Value of Spirulina, Barley & Wheat Grass

bhaktajan · December 4, 2007

Dear Prabhus, This data is to inform you all of the value of nutrician from a little known source of vitamins and minerals--available in a powder form for consumption:

ys,

Bhaktajan

Barley grass

Barley grass is said to have 30 times more vitamin B1 and 11 times the amount of calcium than there is in cow’s milk, 6.5 times as much carotene and nearly 5 times the iron content of spinach, close to seven times the vitamin C in oranges, four times the vitamin B1 in whole wheat flour, and 80 micrograms of vitamin B12 per 100 grams of dried barley plant juice.

Barley grass is very high in organic sodium, which dissolves calcium deposited on the joints and also replenishes organic sodium in the lining of the stomach. This aids digestion by improving the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. People with arthritis have used celery juice for years because of the organic sodium it contains (28mg per 100grms), but compare this to the amount of organic sodium in barley grass (775mg per 100 grams)!

Barley grass, at the time it is harvested to make juice, is about 45 percent protein. It has almost twice as much protein as an equivalent amount of wheat germ and about five times the minerals which accompany animal protein, in addition the protein in barley grass doesn't come burdened with fat.

Enzymes (barley grass is believed to contain up to 1,000 of them) are the necessary regulators of the body, without them our cells could not function and we would perish. Barley grass has one of the highest natural levels of enzyme SOD (superoxide dismutase), which is a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells against toxic free radicals, thought to be a primary culprit in aging.

Barley grass also contains one of the most amazing nutrients, “chlorophyll “(liquid oxygenated sunshine), a natural detoxifier that rids the intestines of stored toxins.

Sure, you don't have to drink green grass juices to get chlorophyll; it is present in all dark green, leafy vegetables. But the question is “ how many servings of spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, or turnip and beet tops, do you eat everyday?" Some people eat none…ever! And for those who do eat them regularly, there is, after all, a limit to the amount of spinach, kale and the likes someone can eat.

Getting chlorophyll by taking barley grass is as easy as mixing 1-2 tsp, two times a day, in water or you favourite juice. For those who want to spend even less time getting their essential nutrients, simply take barley grass capsules or tablets with a glass of water.

The importance of green foods in our diet is now being validated scientifically. Dehydrated cereal grasses compare favourably with other greens in respect to both nutrients and cost. It is an excellent and convenient source of green food nutrients.

Green food nutrients support healthy blood and circulation. Iron, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B12, pyridoxine and protein are all vital for the formation and maintenance of adequate levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells. Chlorophyll may also be beneficial in these processes. In addition, chlorophyll, vitamin K, and calcium are all involved in blood clot formation and breakdown.

Users of barley grass have also found it useful as an aid in weight loss and good for the heart, healing of ulcers, correcting blood sugar problems and, most of all, as a general tonic.

Spirulina

As a health supplement, Spirulina is an extremely high protein source, with a protein content of 60-70 percent higher than any other natural food and also most nutritional products. However, even greater nutritional value can be found in its high concentration of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients. This superfood has the most remarkable concentration of functional nutrients ever found in food - animal or plant.

When it was found that Spirulina grew so fast (producing 20 times more protein per acre than soybeans), it was named the food of the future. On top of this, spirulina delivers more nutrition per acre than any other food on the planet. This has extraordinary implications for more efficient, sustainable food production in the future, as we advance into uncertain economic times.

3-10 grams a day of the green as a nutritional supplement delivers impressive amounts of vitamin B12 & B complex, iron, essential trace minerals, beta carotene and gamma-linolenic acid. Beyond vitamins and minerals, spirulina is a super antioxidant. It is rich in phytonutrients and functional nutrients that have a profound positive effect on health.

For those starving in Third world countries, this super concentrated food would bring a quick recovery from malnutrition. In developed countries, the diet is loaded with unhealthy and nutrient depleted foods, which are being consumed in excess. This creates a calorie overload, yet still does not achieve our nutritional requirements.

We now know that spirulina can renourish our bodies and renew our health. It is legally approved as a food, or food supplement, in the ffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="USA</st1:country-region">, Europe, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> and many other countries around the globe. The <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> Food and Drug Administration confirmed in 1981 that this green food is a valuable source of protein and contains various vitamins and minerals, and therefore can be legally marketed as a food supplement. </st1:country-region>

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green algae that exists as a single celled organism that turns sunlight into life energy.

It is one of the first life forms designed by nature, more than 3.6 billion years ago. Spirulina contains billions of years of evolutionary wisdom in its DNA and is an offspring of earth’s first photosynthetic life forms.

Under a microscope, spirulina is a blue-green color and has the appearance of a spiral of long thin threads.

Spirulina is exceedingly adaptable and occurs in a wide variety of environments, including fresh water, tropical springs, saltwater and saltpans.

Spirulina is full of nutrients and very easily digested. Commercially, spirulina is available as a powder, tablet and capsule or already added to some foods and health tonics.

There are many forms of valuable algae, and in the last 40 years spirulina has been singled out for its nutritional properties. Long before it became a favorite of the health food industry (centuries ago), spirulina was eaten regularly by North Africans and Mexicans. Now many people around the globe realise that spirulina is a powerful food, with huge potential as a whole food source, as well as being a medicine and biochemical resource.

A great deal of research has concentrated on the cultivation and harvesting of what is affectionately referred to as ‘the green’. It has been described as ‘probiotic’ and a ‘superfood’.

The cultivation of spirulina has also brought interest because, as with most micro algae, spirulina is extremely adaptable, often thriving in extreme conditions. With its rich nutritional goodness and ability to grow in adverse conditions, spirulina has a huge potential to be a food source that will help feed and nourish the worlds population.

As a plant, spirulina is incredibly rich, containing a balance of nutrients that make it virtually a ‘whole food’ – capable of sustaining life without the need for other foods.

Spirulina provides vitamins, many minerals, essential amino acids, carbohydrates and enzymes. Spirulina is at least 60% vegetable protein, which is predigested by the algae, making it a highly digestible food. It is higher in protein than any other food. Its outstanding nutritional profile also includes the essential fatty acids, GLA fatty acid, lipids, the nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), B complex, vitamin C and E and phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, chlorophyll (blood purifier), and phycocyanin (a blue pigment), which is a protein that is known to inhibit cancer.

A breakdown in nutritional terms of a few of the most commonly available supplements reveals an impressive comparison.

How is it grown?

Spirulina thrives in natural alkaline lakes. Spirulina farming is part of the new era of ecological agriculture. The key component in the production of spirulina is sunlight, and attention is given to measurement of temperature and oxygen levels.

Because pesticides and herbicides would kill many important microscopic life forms in a pond, algae scientists have learned how to balance pond ecology without the use of these harmful substances.

This form of aquaculture represents one of the solutions needed to produce food, while restoring the planet.

Wheat grass

Wheat grass contains over eighty different minerals, is high in fibre, and averages 25% protein (more than meat, fish, eggs, beans or dairy products). It is also more concentrated in iron than spinach but, unlike spinach, contains little or no oxalic acid, which binds the useable calcium in the system and can leach calcium from teeth and bones.

Wheat grass has about as much magnesium as broccoli, brussels sprouts (who likes them?), beets and carrots. Magnesium is vital for muscle contraction and bowel health.

Potassium, ”the youth mineral”, which is plentiful in wheat grass, maintains mineral balance, tones the muscles, firms the skin, and promotes overall beauty. If you are on a calorie restricted eating plan for weigh loss, you can have all the potassium you need if you use wheat grass, without all the calories from the potassium rich fruits such as bananas.

Wheat grass contains about the same amount of Vitamin C as citrus fruits, and more than common vegetables like tomatoes or potatoes. As you know, Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant crucial to the health of the skin, teeth, gums, muscles, and joints.

If you do not eat animal products, you will be thrilled to find out that wheat grass is rich in Vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining healthy eyes and skin, as well as supporting normal development and reproduction.

Antioxidant Vitamin E ”protector of the heart” is a fat-soluble “fertility” vitamin, responsible for the healing of wounds and infections, and prevention of muscle degeneration.

Wheat grass is a good source of calcium, which is essential for strong bones and teeth, in addition to acting as a buffer to restore balance to blood pH.

Those on a sodium restricted eating plan will be pleased to hear that wheat grass contains only a bare minimum of organic sodium!