only usable b12, not the analogs the body cannot use.
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Glass tube grown Algomed chlorella is the best whole-food, vegan b12 supplement.
How Are Chlorella And Spirulina Grown?
Where the algae is grown or harvested is very important, especially in outdoor open pond cultivated algae.
The Problems With Chlorella And Spirulina Grown In Outdoor Ponds
Nearly all spirulina and chlorella is grown in open air outdoor ponds.
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This creates a lot of problems.
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Klamath Lake blue-green algae comes from Klamath Lake in Oregon.
Contamination Of Spirulina And Chlorella Grown In Outdoor Ponds
Growing algae in open air outdoor ponds creates a host of problems.
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Algae, especially chlorella, will bioaccumlate contaminants (such as pesticides and heavy metals) from their environment.
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These pollutants can come from the air, rain, and the ponds water supply.
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Most spirulina and chlorella is grown in countries with large amounts of water and air pollution, such as India and China.
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Since the algae bioaccumulate the contaminants in their environment, they cannot simply be rinsed off like traditional crops.
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This is why there are so many problems with spirulina contamination.
Spirulina, Chlorella, And Klamath Lake Algae Contaminant Testing
Algae supplements should be tested for the following:
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Heavy Metals
Bacterial Contamination
Fungal Contamination
Microcystin
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Algae grown in open air outdoor ponds will need to be tested for further contaminants, such as pesticides, fungicides,herbicides, and other environmental pollutants.
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Unfortunately, most companies do not run the full gamut of tests needed to ensure that outdoor pond grown algae is free of contaminants.
Heavy Metals In Chlorella And Spirulina
Outdoor pond grown chlorella and spirulina can be high in heavy metals like lead and cadium because of pollution in the environment.
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Choose chlorella and spirulina that is grown indoors and given water from deep in the earth, not surface water.
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In addition, choose brands that test every batch for heavy metals.
How Should Chlorella And Spirulina Be Dried?
As with other foods, Algae should be dried at low temperatures using gentle methods.
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High heat spray-drying is the most common used for algae.
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Unfortunately, this leads to a change in the structure of the algae and a loss of nutritional value.
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Choose chlorella, spirulina, and blue green Klamath Lake algae supplements from companies that dry the algae themselves so you can verify that gentle drying methods are being used.
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Algae dried with traditional spray-drying has a lower nutritional value than other forms of drying like freeze-drying.
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Farm To Table Chlorella And Spirulina Supplements
Unfortunately, most companies do not grow their spirulina and chlorella. They buy it from the middleman who often mixes a bunch of different sources together, so many companies have no real idea where their spirulina and chlorella are coming from.
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One of the most important steps, but not the only one, a person can take to ensure they are getting pure spirulina and chlorella products is to buy them from companies that harvest, grow, and produce their own algae products.
We strive to get all of our chlorella, spirulina, and Klamath Lake blue algae directly from companies who harvest, grow, and manfacture their own products.
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It's an important part of our Farm-To-Bottle Project and one of the best ways to ensure you are getting the best spirulina and chlorella supplements.
KLAMATH LAKE BLUE GREEN ALGAE
Our Klamath Lake Blue Green Algae supplements (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, AFA), come directly from Klamath Lake, in Oregon.
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The upper part of the lake is tested daily from August to November.
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When the tests come back negative for other algae strains and only pure AFA is present, testing is increased to several times per day to monitor the conditions and prepare for harvest.
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Once the tests come back only showing pure AFA, the harvest begins.
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Algae is rinsed and filtered as it goes through the harvester.
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Samples are collected and sent on each load of AFA to an independent lab.
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Once the tests results come back and show it is free of contamiants, the algae is low temperature dried and prepared for packaging.
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After drying, additional samples are sent to an independent lab to ensure it is free of contaminants, such as microcystin.
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It's very important that the correct testing methods are used because many testing methods used on the this algae are innacurate.
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The entire process is USDA certified organic.
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APOGEE SPIRULINA
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the base of the Sangre De Cristo mountains, there is a small spirulina farm run by a very passionate man named Nicholas, who traveled to France to intern with a Maître Spirulinier (Master Spirulina Farmer) and learn the artisanal French method of spirulina cultivation.
The French Artisan Method of Spirulina cultivation differs in several key ways from large-scale commercial spirulina farms:
Smaller farms range from 100 square feet to ¼ acre.
Spirulina is grown in a greenhouse which reduces water evaporation. This is critical in a high desert climate.
The greenhouse also allows the Spirulina to remain at a constant high temperature during cold desert nights. This provides for an optimum growth rate during the summer months.
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Retaining a pure Spirulina culture which is a small greenhouse environment is free of dust and other contaminants, so the use of pesticides or herbicides is not necessary.
Harvesting is done almost daily and is slowly dried in a solar oven to maintain the highest nutritional levels.
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The spirulina is pressed into what we like to call “spaghetti”. This results in a larger surface area.
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The Spirulina has a minimal nutritional loss, so a higher quality finished product is achieved.
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During the peak of the season, harvesting is done five days a week and the ponds are rested and rejuvenated over the weekend.
The growing season is between April and October. Peak harvesting occurs in the hot summer months.
The water source for this spirulina comes from a deep underground spring, not from surface water, in order to avoid contamination issues.
These spirulina crunchies, as they are called, have a higher nutritional value than traditional spirulina powders and the taste is amazing.
You can put them in smoothies or just eat them out of the bag. A great way to get some easy, extra nutrition into your diet.
Algen Markt Spirulina
Algen Markt Spirulina is grown in beautiful Greece using old-fashioned methods in greenhouses.
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This traditional way of growing small batches in spirulina results in spirulina that does not have a fishy taste and is gentle on the stomach.
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It is low-temperature dried and milled right on the farm.
Cracked Cell Wall Chlorella
One of the most common misconceptions about chlorella is that the cell walls have to be cracked in order to allow for digestion.
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This could not be further from the truth.
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If you look at the "studies" done that show that cracking the cell wall is needed, they are poorly done and almost entirely funded by companies selling cracked cell wall chlorella.
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The pH of stomach acid is 1.5 to 3.5, and it produces an enzyme called lysozyme. The combination of stomach acid and lysozyme is plenty for chlorella's cell wall to be broken without having to risk damaging the proteins, vitamins, and fatty acids or exposing them to oxidation that the methods of cracking the cell wall cause.
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Factors such as the drying process and the species (strain) of chlorella used have a greater impact on its digestibility.
Algomed Chlorella
Unlike chlorella which is grown in open airoutdoor ponds, Algomed Chlorella is grown entirely in glass tubes. Zero exposure to the outside environment allows for the production of super-pure and contaminant-free chlorella.
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The Algomed process:
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"To start with, our 'tubular aquariums' are filled with water. We source this from our own well, which is fed from an artesian aquifer more than 45 meters down. This is very pure water that is also nicely mineralized.
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Nutrients and an algae starter culture are then added and the algae begin to grow. The advantages of our 500-kilometer system of glass tubing are obvious. The algae get an optimal supply of sunlight because there are no “dark zones” like you get in the lower layers of a pond, and no contaminants from the outside can get into the culture.
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When the algae are ready to be harvested, they are separated from the water by centrifuging and then gently dried. They can be consumed immediately or processed further."
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Algomeds entire growning and manufacturing process takes place at their German facility.
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ABYSSEA CHLORELLA
Abyssea Chlorella is grown in Portugal in a glass tube setup.
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The closed glass-tube growing system prevents contamination commonly found in open-air outdoor pond-grown chlorella.
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The specific strain of chlorella starts out in a glass reactor and is later moved to an industrial-scale reactor.
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The next phase initiates in a glass autotrophic reactor, later moving to a flat panel reactor, in this case also known as green walls.
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In industrial tubular reactors, the chlorella naturally grows outdoors in the sun. The strains are maintained at the most suitable conditions for cell division.
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Then, the live algae culture is filtered to separate the solid biomass from the liquid phase.
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The algae is then centrifuged to remove the water and create a paste.
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Then, the chlorella is low-temperature dried, milled, and encapsulated.​​
TRANSPARENCY IN CHLORELLA AND SPIRULINA SOURCING
Knowing the full process from growing location to drying, testing, and manufacturing is essential to be able to know if you are getting a pure and high-quality algae supplement.
We are proud to bring you a full range of fully transparent, Farm-To-Bottle, whole-food algae supplements.
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Transparency and traceability is not just a slogan for us.
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Our ultimate goal is for 100% of our supplements to be traceable back to the farm, boat, forest, and facility they came from, which is the only way to fully be able to vet products for quality issues and ensure they are ethically produced.
How Should You Take Spirulina And Chlorella?
Always talk to your doctor before starting any supplement.
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When starting spirulina and chlorella, always go slow.
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Start with just a small amount and then gradually increase to your desired dosage.
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If you take too much at once you can get loose stools or upset stomach.
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They are best taken with a full glass of water.
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They can be taken with or without food, depending on your tolerance.
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Always take chlorella at least two hours apart from medications and other supplements.