Spirulina is found in all seven Emerald Energy® formulas.

ABOUT OUR SPIRULINA
Quite simply, we use the finest spirulina in the world. Our Spirulina platensis comes from a unique strain of this algae that has been developed over many years of continuous cultivation in Hawaii (and is the oldest, continuously cultivated and harvested Spirulina in the world). This special strain of Spirulina has been extensively analyzed by molecular biologists at the University of Hawaii, who have identified unique enzymes not previously found in other strains of Spirulina platensis.

SPIRULINA, BRIEFLY
Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green vegetable algae that has been used as a significant food source for centuries. Spirulina is a complete protein providing 21 amino acids, all the B vitamins, trace minerals, and essential fatty acids. These characteristics lay the foundation for its rejuvenating and cleansing qualities. It provides immediate and long range energy to the body without being a central nervous system stimulant such as ma huang, kola nut, or caffeine which all cause extreme nervousness while compromising adrenal health.

MORE DETAILS
Spirulina is a “Superfood.” It is the most nutritious, concentrated whole food known to humankind. It has a rich, vibrant history, and occupies an intriguing biological and ecological niche in the plant kingdom. Spirulina is truly an amazing food, full of nutritional wonders.

Spirulina’s concentrated nutrition makes it an ideal food supplement for people of all ages and lifestyles. Spirulina is about sixty percent complete, highly digestible protein. Spirulina contains every essential amino acid. It contains more beta-carotene than any other whole food; it is the best whole food source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA); it is rich in B vitamins, minerals, trace elements, chlorophyll, and enzymes; and it is abundant in other valuable nutrients about which scientists are learning more each year, such as carotenoids, sulfolipids, glycolipids, phycocyanin, superoxide dismutase, RNA, and DNA.

Spirulina supplies nutrients that are lacking in most of our diets. It provides athletes with long-lasting energy and reduces recovery time; it nourishes people who have digestion, assimilation, and elimination problems; it satisfies the appetite as it provides essential nutrients to weight watchers; it enables children and others who don’t like vegetables to eat their greens by taking a few tablets; and it helps busy people who don’t have time for regular, balanced meals to nourish themselves. People with various health problems swear by Spirulina - it appears to promote overall health and well-being.

Comparing Spirulina with other foods shows just how packed it is with nutrients:

» Spirulina has 300% more calcium than whole milk
» Spirulina has 2300% more iron than spinach
» Spirulina has 3900% more beta carotene than carrots
» Spirulina has 375% more protein than tofu
» Three grams of Spirulina have more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than five servings of vegetables
» Comparing phytonutrient levels, Spirulina is 31 times more potent than blueberries, 60 times more potent than spinach and 700 times more potent than apples

Algae: Our Benefactors
Algae were the first plants to appear on the planet. Billions of years ago, they transformed the carbon-dioxide-based atmosphere to an oxygen-rich atmosphere in which other life forms could evolve.

Most people think of algae as green or red stuff growing in the ocean or lakes, but, like land plants, there are countless different species of algae; algae come in different colors and sizes and provide everything from deadly toxins to potent medicines.

Of the more than 30,000 species of algae, blue-green algae, such as Spirulina, are the most primitive. They contain no nucleus and their cell walls are soft and easily digested, unlike those of other plants that contain hard cellulose. Of all the algae, Spirulina has emerged as the most potent and nutritious food. In fact, Spirulina is the most concentrated and nutritious whole food known to science. Although Spirulina has been around for millions of years, its widespread popularity as a food is very recent.

Complete Protein
Spirulina is about sixty percent protein - far more than any other food. Its protein is complete, meaning that it contains all the essential amino acids. While most animal proteins are high in fat, calories, and cholesterol, Spirulina is only five percent fat, most of which is beneficial unsaturated fatty acids like GLA (more on this wonderful nutrient later). There are less than four calories in each gram and practically no cholesterol.

Spirulina’s protein is easily digested and assimilated. Other plants have cell walls of hard, indigestible cellulose, while Spirulina’s cell walls consist of soft mucopolysaccharides, making it easy for the body to digest. Digestibility and absorption are very important factors, especially for undernourished people, convalescents, and the elderly.

To determine the percentage of usable protein in a food, we measure the amount of protein present, its digestibility, and its biological value. The only food with more usable protein than Spirulina is eggs. None of the protein sources in the chart below has even close to the amount of other nutrients that Spirulina has; and of course, many of these other protein sources have very negative properties as well, such as animal fat and cholesterol.

Usable Protein Of Common Protein Foods *
Food	Protein (%)	NPU (%)**	Usable Protein (%)
Dried eggs	47	94	44
Spirulina	65	57	37
Dried skimmed milk	36	82	30
Soy flour	37	61	23
Fish	22	80	18
Chicken	24	67	16
Beef	22	67	16
Peanuts	26	38	10
* Switzer (1982)		** Net Protein Utilization

Natural Versus Processed
The health and fitness revolution has brought about new attitudes to diet and lifestyle. Now that we live longer, we want to stay strong and healthy. The demand for natural unprocessed food is growing daily. But, because most of us lead such busy lives, we need to prepare a lot of our meals in a hurry. We want our food to be fast and healthy – not just fast. We often eat out, and those meals are generally lower in nutrients than meals prepared at home.

The National Research Council’s Committee on Diet and Health recommends that we eat 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day; even for people who try to eat well, that’s quite a challenge. Many of us don’t make it a priority to prepare healthy meals every day. It’s good to know that by eating just 3 grams of Spirulina each day we get more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients than are found in 5 servings of vegetables!

To remedy poor diets, many people take food supplements. Taking synthetic vitamin supplements can help; however good synthetics may be, natural food is always better. The body absorbs and utilizes food more efficiently than it does synthetics. Intuitively our bodies prefer food, and Spirulina is an extremely digestible, nutritious food.

Nutrition for People of All Ages
Spirulina is a perfect complimentary nutrient for people of all ages. No RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowances) have been set for the elderly, but their nutritional needs are different from those of other age groups. They are more likely than younger people to be deficient in certain nutrients and may not absorb, utilize, or store nutrients efficiently. Many elderly people are on medication for extended periods, which interferes with nutrient levels. It may not be easy to obtain all the required nutrients from food, so it is important to take food supplements that can be easily digested and utilized by the body. Spirulina is a high-energy food, and due to its soft cell wall, Spirulina offers nutrients in an easily assimilable form. People of all ages also take Spirulina for its cleansing effect and its ability to help improve digestion and elimination.

The amount of Spirulina taken can be adjusted to fit the needs of an individual according to their age, health status or the particular results they want to achieve. Children who won’t eat their vegetables and students away from home should take Spirulina. People who do not consistently eat good, nutritious food are also good candidates for Spirulina. Older people and people recovering from operations should take Spirulina. People who need more energy or aren’t eating a well balanced diet should take Spirulina; in fact, all of the groups mentioned above should eat Spirulina every day.

It’s reassuring to know that, even when we’re busy, with not enough time to shop or cook, we can still eat our greens by taking Spirulina. We’re not suggesting that taking Spirulina makes it all right to live on junk food, but Spirulina is certainly a good addition to any diet.

The Case for Dietary Antioxidants
For most people the term oxygen has pleasant connotations. From the healing air in a forest to the serenity gained from deep breathing, oxygen is very soothing. As is typical in nature, however, there are positive and negative aspects of oxygen. Although oxygen is essential for metabolism, it is a very reactive compound. Sometimes oxygen will combine with the complex molecules of metabolism to make reactive intermediate compounds which can be dangerous.

Free Radicals
When oxygen combines with the complex metabolic molecules it creates compounds called free radicals. Small quantities of free radicals are produced during normal body metabolism, such as breathing and digestion. Exposure to sunlight and bacterial infections promotes free radical formation. Athletes tend to generate more free radicals during strenuous exercise, when they burn more of the body’s fuel. Large quantities are present in many of the pollutants our bodies are exposed to, like smoke, burnt food, car exhaust, and many chemicals. Free radicals are highly unstable molecules ready to react (oxidize) with anything. Once free radicals are formed, they can trigger a chain reaction that produces other free radicals. The human body produces some antioxidants like superoxide dismutase to help alleviate the free radicals produced by the body; unfortunately, living in today’s world with higher stress levels, pollution and mass-produced foods increases our bodies’ free radical levels above what can be eliminated by the antioxidants produced by the body.

The outward manifestations of free radical damage are lines, wrinkles, dry skin, loss of muscle tone, and even skin cancer. Internally, free radicals impair immune function, damage tissue, and generally weaken or destroy cells. Damage to cells includes the DNA; and damage to the DNA of our cells is now thought to be a major component of the aging process. DNA contains the cells’ instructions for when to divide, how to make enzymes and other proteins, and how to direct all the other cellular activities. Once this “blueprint” has been damaged, cells lose their ability to function normally. Damage to DNA is usually repaired, but occasionally the repair job is defective. In the worst case, a cancerous cell line can begin. Fortunately, we have immune systems that are generally, but not always, capable of detecting and eliminating cancerous cells. But of course, it is better to avoid this last line of defense and prevent the damage in the first place.

Antioxidants
An antioxidant is capable of joining with a free radical and rendering it harmless. One can visualize a free radical as a spilled liquid and the antioxidant as the sponge. When antioxidants are present, the cell can proceed with its business without damage. Certain natural foods and herbs are the source of most antioxidants, which is why diet is so important in maintaining a healthy and strong body.

Carotenoids
Carotenoids are vitally important antioxidants. Numerous studies have indicated that people whose diets contain a lot of foods rich in carotenoids lower their risk of developing various types of cancer (see the section on Scientific Research).

Natural vs. synthetic: A good illustration of the importance of taking natural vitamins from food can be made with beta-carotene, one of the carotenoids present in Spirulina in large quantities. There are many synthetic beta-carotene supplements on the market. In fact, even some that claim to be “natural” are synthetic. Nature makes beta-carotene in two shapes, called cis and trans, while synthetic is primarily only one shape (trans).

Cis and trans forms of beta-carotene are two different compounds, different chemically, and different physically. They behave differently when crystallizing and when dissolving. There is also a difference when they are absorbed in the intestine for digestion. In fact, a study showed that chickens and rats absorb ten times more natural beta-carotene than synthetic! In studies where beta-carotene is correlated with lower incidence of cancer, the beta-carotene is from natural food. This is one reason why major government agencies, such as the National Institute of Health and the National Cancer Institute, recommend natural food sources of beta-carotene.

Another advantage of natural beta-carotene is that it contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives, whereas synthetic beta-carotene contains preservatives and trace residues of chemicals used in the refining process.

There are between 400 and 600 carotenoids about which we know very little: almost all the research so far has concentrated on beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin and most recently astaxanthin. The full range of carotenoids is only found in food, which is why it is important to include carotenoid-rich foods in our diet.

It is quite possible that the other carotenoids are just as valuable for our health as beta-carotene. Carotenoids are used and stored in several parts of the body, including the adrenal glands, the reproductive system, the pancreas and spleen, the skin, and the retina. Depletion of these stores results in disturbances in the body despite adequate levels of beta-carotene.

Sources of Natural Beta-carotene
There are many food sources of beta-carotene. Spinach and kale and other dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, squash, papayas, cantaloupes, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are all excellent sources. Regrettably, however, most people get only 25-30% of the daily dietary carotenoid intake recommended in a cancer-preventive diet; and many people are unwilling to make radical dietary changes.

The easy way to eat your daily dose of food-based beta-carotene is to take Spirulina, the richest whole food source of beta-carotene. Unlike other beta-carotene supplements, Spirulina is a whole food with its beta-carotene in a naturally chelated food matrix. And Spirulina is not only rich in beta-carotene, it contains other very important carotenoids like zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin as well as lesser known carotenoids such as myxoxanthophyll and echinenone.

Food Comparison Chart
Food	Beta-carotene
Hawaiian Spirulina, 3 grams	9.0 mg
Carrot, 1 medium	4.9 mg
Papaya, 1 medium	3.7 mg
Chlorella, 3 grams	1.0 mg
Apricot, 1 medium	0.9 mg