INFORMATION
ABOUT
SPIRULINA, CHLORELLA & BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
  
Microscopic photos of green algae courtesy of Microscopy-UK
(http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk)
Algae (singular alga) encompass several groups of
relatively simple living aquatic organisms that capture light energy
through photosynthesis, using it to convert inorganic substances into
organic matter.
Spirulina, Chlorella, and Klamath
Blue Green Algae:
What is the Difference?
Many people ask us about
the difference between Klamath Blue Green Algae (Aphanizomenon Flos
Aquae or AFA), spirulina and chlorella. AFA and spirulina are blue
green algaes while chlorella is a green algae, which means it has
an indigestible cellulose wall. This wall must be mechanically broken
in order for the body to be able to digest it. This is a very expensive
process and is reflected in the cost of the product.
Spirulina and chlorella are cultivated in
man-made ponds whereas AFA is wildcrafted from Upper Klamath Lake
where it grows in a pristine, mineral rich environment that cannot
be duplicated synthetically. The difference in energy one receives
from these whole foods is similar to the difference between cultivated
produce and foraged wild vegetables and fruits. In general, one
needs to take only a third as much AFA per day.
Spirulina and Chlorella are usually heat
processed for commercial distribution. The cell walls of Spirulina
are carmelized during spray drying, making it difficult for enzymes
to penetrate the algae cells during digestion. This results in low
assimilation of proteins and other nutritional components. Spray
drying can also kill enzymes, losing heat sensitive components and
decreaseing beta-carotene due to the high temperatures that may
be involved.
(Information taken from Klamath Blue
Green, Inc.'s website: www.klamathbluegreen.com)
A
Note From Phil Wilson
Owner of Momentum98
A
history lesson on...
The
popularization of Algae in the U.S.
Spirulina
The rise of popularity of Spirulina in the U.S. can be attributed
to Dr. Christopher Hills. Dr. Hills did more than anyone in
promoting the benefits of Spirulina & Chlorella when he
started writing books on these Algae and began a company marketing
Spirulina.
He also had a couple of interesting formulas, combining his
Spirulina (which he potentized) with other unique
ingredients such as bee pollen, ginseng, and even snake gall
bladder extract. (I remember reading about one of his
stories about a man from Japan who lived on chlorella alone
for 15 years.)
In the
1970s Dr. Hills started a company whereby the products were
sold through a marketing structure then known as multi-level
distributing, and is now termed network marketing.This
system works when individuals discover a product through use
and beneficial results.They sign up as distributors and share
the results and information with friends and co-workers, who
then may become distributors themselves.
News spread about
the many benefits of Spirulina, especially that this nutrient
dense Algae provides an excellent source of non-aminal
protein, as it is high in B Vitamins. The world took note
of this new wonder food. Spirulina was grown in ponds
in Hawaii, Mexico, Japan, and elsewhere, and its popularity
grew every year.
A few enlightened companies started putting Spirulina
& other Superfoods into their lines of vitamins. Rainbow
Light began including Spirulina and Chlorella in the base
of most of their products by the early 1980s. Sunasu Vitamins
was the first vitamin company to put Super Herbs in their
vitamin formulations.
In September 1981
the
headline NEW DIET AID: SPIRULINA appeared in the
National Enquirer.
After Spirulina made national news- everyone wanted it!
Within one month of the headline, fifty companies introduced
their brands of Spirulina into
Health Food Stores. It has been a staple Superfood &
Power Green ever since, found in many diet effective products
available in Health Food Stores.
Personally, I never considered Spirulina a diet aid. Yet,
it undoubtedly leaves you satisfied, and often when satisfied,
you might have a tendency not to over-eat.
Chlorella
A
few years later, the spotlight turned to Chlorella...
One of the most popular brands of Chlorella was made
in Japan, and was heavily advertised in the United States.
Chlorella is interesting in that, because of it's cell
wall behind hard to dissolve, some kind of process needed
to be designed to half crack the cell wall so that we
humans could assimilate it. Eventually, another kind
and brand of Chlorella from Japan did appear in the
US marketplace, which had a soft cell wall, and did
not have to be electronically cracked.But the demand
for that product was so great in Japan, that there was
not any left in the U.S.
Chlorella was selling like crazy in Health Food Stores
all over the US and then one day... that main company
from Japan wasn't available anymore. (I'm not sure
what role the U.S. government played in eliminating
it. Rumors abound that it played a major role.)
And then a few years
ago, this Japanese product resurfaced in Health Food
Stores in the U.S. where it has to compete with many
other companies, that had appeared in its absence, marketing
this Superfood.
The benefits of this very, very green Algae: it is very
rich in nutrients: including B Vitamins, Carotene, and
Chlorophyll (obvious from its deep green color). As
you know chlorophyll is to plants as blood is to animals
/ humans. People
have been taking chlorella for sustained over-all energy,
and they buy it again and again.
Then, a new algae
entered the picture...
Blue Green Algae
This particular Algae seems to grow only in particular places.
The most plentiful amount of this algae is in a lake in
Oregon called Klamath Lake. Just as Spirulina was popularized
by word of mouth through a network of independent distributors,
the first Blue Green Algae was sold in this manner by a
company that surfaced in the mid 80s.
Currently, there are at least 3-4 different companies harvesting
Blue Green Algae from Lake Klamath. Klamath Blue Green
Algae manufactures the Blue Green Algae products that
we have available. They started harvesting in 1989.
Somehow,
some way, Blue Green Algae
gradually received the incredible press it deserved. Possibly
because it is so rich in amino acids that it goes directly
to the back of the head, and seems to be very effective
in mentally stimulating the human brain. (Better than
coffee, I would say, without the many negative side effects
one finds with caffeine.)
Companies selling Spirulina decided to jump on the Blue
Green Algae bandwagon. Instead of putting Spirulina on their
label, many of these companies labeled their product, believe
it or not, Blue Green Algae. And it is true, Spirulina is
a blue green Algae, in color. Yet, Spirulina is not
Aphanizomenon Flos Aquae. So if you are taking
a product labeled Blue Green Algae,
and you are not getting an incredible mental clarity from
the product, but are feeling very fulfilled nutritionally
from it especially in the frontal area of the head - check
your label. If the words Aphanizomenon Flos Aquae
are not on the label, you are not getting what you thought
you might be getting.
Superfoods
are here to stay.
Superfoods include products such as ginseng,
bee pollen, royal jelly, wheat grass, barley grass, many
other particular herbs too numerous to mention here, and
the Algaes- Spirulina,
Chlorella, & Blue Green Algae.
This has been a brief, direct experience history
of the popularization of the Algaes from a person (me,
Phil Wilson, owner of Momentum98) immersed in the ingestion
& dissemination of not only the products, but information
on them to the populace.
Exact dates have not been checked for accuracy, nor has
there been included here any scientific information about
the benefits and the specific nutrients contained in these
mineral-rich plants. There are many books, articles,
and websites that provide this information.
The intent of this article is not to impress you with what
scientific facts about Algae, because others have done that
and admirably well. Rather the purpose of this article is
to inspire you, to excite your imagination, to get you to
jump into the World of Algae with enthusiasm. Of course,
one has to try the product first before one truly becomes
inspired. I personally eat all of these Algaes as one might
eat candy, or nuts, or seeds.
This
is my summary of how these Algaes affect my body:
Spirulina
can be felt in the forehead and above area of the head.
It is very rich in protein, and
is very satisfying.
Chlorella can be felt
energizing the whole body: in every cell of the chest, head,
legs, everywhere with an even-keel energy.
Blue Green Algae, being
extremely rich in amino acids, seems to be a powerful mind
& brain stimulant, which gives remarkable mental clarity,
and which can be felt in the back or crown of the head.
Combining all three of these
algaes in one capsule is a
very pretty effective food (supplement).
Check out
Klamath Power of Three:
Go to the
main Klamath Product Page
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