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I’ve been doing some reading about spirulina algae on the internet. Most of the information out there has to do with its benefits on humans, but I think I found enough
information to make many strong statements about its benefits to fish.
The bottom line is: Spirulina is a good food for most types of
fish, and you should look to be sure the food you feed to your
fish contains spirulina.
Now first things first, I’m not sure how much you already now about spirulina, so I’ll start at the beginning. I’ll include the web pages where I found the information.
Spirulina is the botanical name of blue-green algae that is barely half a millimeter long. In Latin the word spirulina means “little spiral”, referring to the algae’s spiral structure.
Spirulina is one of the oldest forms of life. This primeval nutrition has been growing on earth for 3.5 billion years. Spirulina can only thrive in extremely alkaline water (pH approximately
9-11, drinking water has a pH of 7). It grows wild in Lake Chad and Lake Nakuru in Africa and in Lake Texcoco in Mexico. Spirulina is not actually a marine algae.
1. From the web page at
http://www.spirulina.nl/overspirulinaEN/index.asp?pid=279#
Spirulina (rhymes with "ballerina") is a traditional food of some Mexican and African peoples. It is a planktonic blue-green algae found in warm water alkaline volcanic lakes. Wild
spirulina sustains huge flocks of flamingos in the alkaline East African Rift Valley lakes.
Millions of people worldwide eat spirulina cultivated in scientifically designed algae farms. Current world production of spirulina for human consumption is more than 1,000 metric tons
annually. The United States leads world production followed by Thailand, India and China. More countries are planning production as they realize it is a valuable strategic resource.
Scientists in the US, Japan, China, Russia, India and other countries are studying this remarkable food to unlock its potential. More research is needed to determine its usefulness against AIDS
and other killer diseases. However, it is already clear that this safe and natural food provides concentrated nutritional support for optimum health and wellness.
2. From the web page at
http://www.lightparty.com/Health/Spirulina.html
Next, I’ll show you the interesting facts about Spirulina I found.
Spirulina beta carotene is ten times more concentrated than carrots. So even if you don't eat the recommended 4 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day (most people eat only 1-2,
including French fries), get your natural beta carotene insurance from spirulina to help support your body's defenses.
Spirulina is 60% easy-to-digest vegetable protein without the fat and cholesterol of meat. People are eating less meat and dairy protein because they want to lower fat, cholesterol, and chemicals
in their diet. Spirulina is the highest protein food with all the essential amino acids and has only a few calories to keep your waistline where you want it.
Spirulina grows rapidly, producing 20 times more protein per acre than soybeans. Grown without pesticides or herbicides and dried in a few seconds preserving full nutritional value without
stabilizers or chemical additives.
3. From the web page at
http://www.spirulina.com/SPBSpirulina.html
Spirulina is one of the most concentrated natural sources of nutrition know for both terrestrial and aquatic animals. Early interest in Spirulina focused mainly on its potential as a source of
protein and vitamins. Spirulina is 60-70% protein by weight and is the richest source of Vitamin B-12 and Beta carotene (twenty times that of carrots) and is also loaded with essential fatty
acids and minerals.
4. From the web site at
http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/
It possesses an amazing ability to thrive in conditions much too harsh for other algae. As might be expected, it has a highly unusual nutritional profile. Spirulina has a 62% amino acid content,
is the world's richest natural source of vitamin B-12 and contains a whole spectrum of natural mixed carotene and xanthophyll phytopigments. Spirulina has a soft cell wall made of complex sugars
and protein, and is different from most other algae in that it is easily digested.
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