Perennial Greens

Cotnined from Yesterday

Greening the Oceans

The depths of the world’s waters provide a vast number of green foods found to be beneficial to human health. For instance, Capelli said spirulina’s advantages include improving immunity, inhibiting viruses, helping with cardiovascular issues, improving eye and brain health, supporting the liver and kidneys, preventing anemia, improving blood health and reducing the risk of cancer. “Among the most researched areas have been immunity, cardiovascular health, cancer prevention and anti-viral properties,” he added.

This alga is about 60-percent protein with all the essential amino acids. It contains beta-carotene, gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), B vitamins, minerals, trace elements, chlorophyll, enzymes and carotenoids.

Many formulators see spirulina as a way to provide a kind of multivitamin. “Spirulina has become much more interesting to consumers because of the complete nutrition—protein, vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients—that it provides,” said Rudi E. Moerck, president and CEO, Valensa. “Spirulina is a complete food that offers high-quality protein (complete essential amino acids), phytopigments (beta-carotene, carotenoids and phycocyanin), essential fatty acids (EFAs), vitamins and minerals.”

Beyond basic nutrition, studies have demonstrated spirulina’s specific benefits. A Brazilian article noted it has been experimentally proven, in vivo and in vitro, to treat certain allergies, anemia, cancer, hepatotoxicity, viral and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, immunodeficiency and inflammatory processes, among others.6

In humans, Spirulina maxima intake decreases blood pressure and plasma lipid concentrations, especially triacylglycerols and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and indirectly modifies the total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values, according to a 2009 review.7

It has also been to shown to be effective in reducing the risk of cancer. Almost half (45 percent) of tobacco chewers who had pre-cancerous lesions in their mouths and took 1 g/d of spirulina experienced regression of the lesions, compared to only 7 percent in a placebo group in one study.8 A Ukrainian study noted the liver-protective properties of spirulina are due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, membrane-stabilizing and immunocorrecting actions, and may prevent chronic hepatitis from turning into hepatocirrhosis.9

Spirulina may also attract athletes, as supplementation induced a significant increase in exercise performance and fat oxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration and attenuated the exercise-induced increase in lipid peroxidation.10

Also, small in size, yet big in benefits, chlorella is a type of green algae that absorbs large amounts of dioxin, lead, mercury and other contaminants. Only as big as a red blood cell, this one-celled organism contains 50-percent protein, vitamin B6, minerals, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, vitamin B12, and alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) and GLA.

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/2010/11/perennial-greens.aspx

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/