A is for Algae: Thoughts on Three High Protein, Super Foods

Barbara Perry has lived in the Happy Valley neighborhood since 1973. She graduated from WWU in 1985, and has taught English composition and literature at Northwest Indian College, Whatcom Community College, WWU and University of Washington. She is currently retired.

In this day of unhealthy foods and abused animals used for meat, I have found it useful to learn some basics about some super-foods in order to help lessen health problems. I have extensive ones myself as I was told I had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) back in 1981. MS is a supposedly in-curable disease. Since learning of my disease, I have been searching for alternative health ideas. My latest find is an ancient one, thus the title of this piece.

AMA doctors most likely will not tell you about natural remedies such as green super foods. They may not know about them. They thankfully know about helpful prescription medication that is too dangerous to be over–the-counter. You may seek advice from naturopaths for natural remedies, but that gets expensive.

No one wants to become sickly and grow old unpleasantly. Good foods are critical to health maintenance, but you don’t have to wait to get a diagnosis like mine to look into blue-green algae. I began by reading two excellent books: “Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats,” (2001, NewTrends) by Sally Fallon, and “Healing with Whole Foods: Oriental Traditions and Modern Nutrition,” (1993, North Atlantic Books) by Paul Pitchford. Algae such as Spirulina and Chlorella are listed as super foods in these books.

Sally Fallon, on page 617, explains that “Blue-green algae, … grow on inland waters throughout the world – visible as greenish scum on still lakes and ponds.” These foods have been used by the Aztecs in Mexico, and the Africans in the Sahara. Today they are grown in China, Korea and Japan. Paul Pitchford claims in his book, on page 189, “ … we find three and one-half billion years of life on this planet encoded in their nucleic acids … In general, the blue-green algae is [sic] nurturing, tonifying, and useful for overcoming deficiencies, but at the same time offers cleansing action because of its rich chlorophyll content … whereas meats are difficult to digest, the algae supplies[sic] quick, easily digestible, and long lasting energy.”

Highest Sources of Protein

These foods offer “ … the highest sources of protein, beta-carotene, and nucleic acids of any animal or plant food.” (Pitchford p.189) Different name brands of these products in various health food sections and supplement sections of stores are pricy. Is the price worth the benefits?

No Meat Please

Meat, of course, is also expensive. I don’t like eating today’s meat, both because of the way animals are treated and because unhealthy animals are unhealthy to eat. Ethically treated animals and thus more healthy meat costs more than I can afford.

Words From Trustworthy Sources

Bellingham nutritional stores, including the Food Coops, can be less pricy than buying algae on the net as there is no shipping cost added. Besides, shopping local feels right and many of the sales people in these stores are knowledgeable. The experience they bring in answering questions is less expensive than visiting naturopaths, who are credentialed, but often way over $100 an hour. Unfortunately, Medicare does not assist with their fees. Of course, supplement clerks do not give medical advice.

One benefit of a naturopath is that hopefully a person can be guided on the amount of consumption. Pitchford states that algae foods like Spirulina and Chlorella (broken cell Chlorella digests best) can “contain safe amounts of nucleic acid” but he also warns that “too much nucleic acid” can cause “calcium deficiency, kidney stones, and gout.” (p. 190) Then again, more sources than can be named, report that too much meat consumption can harm the heart. Consuming correct amounts of algae foods is important.

Pitchford explains the benefits of the different algae in far more detail that my summaries can. The detailed explanation is useful for understanding algae benefits for people with serious health problems, including the elderly.

When reading on the net about these foods, often what is presented is written by companies selling products and thus what is claimed is not always unbiased. I choose my sources carefully.

Be Aware

One useful net source explained how there is too much “hype” on the net because of algae profits. However, a supplement manager, Jenny Lecture, said all their different name brand products were quite similar. One main issue, she continued, was in keeping algae fresh or it can oxidize and lose its potency.

Spirulina and Chlorella are in the bulk section of the Coop. In that way, people can try a small amount to discover the taste and effect. Jenny agreed but added to be aware that exposure to the air causes the effectiveness of both products to weaken somewhat, so the bottled products are less exposed; however, she stated, the bulk products are worthy.

Loss of effectiveness by oxidization is characteristic of all the algae products, so one wonders about different product claims. Also if an algae product is processed with high heat, it will lose its potency. That is why it is useful to get advice from trustworthy sources about different name brands. I became aware of the effectiveness of Spirulina by trying a juice smoothie mixed with Spirulina. The smoothie became my lunch as it filled me and gave me more energy than I was expecting. It was the smoothie that sold me on Spirulina.

Klamath Falls Local Blue Green Algae

Blue green algae are grown in the Oregon Cascades on Klamath Lake and thus are a more local product. However, it is so popular it is often difficult to find. Even on the net, I was told I would have to wait a few weeks before a shipment would come in. There is an interesting video of the Klamath Falls blue green algae that shows it looks like small kelp-like balls.1

A company site, www.klamathbluegreen.com, that lists some differences among the algae is paraphrased below:

1. Today, most Spirulina and Chlorella are both either grown in concrete or plastic ponds that add salt often 100 percent higher than Klamath Blue Green Algae.

2. Klamath Blue Green Algae are 98 percent assimilable; Spirulina is often 65–70 percent assimilable depending on how it is processed; and Chlorella is 80 percent assimilable.

3. The cell wall in Chlorella is noted by many sources as being difficult to break down.

4. Minerals from Klamath Lake are naturally from the volcanic made lake and not added.2

Protein is not the only positive nutrient in algae. Minerals from the water the algae grow in also are a benefit as well as high amounts of B12, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. It is easy to find digestible broken-cell Chlorella.

There are other claims about super foods worth reading more about, such as algae helping to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and ridding the body of toxins such as mercury. My studies have been convincing to me, and interested persons should set about their own research.

As I said in the beginning, I am not an expert but I do know I want to continue eating algae. In fact, my consuming some gave me inspiration and the energy to write this piece. Algae are an expensive food, but so is meat. At a heaping teaspoon of algae a day, a small jar of algae lasts me for weeks. It certainly is a better alternative for me than purchasing slaughterhouse beef or any beef that has been given toxins. The algae super foods have been working for me as I seek well-being and energy living with MS.