Algae - Seaweed

Kombu - Nori - Hijiki / Hiziki -Wakame - Arame - agar-agar - Spirulina - Chlorella - Minerals - Health

Index

Ocean / Sea algae are the richest natural source of minerals, trace minerals and rare earth elements.  They are usually sold dry in Health Food stores.

All the minerals found in sea water are also found in sea algae.

Here is the list of all the minerals, trace minerals and rare earth elements found in sea water:

 

Minerals that are negatively charged  have two very important benefits.

• It greatly increases the transport and bioavailability of other nutrients gotten from foods and/or vitamins and other supplements.

• It will attract toxins and heavy metals from the body and flush them out. Clinical tests done in the US. and in Germany have verified this.

Minerals in their metallic form can be toxic to the human body. Dangerous levels of these metallic minerals can accumulate in the tissues and create serious health problems.

Kombu, Wakame, Nori, Hiziki / Hijiki , Arame, Dulse , Kelp, Irish moss ...

Dishes made with those algae are rich source of Iodine, Calcium, Iron, Silicon, Copper, Zinc and Selenium. 

---

Kombu algae

Soak dry alga for at least 15 minutes, before you use it.

Make a cup of tea with a little peace of this algae and drink it three times a weak.   Use it when you are making beans, or in soups , together with vegetable, grains or beans.

Wakame algae

Soak dry alga for at least 10 minutes, before you use it.

Use this algae in soups, together with vegetable, grains or beans.

Nori algae

You can roast it and eat it few times a week.   Children love to eat those pressed leaves.  You can also fry it as a chips, for children, or boil it and make a condiment with tamari soy sauce.

Hiziki / Hijiki alga

Soak dry alga for at least 15 minutes, before you use it.

Is very nice made with onion, or with tofu and carrots.

Arame Alga

Soak dry alga for at least 15 minutes, before you use it.

Is very nice made with onion, or in soups.

Dulse

Soak dry alga for at least 12 minutes, before you use it.

Use this algae in soups, together with vegetable, grains or beans.

Micro- Algae

Spirulina, Chlorella, and wild blue-green ( Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) contain more chlorophyll than any other foods.  Dried micro algae, are the richest source of proteins, beta-carotene, and nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), and very rich source of GLA.

Micro algae have been successfully used to improve immunity of people with Cancer, AIDS, Colitus, Diabetes ...

Micro Algae are single-celled organisms and simple multicellular plants that live wherever there is water-in the sea, fresh water or moist soil. Spirulina is a blue-green alga that's a rich source of proteins, carotenoids and other micronutrients. Studies now support its antiviral and anticancer properties. Chlorella, a single-celled alga, has the highest known levels of chlorophyll of any plant.

 

Spirulina 

 

Blue-green micro alga .

Its nutrients are very easy to digest :

protein ( biliprotein ), carbohydrates ( mucopolysaccharides, rhamnose and glycogen ) ,  50 different minerals and trace minerals ( all your body needs ) , beta-carotene  , chlorophyll, GLA omega3 fatty acid, and many other nutrients.

Very good for people with severe liver damage resulting from malnutrition, internal pollution or drugs.

According to standard nutritional tests, the digestive absorption of the protein in Spirulina and Chlorella is  four times greater than that in beef.

Spirulina contain blue pigment phycocyanin, a biliprotein which have been shown to inhibit cancer-colony formation.*

Spirulina, a blue-green alga sold as a supplement, is an excellent source of chlorophyll and disease-fighting compounds called phytochemicals. Phytochemicals (phyto is Greek for "plant") are compounds in plants and fruits that imbue them with color and protect them against cellular damage caused by free radicals. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health are studying phytochemicals to understand their role in disease prevention.

Mouth cancer is one disorder that may be treated or prevented by phytochemicals, especially beta-carotene, which is found in abundance in spirulina. This may explain why the alga slowed and even stopped the growth of cancerous cells in scientific studies. Padmanabhan P. Nair, Ph.D., a scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recently demonstrated that spirulina is a particularly potent inhibitor of mouth cancer. Nair and his colleagues gave daily spirulina supplements to volunteers in southwestern India for 12 months. The volunteers were alike in many ways: All chewed tobacco and had precancerous lesions in their mouths called leukoplakia. After taking the alga for one year, 45 percent of the volunteers had recovered, and the thick, white, precancerous patches in their mouths completely disappeared. Another 12 percent of the volunteers showed significant improvement, raising the figure to 57 percent who benefited from spirulina supplements (Nutrition and Cancer, 1995, vol. 24).

"Spirulina is an inexpensive source of beta-carotene and other carotenoids, and it's also easy to digest," says Nair. "Incidence of cancer of the mouth and the cervix -- which have the same kind of mucous membrane -- is rising around the world, and spirulina may help many people."

Beta-carotene is just one of the many nutrients in spirulina. This alga also provides iron and is the most concentrated plant source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), according to the World Review of Nutrition and Diet (1995, vol. 77). GLA, an essential fatty acid, is key to the body's ability to make vital prostaglandins, substances that control body functions and help alleviate health problems such as arthritis and heart disease, according to one preliminary report (Journal of Applied Phycology, 1993, vol. 5). GLA supplementation results in blood's becoming more "slippery" since prostaglandins reduce blood platelet adhesion so that cholesterol deposits in arteries have less chance to build up and create arterial blockage, according to Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James Balch, M.D., and Phyllis Balch, C.N.C. (Avery).

One study involving 30 male patients with mild hypertension and high cholesterol showed a significant reduction of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) in the men who took the spirulina supplements for four weeks (Nutrition Report International, 1988, vol. 37

Chlorella

 

Chlorella contains more than 20 vitamins and minerals including B complex, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, iron and calcium, almost 70% protein, and 19 of the 22 amino acids. It is the highest source of chlorophyll which is a liver detoxifier, a bowel cleanser, and a catalyst for the absorption of other elements, including iron. It is the highest source of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, reduced levels of which are believed to be implicated in physical deterioration and ageing

Chlorella was first identified by a Dutch scientist in 1890. But it was not until the 1950's that Japanese studies threw light on its enormous potential. Researchers discovered that some of chlorella's beneficial health effects appeared to stem from a high concentration of chlorophyll and beta carotene, as well as from its unusual cell wall.

Cell wall of this alga binds with heavy metals, pesticides, PCB, ... and carries these toxins safely out of the body.

It contains Chlorella Growth Factor ( CGF ).  CGF strengthens immunity by improving the activity of T- and B- cells, which defense against viruses.  CGF strengthens immunity by improving the activity of macrophages , which  destroys cancer.

The Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) was isolated in the 1950s and indicates the level of chlorella's nucleic acids, says Paul Pitchford. Nucleic acids -- RNA and DNA -- in the body direct our cellular growth and repair, yet they decline as we age, and they're depleted by stress, pollution and poor diet. The nucleus of chlorella appears to be a good source of RNA/DNA, which is why the alga is credited with strengthening immunity including the increased activity of T- and B-cells (part of the immune system), reports Pitchford, citing several studies done in Japan in 1984 and 1985 regarding chlorella and its antitumor effect.

Sometimes called the green blood tonic and cleanser, it's reported to be beneficial in cases of anemia, and studies have shown its ability to stimulate regeneration of tissue, accelerate the healing of wounds and inhibit the growth of some tumors.

Chlorella's cell wall is also a useful source of fiber and in conjunction with chlorophyll, is valuable for detoxifying the bowel and for the treatment of constipation.

A unique plant-like property of this wall not found in any other algae, is its ability to bind with toxic metals such as cadmium, lead or mercury as well as pesticides and remove them from the body. However, this same fibrous quality makes chlorella hard to digest and so it is usually broken down mechanically during processing to enable maximum absorption.

Chlorella's protein content is around 60% and like spirulina it contains all essential amino, fatty and nucleic acids. It is also a good source of beta carotene and vitamin B12, which makes it useful for vegans in particular. Studies have also shown it can enhance the liver's detoxification processes, and consequently, it's reputed to be beneficial for hangovers!

At Aston Villa Football Club a five month trial compared the performance of players taking chlorella with that of those who didn't. The results were significant according to coach Roger Spry "The players taking the chlorella seemed to have more energy and recovered from intense exercises more quickly than the others", he says. "One unexpected effect was a noticeable improvement in the condition of their skin and hair".

Some scientists think chlorella may help to prevent degenerative disease and even slow down the aging process, while American researcher Dr. David Steenblock believes it has great potential in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, Epsteir Barr disease and other equally chronic viral illnesses.

 

Chlorophyll, which you can take in supplements derived from green micro-algae and wheat grass, may also help detoxify the body. "Because it absorbs and inactivates toxic materials, people have traditionally taken spirulina and chlorella for their high chlorophyll content," says Ron Klatz, D.O., president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine in Colorado Springs.

The single-celled chlorella alga has become popular because it's high in chlorophyll and because of its nucleic acids, which may strengthen immunity.

This research seems at best preliminary, but it's reinforced by another Japanese study done with AIDS-infected mice that showed some increase in immune function when the mice were fed chlorella (International Journal on Immunopharmacology, June 1995). 

References :

* Troxler,R. and Saffer, B. (Harvard School of Dental Med. Researchers )  Algae Derived Phycocyanin is both Cytostatic and Cytotoxic ( dose-response ) to oral squamous cell carcinoma ( human or hamster ). Paper delivered at International Association for Dental Research General Session, 1987