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Food For Life - Haiti Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis)

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is a tiny blue-green algae in the shape of a perfect spiral coil. Biologically speaking, it is one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet. Appearing 3.6 billion years ago, it provided an evolutionary bridge between bacteria and green plants. This water plant has renewed itself for billions of years and has nourished many cultures throughout history, in Africa, in the Middle East and in the Americas.

UCT is looking to establish Spirulina farms on land to be purchased for our Barbados humanitarian projects. This processed product will be part of our Food for Life Caribbean and branded and packaged to sell in our Goshen Resorts and CBI projects throughout the Caribbean.

Spirulina grows naturally in mineral-rich alkaline lakes which can be found on every continent, often near volcanoes. The largest concentrations of spirulina today can be found at Lake Texcoco in Mexico, around Lake Chad in Central Africa and along the Great Rift Valley in East Africa.

Spirulina is called a super food because its nutrient content is more potent than any other food.

Many of the essential nutrients needed by our bodies are concentrated in spirulina.

It is comprised of at least 60% all-vegetable protein, essential vitamins and phytonutrients such as the rare essential fatty acid GLA, sulfolipids, glycolipids and polysaccharides.

60% easy-to-digest complete vegetable protein without the fat and cholesterol of meat. Spirulina is a low-fat, low-calorie, cholesterol-free source of easily-digestible vegetable protein containing all the essential amino acids that cannot be produced by the body but are needed to synthesize the non-essential amino acids. Spirulina has no cellulose in its cell walls and is therefore easily digested and assimilated.

Natural Beta Carotene (provitamin A)
Spirulina is the richest source of natural beta carotene, ten times more concentrated than in carrots. Natural beta carotene is superior to the synthetic variety because the human body converts beta carotene to Vitamin A only as needed; vitamin A will therefore NOT build up in the body and become toxic. Beta carotene is a very important antioxidant. Several studies have indicated that foods rich in beta carotene and Vitamin A reduce the risk of cancer.

Gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA)
This rare essential fatty acid in mother's milk helps develop healthy babies. GLA is the precursor to the body's prostaglandins, master hormones that control many functions.
Spirulina is the only known food, other than mother's milk, with a concentrated source of GLA.

The best natural iron supplement
Iron is essential to build a strong system, and yet iron deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency. Studies show that the iron in spirulina is absorbed 60% more efficiently than from iron supplements.

High in Vitamin B-12 and B Complex.
Spirulina is the richest source of B-12, richer than beef liver. Because B-12 is the most difficult vitamin to obtain from plant sources, vegetarians have taken to spirulina. B-12 is necessary for the development of red blood cells.

Phytonutrients
The polysaccharides in spirulina are easily absorbed with minimum intervention of insulin. Phytonutrients provide quick energy without any ill effect on the pancreas.

Carotenoids are a mixed carotenoid complex functioning at different sites in the body and working synergistically to enhance antioxidant protection.
ABCD is researching the possibility of growing Spirulina in the many lakes that will be created as we excavate the sand in our land sand project.

Information sourced from /www.aurospirul.com