One of the oldest foods on the planet is now perfect for the high-tech future. Spirulina is now accepted as such a nutrient-dense super food, it has been approved as space food by NASA and other long-term agencies for space travel and long-term space living. Now one of the oldest foods on the planet is proving to be perfect for the high-tech future. And, because it is a single-celled plant, it assimilates with almost no work from your digestion. In fact, your body begins to assimilate it right in your mouth and into your bloodstream.

Spirulina is one of the many blue-green algaes (single-celled plants); named after its spiral shape. Algaes are incredibly old life forms, responsible for producing and sustaining our oxygenated atmosphere. They are the basis of the food chain and the primary source of food for the great baleen whales. Spirulina is not a salt-water algae; it grows in fresh inland waters. Due to being a prehistoric plant it is rich in nutrients and gives huge amounts of energy. The spirulina in Superfood is potentially one of the most concentrated, nutritious foods on this planet. It is the highest natural source of complete protein. The spirulina we use is very special and comes from Hawaii and is not found in many places in the world.

Dr. Schulze's spirulina is grown in confined ponds, free from any other species of algae. This confinement means that no cross contamination from other species can take place this ensures that no microtoxins can contaminate the spirulina. The water in which this spirulina grows is drawn through a deep pipeline from its origins 2000 feet below water level. The water is kept free of anything that could pollute the spirulina and therefore problems that have arisen in lake grown spirulina are simply not encountered.

The high amount of sunshine makes the spirulina high in Beta Carotene. It is a rich source of B vitamins, especially B12 and it is also one of the richest sources of minerals. One of the oldest types of algae, it has a soft cell wall making digestion and assimilation exceptionally easy.

Spirulina contains chelated versions of potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, phosphorous, and iron. In addition to these beneficial minerals, you can get your B-complex, A and E vitamins from spirulina.
Spirulina also has all nine of the essential amino acids, as well as nine more nonessential ones.

Spirulina contains compounds like phycocyanin, polysaccharides and sulfolipids that enhance the immune system. In fact spirulina contains the most remarkable concentration of functional nutrients ever known in any food, plant, grain or herb. No other algae, blue-green or chlorella, has been the subject of such intense research over the past 30 years - there have been thousands of scientific studies.
Spirulina contains the major long-chain omega-3 fatty acid found in the brain.

It is the primary building block of the gray matter of the brain and the retina of the eye.

Spirulina is a rich source Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), which is the "miracle" ingredient of Spirulina. GLA is an essential fatty acid that has been shown very helpful in the relief of arthritis. GLA also helps lower high blood pressure and blood cholesterol. It eases such other conditions as premenstrual pain, eczema and other skin conditions.

It is 58 times richer in organic iron than raw spinach and 28 times richer than raw beef liver!

Phycocyanin, which is the natural blue pigment of Spirulina, is not found in any other food on the plant. Phycocyanin has shown promise in treating cancer in animals. It also stimulates the immune system.

Spirulina is Alkaline and Helps Balance your Body's pH

It is important that we maintain a balanced body pH of ideally around 7.2-7.4, which is roughly neutral. A diet of junk food to include fast food, over-cooked, processed foods, (especially soft drinks (the worst is cola), which have a pH of 2.7) creates a body that is several thousand times more acidic than our bodies. This is important because all diseases start and live and thrive in an acidic environment and do not live well in an alkaline environment. Thus it follows that to keep ourselves as alkaline as possible creating a healthy body. (Becoming too alkaline is rare but not unheard of.) The rise of fast, junk and processed foods match those of rising cancer rates. Thirty years ago, cancer in children was almost unheard of. Now they have entire hospital wards given over to children with cancer. We are too acidic! This is one of the many reasons why we are getting sick!

Some Research Revealed

Several years ago, the National Cancer Institute announced sulfolipids from blue-green algae like spirulina were remarkably active in test tube experiments against the AIDS virus. In 1993-95, research showed natural polysaccharides in spirulina increased T-cell counts, strengthened the immune system and raised disease resistance in chickens, fish and mice. The animal feed industry is embracing spirulina as a new probiotic to replace overused antibiotic drugs in animal feeds. In 1994, a Russian patent was awarded for spirulina as a medicine for reducing allergic reactions from radiation in the Children of Chernobyl.

Possible Toxicity Concerns Alleviated

On May 5th 1999, the Canadian Health Protection Branch warned that products containing blue-green algae may contain toxins harmful to the liver and some species of blue-green algae naturally produce toxins known as microcystins. Results of Health Canada's market survey testing of blue-green algal products made from only one type of blue-green algae, which is not the type we use. The Spirulina blue-green algae used in Dr Schulze's SuperFood plus is generally harvested from 2000 feet deep controlled ponds and is free of contamination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Organic Hawaiian Spirulina differ from blue-green Algae?

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae, just like Aphamizomenon flos-aquae. But Spirulina grows in water rich in baking soda, which prevents other algae from contaminating the culture. Cultured algae have a far superior nutritional quality.

Why cultured algae is far superior to lake algae:

Conditions are optimized. The most important feature of growing algae is that it must be well mixed. Mixing promotes an even distribution of sunlight to the algae. Without good mixing blue-green algae will float in mats, with the algae on top of the mat getting too much light (it can even dry out and burn) and the algae under the mat does not get enough light. This results in slower growth and cell death. The depth of culture ponds is perfect for mixing which allows the algae to grow faster and achieve a superior nutritional profile (better carotene content and higher protein). more...

Cultured algae is then harvested at peak density. If it were allowed to sit after it peaks, as in lake conditions, some of the algae would grow senescent (old) and lose vitality. Some would die, and when harvesting, a mix of dead and senescent algae is harvested, which does not taste good and has a lower quality.
Cultured algae is uni-algal. Uni-algal means that there is only one type of algae growing in the culture. Spirulina cultures are examined under the microscope every day. This is an assurance that there are no contaminating algae. When harvesting algae from lakes it is possible to yield more than one type of algae. Some types of unwanted algae can be harmful, resulting in upset stomachs, etc. However with Spirulina, unlike lake algae, only one type of algae is harvested.

Why is Dr.Schulzes SuperFood plus Superior to Other Spirulina Based Products?

Dr. Schulze's certified organic Spirulina is much higher in beta carotene (more than double the amount stated on the blue-green algae label). This is because certified organic Spirulina is dried in a patented system called Ocean Chill Drying. This is an oxygen free drying system which takes only seconds, as opposed to hours for freeze drying. While both Ocean Chill and Freeze drying use heat, the Ocean Chill drying system takes less time, resulting in less exposure, no freezing and enzyme survival of the drying process is documented - there are very high levels of superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant enzyme, in Spirulina.
Dr. Schulze's certified organic Spirulina is packed in glass, not plastic, with oxygen absorbers. This protects the product so it does not oxidize. Oxidation damages beta carotene and results in fatty acid rancidity, which can taste bad and reduce nutritional value. Our product has a three-year shelf life from date of manufacture.
Dr. Schulze's certified organic Spirulina is grown with deep ocean seawater as a rich source of magnesium, calcium, and trace elements. This pure deep ocean water is pulled from a depth of 2000 feet, and is exceptionally clean. It contains over 90 elements, and has not been in contact with the atmosphere for over 2500 years.
It has much better taste. Certified organic Spirulina is by far the best tasting Spirulina. It does not have the bitter bite of Aphamizomenon flos-aquae.

How is the cell wall of the Spirulina treated?

The cell wall of Spirulina requires no special treatment. This is because, unlike Chlorella algae, Spirulina's cell wall is soft and does not contain indigestible cellulose. Instead, the cell wall is made of muramic polysaccharide, and is exceptionally easy to digest. This cell wall structure is common to all members of the blue-green algae classification.