Best Protein on Earth?

**lomox** · 09-03-2010, 11:40 AM

Anyone ever hear of/use this stuff? Seems a bit too good to be true, albeit it's pretty expensive.

Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green alga in the shape of a spiral coil, living both in sea and fresh water. Spirulina is the common name for human and animal food supplements produced primarily from two species of cyanobacteria: Arthrospira platensis, and Arthrospira maxima.

Protein
Spirulina contains an unusually high amount of protein with, between 55% and 77% by dry weight, depending upon the source. It is a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, though with reduced amounts of methionine, cysteine, and lysine when compared to the proteins of meat, eggs, and milk. It is, however, superior to typical plant protein, such as that from legumes.

Essential fatty acids
Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and also provides alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA).

Vitamins
Spirulina contains vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A, and vitamin E.

B12
The bioavailability of vitamin B12 in spirulina is in dispute. Several biological assays have been used to test for the presence of vitamin B12. The most popular is the US Pharmacopeia method using the Lactobacillus leichmannii assay. Studies using this method have shown spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B12. However, this assay does not differentiate between true B12 (cobalamin) and similar compounds (corrinoids) that cannot be used in human metabolism. Cyanotech, a grower of spirulina, claims to have done a more recent assay, which has shown spirulina to be a significant source of cobalamin. However, the assay is not published for scientific review, so the validity of this assay is in doubt.[10] The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada in their position paper on vegetarian diets state that spirulina cannot be counted on as a reliable source of active vitamin B12.

Minerals
Spirulina is a rich source of potassium, and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, and zinc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiruli...ary_supplement)

**Barrett** · 09-03-2010, 11:44 AM

Everyone knows ALRI's HumaPro is the best protein on Earth! lol....

**GENESIS** · 09-03-2010, 12:13 PM

i wouldnt say its the best, but i have definitely heard of it.

**Sledge** · 09-03-2010, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by lomox

Anyone ever hear of/use this stuff? Seems a bit too good to be true, albeit it's pretty expensive.

Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green alga in the shape of a spiral coil, living both in sea and fresh water. Spirulina is the common name for human and animal food supplements produced primarily from two species of cyanobacteria: Arthrospira platensis, and Arthrospira maxima.

Protein
Spirulina contains an unusually high amount of protein with, between 55% and 77% by dry weight, depending upon the source. It is a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, though with reduced amounts of methionine, cysteine, and lysine when compared to the proteins of meat, eggs, and milk. It is, however, superior to typical plant protein, such as that from legumes.

Essential fatty acids
Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and also provides alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA).

Vitamins
Spirulina contains vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A, and vitamin E.

B12
The bioavailability of vitamin B12 in spirulina is in dispute. Several biological assays have been used to test for the presence of vitamin B12. The most popular is the US Pharmacopeia method using the Lactobacillus leichmannii assay. Studies using this method have shown spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B12. However, this assay does not differentiate between true B12 (cobalamin) and similar compounds (corrinoids) that cannot be used in human metabolism. Cyanotech, a grower of spirulina, claims to have done a more recent assay, which has shown spirulina to be a significant source of cobalamin. However, the assay is not published for scientific review, so the validity of this assay is in doubt.[10] The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada in their position paper on vegetarian diets state that spirulina cannot be counted on as a reliable source of active vitamin B12.

Minerals
Spirulina is a rich source of potassium, and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, and zinc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirulina_(dietary_supplement)

Coooooool. I'll have two 300g spirulina steaks medium rare please.

**Mac** · 09-03-2010, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by lomox

Anyone ever hear of/use this stuff?

I heard about this in the 80s and started taking it. I don't know what good it did as I can't remember.

**lomox** · 09-03-2010, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by MacTech

I heard about this in the 80s and started taking it. I don't know what good it did as I can't remember.

By your pics looks like it did good my man!

IDK I watched a movie called Food Matters which form a film aspect was very good, but after visiting their website it kinda comes off as propaganda to sell "Superfoods".