Spirulina is typically considered to be one of the world's most powerful superfoods. It has more protein than meat, fish, poultry, and soybeans. It has the most beta-carotene of any food, and it has a full spectrum of ten mixed carotenoids. It contains all eight essential amino acids, and no fewer than ten non-essential amino acids. It is also rich in iron, vitamins A, E, and B, potassium, enzymes, minerals, phytonutrients, and beneficial fatty acids like DHA and GLA.
But, where does spirulina exactly come, and how does it get made into the powder and tablet forms that are suitable for human consumption?
What is Spirulina?
Spirulina is a type of algae, and it also happens to be one of the oldest life forms on Earth. In fact, science has determined that spirulina was actually responsible for producing much of the oxygen on the planet that allowed the earliest organisms to develop.
For centuries, civilizations the world over cultivated and cherished spirulina for its amazing health-improving benefits. For example, the Aztecs harvested the algae from Lake Texcoco in Mexico. The native people in Chad, Africa have also used the algae as a primary staple in their daily diet, as spirulina grows naturally and profusely in the pure salt water lakes of the region.
Where Does Spirulina Grow?
Spirulina, in its natural algae form, can be found in many freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds. It grows best in environments that have moderate temperatures, and very high levels of sunlight. Nutrex Hawaii grows its spirulina in a specially-designed BioSecure Zone on the Kona coast of Hawaii, because this environment is perfect for cultivating this powerful superfood.
Nutrex Hawaii's spirulina grows in ponds fed with 100% fresh potable water from Hawaiian aquifers, and pure, deep ocean water that's pumped from 2,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
The unique combination of the ultra-pure, deep ocean water and the fresh potable water enriches this particular strain of spirulina with trace minerals, making it the most potent form of the superfood available.
How Is Spirulina Dried and Processed Into Powders and Supplements?
Nutrex Hawaii utilizes proprietary Ocean Chill Drying™ technology to dry the spirulina once it is harvested. This process instantly flash-dries the algae in as little as three to seven seconds, in order to eliminate the risk of oxidation of the algae's carotenes and fatty acids that often occurs in standard drying procedures.
Nutrex Hawaii's Ocean Chill Drying™ process is conducted in a closed system in which very cold deep ocean water is used to provide dehumidification, while the entire process is kept at less than one percent oxygen by flushing it with nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
The result is the purest, highest nutritional-grade of dried spirulina that can then be sold direct as a powder, or pressed into tablet form for convenient integration into one's daily diet.
