Our product developer Kassandra explains: What you should know about spirulina
Refreshing - and blue like the ocean: this is our Ocean Bowl. In addition to banana, pineapple and mint, dates, zucchini and coconut butter are also responsible for the exotic taste. The superfood Spirulina, on the other hand, provides the intense blue color of the popular Insta-Bowl. And although the algae is tasteless, it is the secret star of our Ocean Bowl. How come? You will find out in today's post about the colorful super algae.
What is Spirulina? An overview of the hard facts: Occurrence and cultivation
Spirulina is a so-called cyanobacterium - but the superfood is better known as blue-green algae. Spirulina gets its exotic color from the pigment phycocyanin, which the algae also uses to capture light for photosynthesis.[1]
What exactly was that again? Here the definition comes in short form: As part of the physiological process of photosynthesis, plants, in this case spirulina, use water, carbon dioxide and light to produce glucose and oxygen. With the help of solar energy, organic and high-energy substances are obtained from inorganic and low-energy substances.
By the way, spirulina has been performing this process for 3.5 billion years - even if it has only gained popularity in recent years, the alga is one of the best-known fossils in existence. It grows in mineral-salty water with a high pH value of 9 to 11 and needs a lot of sun and warmth. For the ready-to-eat form as a powder or in capsules, the algae is extracted in shallow salt water basins so that the biomass can be dried with hot air or sunlight and processed further.
How healthy is the superfood Spirulina?
The blue-green alga is one of the most nutritious foods of our time and has therefore truly earned the name “superfood”. It contains important amino acids that serve as building blocks for the formation of proteins. Proteins, in turn, take on various functions in our body - one of them is muscle building.
This makes the alga an interesting addition to their nutrition plan, especially for athletes. But that's not all - Spirulina also contains many vitamins, trace elements and minerals such as iron, potassium, copper, manganese, iodine, gamma-linolenic acid and B vitamins.
The alga, which, unlike the also popular superfood Spirulina Chlorella, does not have a cell nucleus, also has a high bioavailability of beta-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body. Carotenoids, which include beta-carotene, generally act as antioxidants. They trap harmful radicals and strengthen our immune system and the growth of hair and nails.
No wonder that spirulina is often touted as a natural “detoxifying agent”. The consumption of spirulina in capsule or powder in combination with a balanced, plant-based diet can also help to cover the daily requirement of some important minerals. Sounds healthy? It is!
Whether as an ingredient in your smoothie bowl or as an additive in your morning smoothie - the superfood Spirulina impresses with lots of natural and healthy ingredients and, thanks to its blue color, puts you in a good mood. If you want to find out more about our Ocean Bowl or want to be inspired by delicious recipes and matching toppings, take a look our Instagram profile past.
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[1] https://eatsmarter.de/ernaehrung/gesund-ernaehren/8-gruende-why-spirulina-is-so-healthy
[2] https://sci-hub.do/10.1088/1757-899X/509/1/012031
[3] https://www.livescience.com/48853-spirulina-supplement-facts.html
